Fatality #9 - May 28, 2010

On May 28, 2010, James S. Bennett, supervisor, age 62, died when an unplanned delayed initiation of explosives occurred. The victim and Michael Engelke, miner, entered a blast area to check it. When they were within 25 feet of the face, the misfire detonated and both miners were struck by fly rock from the blast. Engelke was injured, hospitalized, and later released. 



The accident occurred because management failed to ensure that policies and procedures to protect miners in blast areas were followed. The procedures did not ensure that miners did not return to the blast site for at least one hour after the suspected burning stopped.