Accident Report: Fatality Reference
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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Wednesday, September 26, 2012, a 32-year old section foreman with 12 years of experience was killed by a roof fall at Kopper Glo Mining's Double Mountain Mine. He was operating the continuous mining machine to excavate a roof cavity in preparation for the installation of a belt conveyor drive. The foreman was positioned approximately 8 feet inby the last row of permanent roof support when a section of the unsupported roof, approximately 6½ feet long, by 6 feet wide, by up to 8 inches thick fell, striking the victim and pinning him to the mine floor.
Best Practices
- Always post the end of permanent roof support with a readily visible warning or physical barrier to impede travel beyond permanent roof support. This serves to alert all miners as they approach a danger zone.
- Never travel beyond permanent roof support.
- Never expose any portion of your body inby the last row of undisturbed permanent roof supports.
- Make frequent, thorough roof examinations and be aware of changing roof conditions at all times.
- Give extra attention to the roof after activities that cause roof disturbance.
- Take extra precautions when cutting out roof support or mining above the normal roof line, such as mining a shorter depth of cut, then install two rows of roof bolts before continuing to mine.
Additional Information
This is the sixteenth fatality reported in calendar year 2012 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 2011 there were thirteen fatalities reported in the coal mining industry. This is the third Fall of Roof or Back fatality in 2012. At this time in 2011, there was one fatality in this classification.