The victim was operating the continuous miner on the right side of the No. 5 unit (005). He was making the first cut in the crosscut left from No. 4 to No. 5 entry. He was mining the crosscut straight on instead of turning it from the No. 4 entry. After making the initial cut, the victim backed the continuous miner into the crosscut between No. 4 and 3 entries to set the machine over to slab the right side of the cut. As he backed the machine into the crosscut, he was pinned between the outby rib of the crosscut and the left side of the cutter head.
Fatality #17 - November 17, 2012
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Willow Lake Portal, Willow Lake Portal, Illinois
Mine Controller: Peabody Energy
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Incident Date/Time: November 17, 2012 03:20 am
PUBLIC NOTICE
This posting serves to provide a public notice to employees of the mine, employees of the mining company(s), employees of independent contractors with any connection to the mine, persons with any connection to the mine, and any person with information regarding the cause or contributing factors of this accident. Please provide any information to Dean R. Cripps, Lead Investigator, 618-439-4355.
PRELIMINARY REPORT
The victim was operating the continuous miner on the right side of the No. 5 unit (005). He was making the first cut in the crosscut left from No. 4 to No. 5 entry. He was mining the crosscut straight on instead of turning it from the No. 4 entry. After making the initial cut, the victim backed the continuous miner into the crosscut between No. 4 and 3 entries to set the machine over to slab the right side of the cut. As he backed the machine into the crosscut, he was pinned between the outby rib of the crosscut and the left side of the cutter head.
FATALITY ALERT
COAL MINE FATALITY - On Saturday, November 17, 2012, a 30-year-old continuous mining machine operator was killed when he was pinned between the head of the remote controlled continuous mining machine and the coal rib. The victim had 3 years of mining experience, with 20 weeks of experience as a continuous mining machine operator. The victim had mined the left side of an entry and was repositioning the continuous mining machine to mine the right side when the accident occurred.
FINAL REPORT
CAI-2012-17
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH
REPORT OF INVESTIGATION
Underground Coal Mine
Fatal Machinery Accident
November 17, 2012
Willow Lake Portal Mine
Big Ridge, Inc.
Equality, Saline County, Illinois
I.D. No. 11-03054
Accident Investigators
Dean Cripps
Electrical Engineer