Accident Report: Fatality Reference
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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Wednesday, March 30, 2017, at 2:09 am, a 33-year-old miner (auger operator/foreman) was fatally injured at a surface auger mine. The miner was struck by a rock that fell from the bottom section of the highwall while changing worn cutter-head bits located at the front of the auger machine. The rock was approximately 4 feet by 5 feet by 30 inches in size.
Best Practices
- Follow the approved ground control plan at all times to ensure the safe control of highwalls.
- Ensure that miners at all times work, travel, and operate mining systems/equipment at a safe distance from the toe of the highwall.
- Position and reposition the auger machine canopy as needed to protect miners near the toe of a highwall from falling material.
- Assign a spotter during maintenance or other activities to evaluate the ground conditions when miners are positioned near the toe of the highwall.
- Miners should not work or position themselves between equipment and the highwall in such a manner that the equipment hinders escape from falls or slides.
- Safely examine a highwall from as many perspectives as possible (bottom, sides, and top) before work begins. Use adequate lighting during non-daylight hours to conduct examinations and to illuminate work areas.
- Conduct additional examinations as necessary, especially during periods of changing weather conditions.
- Examine areas at the back of the top and the face of the highwall for hazards presented by cracks, sloughing, loose ground, and large rocks.
- Observe and notify miners of highwall hazards immediately. Remove highwall hazards or barricade hazardous areas to keep miners away.
- Train all miners to recognize hazardous highwall conditions.
Additional Information
This is the fourth fatality reported in 2017 in the coal mining industry and it is classified as fall of face/rib/side/highwall. As of this date in 2016, four fatalities were reported, with two in this classification.