MSHA records classify 63 US mining fatalities under Explosives and Breaking Agents, across 1,029 reportable incidents.
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The detonator had a dead battery. In order to set off the shot, employee brought up a loader. The loader battery was used to set the shot off. Employee was unable to be inside the shelter provided for blasting.
On March 22, 2016 at approximately 6:35pm an employee was struck by flyrock after a shot was detonated. The employee was sitting inside of a pickup approximately 1,200 feet away from the shot when detonated. This incident resulted in a fatality.
Individual was hit by fly rock while setting off a shot.
Employee went back to rescue down nipper. Carbon Monoxide
Employee went back to check on a post blast and became overcome by Carbon Monoxide from powder smoke. Carbon Monoxide
Employee was operating a loader near the highwall when a shot was initiated.
The investigation is not complete, but as of now it appears a miner was fatally injured when material that traveled through a borehole struck him after a blast was initiated. The victim was on the 1290 level ramp waiting for a blast to be initiated. The concussion from the explosion traveled through a 3-inch borehole, blowing small rock and debris onto the victim.
2 miners lit their fuse for a face round and then re-entered blast area prior to the mandated 1 hour wait period. When they were within 25 feet of the face, a misfire detonated. This was against company policy and recent training. 1 miner was killed by the blast and the other injured.
Miner was hit in head by fly rock from blast causing his death.
AT 12:30 PM A RIGHT BREAK OFF THE #4 ENTRY SHOT OUT THROUGH AN EXISTING HOLE IN THE RIB OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SHOT INTO THE PARALLEL BREAK, SHOOTING COAL ONTO THE DRILL OPERATOR, DRILL HELP ER AND SHOT FIRER.
WHILE GUARDING ACCESS TO THE PIT ENTRANCE, EMPLOYEE WAS HIT FROM FLYROCK WHILE IN FOREMAN'S VEHICLE.
EMPLOYEE WAS PRIMING A BLAST HOLE WHEN THERE WAS AN UNPLANNED DETONATION. HE WAS IN THE DIRECT LINE OF FIRE AND HIT BY THE BLAST.
A NEIGHBOR AND ADJOINING LANDOWNER/LEASOR MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY ON THE MINE SITE AND DID NOT RESPOND TO AUDIBLE BLASTING WARNINGS.
WHILE 2 EES WERE LOADING BOREHOLE, 1 CARTRIDGE OF EXPLOSIVE BECAME LODGED. WHILE TRYNG TO DEAL WITH THE LOADGED CARTRIDGE, IT DETONATED. THE DETONATION CAUSED SIGNIFICANT BODILY INJURY TO TWO EES. THE FORCE OF THE DETONATION CAUSED ONE EE TO GO OVER THE HIGHWALL; THIS EE DIED.
THE VICTIM HAD DRIVEN A 1991 TOYOTA PICK-UP TRUCK FROM THE COAL STORAGE AREA TO THE MINE SHOP LOCATED ON THE SURFACE AREA OF THIS MINE. THE VICTIM PARKED THE TRUCK AND HAD GOTTEN OUT AND WAS S TANDING BESIDE OF THE TRUCK WHEN THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED ACCORDING TO WITNESSES. THE CAUSE OF THEEXPLOSION IS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME, MSHA'S INVESTIGATION IS ON-GOING.
WE BELIEVE THE VICTIM WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ASSEMBLING A DETASLIDE DETONATOR INTO THE CAVITY OF A HDP-1 BOOSTER, WHEN THE CAP OF THE DETASLIDE UNIT SAW OUTSIDE PRESSURES TO THE EXTENT THAT THE CAP DETONATED & IN TURN DETONATED THE HDP-1 BOOSTER INSTANTLY KILLING THE VICTIM.
IT HAPPENED IN THE QUARRY AREA, WHERE SAW BLOCKS ARE FINISHED. WORKER DRILLED A HOLE IN AREA WHERE THERE WAS SOME UNBUANT BLACKPOWDER AND THAT CREATED AN EXPLOSION THAT CAUSED INJURY DEATH.
A BLAST WAS SET OFF BUT DO NOT KNOW WHAT ANGLE VICTIM WAS STRUCK. BUT MEDICAL EXAMINER STATES [H]IS DEATH WAS BLUNT TRAMA.
[SEE ATTACHED] ... INJURED BY AN EXPLOSION WHILE OPERATING AN AUTOMATIC JET PIERCING TORCH ... IN A MANUAL MODE TO "BURN BACK" THE TOP CHANNEL ... OPERATOR DIRECT TIP BY HAND ... THE MOST PROB ABLE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION WAS IGNITION OF PREVIOUSLY UNIGNITED PYRODEX IN A HORIZONTAL DRILL HOLE DIRECTLY BELOW THE VICTIM. ... VICTIM HAD SEVERE WOUND TO FRONT OF HIS HEAD.
A PARTING SHOT WAS DETONATED A PIECE OF FLY ROCK TRAVELED 236 FEET STRIKING THE VICTIM IN THE HEAD.