Belt Foreman

The employee was working on a Fletcher roof bolter. He had the panel board off trouble shooting inside the electrical components of the machine. He apparently came in contact with electricity. The investigation is not complete at this time.

Texto original en inglés de la MSHA

At approximately 10:25 a.m. on Wednesday, August 20, 2014, Michael J. Justice (Victim), age 41, was fatally injured while working underground at the mine. The victim was working inside the explosion proof enclosure of a 600 volt alternating current (VAC) roof bolting machine. The victim came in contact with one phase lead of the 600 VAC circuit and was electrocuted. Through interviews and evidence gathered at the scene of the accident, it is believed the victim was working on the energized roof bolting machine’s intrinsically safe (IS) control relay at the time of the accident. It is believed that he was putting the relay retainer bands (two O-rings) on the relay at the time of the accident. The root cause of the accident was failure to comply with provisions of 30 CFR § 75.511, which requires visual disconnecting devices to be locked out and suitably tagged by the persons who perform electrical work.

1. The mine operator failed to follow well established and well known safe electrical work requirements. Additionally, the mine operator’s programs, policies and procedures were not sufficient to prevent miners from working on energized electrical equipment without first locking and tagging out the equipment before electrical work is started.

   Acción correctiva: The mine operator modified its training program to clearly define the difference between performing electrical troubleshooting and performing electrical work. All miners were retrained on the differences between performing troubleshooting and electrical work. Troubleshooting training included glove requirements at specific voltages. Electrical work training included lock out, tag out procedures. The mine’s Part 48 training program was revised to include specific training of the items above in the Task Training section.

Hallazgos del informe final de investigación de la MSHA, que sustituye la narrativa preliminar anterior.

Actividad al momento del incidente

Electrical Maintenance

Subunidad / ubicación

UNDERGROUND

Ubicación subterránea

FACE

Método de minería

Longwall

Tipo de accidente

Contacto con corriente eléctrica

Fuente de la lesión

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS,(Not Elsewhere Classified)

Naturaleza de la lesión

ELECT SHOCK,ELECTROCUTION

Parte del cuerpo afectada

BODY SYSTEMS

Experiencia minera total

19 years

Experiencia en esta mina

4 years

Experiencia en este puesto

2 years

Grado de la lesión

FATALITY