Examiner

Investigation indicates that the employee was attempting to cross a moving belt or cross a belt that had just started, when employee was pulled down the belt line and later recovered at the raw coal stockpile at the plant.

Texto original en inglés de la MSHA

On Monday, October 23, 2017, at approximately 4:29 a.m., James R. Adkins, a 48-year-old mine examiner with 18 years of mining experience, fell onto a moving conveyor belt and received fatal injuries. Adkins was attempting to cross the conveyor belt at the tailpiece in order to complete his examination of the No. 1 conveyor belt when he fell. He had been assigned to conduct a pre-shift examination of the No. 1, 2, and 3 conveyor belts, electrical boxes and track entry of the Horse Creek Eagle mine for the day shift. The accident occurred because the operator did not follow proper safety procedures.

1. Proper safety procedures were not followed while performing a conveyor belt examination.

   Acción correctiva: The mine operator installed belt crossovers at all belt transfer points. These crossovers are located at the belt tailpieces and prevent the use of belt tailpieces as a means to cross the belts. All crossovers, mid-belt crossovers, and crossunders were evaluated and modified, relocated, added or removed as appropriate. All miners were trained to use these suitable belt crossing facilities.

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

Actividad al momento del incidente

Cross Over (Conveyor)

Subunidad / ubicación

UNDERGROUND

Ubicación subterránea

INTERSECTION

Método de minería

Continuous Mining

Tipo de accidente

Atrapado en, bajo o entre objetos en movimiento o engranados

Fuente de la lesión

BELT CONVEYORS

Naturaleza de la lesión

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Parte del cuerpo afectada

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Experiencia minera total

18 years

Experiencia en esta mina

1 year

Experiencia en este puesto

8 years

Grado de la lesión

FATALITY