Belt Foreman

Employee was fatally injured when a belt component malfunctioned (the bridal bar had a mechanical failure and broke) on the C1 Longwall take-up and struck employee in the chest causing blunt force trauma.

Texto original en inglés de la MSHA

On August 30, 2023, at approximately 6:50 a.m., Aaron Haley, a 34-year-old belt foreman with over 13 years of mining experience, died when a longwall belt conveyor take-up unit (take-up) component, the bridle, broke and struck him. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not maintain components of the take-up in safe operating condition.

1. The mine operator did not maintain components of the take-up in safe operating condition.

   Acción correctiva: The mine operator: 1) installed a new bridle on the moveable carriage. The new bridle is provided with gussets, which prevent the bridle from dropping down and contacting the track frame of the take-up when there is slack in the winch cable, 2) installed a two-inch diameter plasma rope to the moveable carriage and bridle to prevent the bridle from breaking free if the connections break again, and 3) developed and implemented a written policy prohibiting any miner from being in the belt conveyor entry between the belt drive and take-up winch when the belt conveyor is intentionally started or stopped, to reduce exposure.

Lee el informe completo (PDF)

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

Actividad al momento del incidente

Machine Maintenance

Subunidad / ubicación

UNDERGROUND

Ubicación subterránea

LAST OPEN CROSSCUT

Método de minería

Longwall

Tipo de accidente

Golpeado por objeto proyectado

Fuente de la lesión

BELT CONVEYORS

Naturaleza de la lesión

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Parte del cuerpo afectada

CHEST (RIBS/BREAST BONE/CHEST ORGNS)

Experiencia minera total

13 years

Experiencia en esta mina

3 years

Experiencia en este puesto

3 years

Grado de la lesión

FATALITY