Laborer

The victim received fatal injuries and was found in the #4 belt head chute. There were no eyewitnesses. The circumstances surrounding and the cause of the accident are under investigation.

On Thursday, January 27, 2011, John C. Lester Jr. (victim), a 19 year old underground miner with a little over three months total eperience, was killed when he became caught between the first outby belt conveyor loading surface and the discharge coal guide of the section belt conveyor. Both belt conveyors were operating at the time of the accident. It is likely this accident occurred when the victim, who had little mining eperience, attempted to cross the moving No. 3 conveyor belt just inby the No. 4 conveyor belt head and fell on top of the No. 3 conveyor belt. The No. 3 conveyor belt immediately carried him into the discharge coal guide boards, causing him to become caught in the structure.

1. The mine operator demonstrated inadequate oversight of an employee in that a miner with little mining eperience was working alone and attempted to cross a moving conveyor belt.

   Corrective action: Training was conducted and documented for all persons at the mine, in the hazards associated with working around and crossing moving conveyor belts.

Findings from MSHA's final investigation report, which supersedes the preliminary narrative above.

Activity at time of incident

Cross Over (Conveyor)

Subunit / location

UNDERGROUND

Underground location

INTERSECTION

Mining method

Continuous Mining

Accident type

Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Source of injury

BELT CONVEYORS

Nature of injury

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Body part affected

HEAD,NEC

Total mining experience

0 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY