Motorman

Employee was operating the 15 ton Brookville track motor and his head was pinned between the canopy on the motor and a beam on an overcast.

On Monday, July 11, 2011, at approximately 6:45 p.m., Ryan K. Thatcher was fatally injured while operating a 15-ton supply locomotive or motor. Mr. Thatcher was 26-years-old and had six years of mining experience. The locomotive he was operating was pulling two loaded supply cars into the mine to an area of low, overhead clearance at a return overcast. The compartment where the operator is located in the locomotive is covered by a retractable cover which had been left open. This allowed the victim to place his body outside the protective compartment in order to get a better view of the load he was pulling. The victim’s fatal injuries were a result of his body being caught between the return overcast and the locomotive operator’s compartment cover.

1. The mine operator did not ensure that adequate visibility was provided for operators of the 15-ton locomotive. This lack of visibility contributed to the victim placing himself in a hazardous position, outside of the canopy’s protection, while the machine was in motion.

   Corrective action: The mine operator must ensure adequate visibility for each piece of rail mounted equipment being used at this mine. The operator removed the 15-ton locomotive from mine property and replaced it with a smaller 12-ton motor. Adequate visibility is now being achieved for the locomotive operators as a result of this change. The mine operator also elected to increase the clearance height at the overcast where the accident occurred.

2. The mine operator did not have adequate policies or procedures in place to ensure that the retractable compartment covers of the 15-ton locomotive remained closed while the machine was in motion.

   Corrective action: The mine operator chose to make it company policy to ensure that at no time is anyone allowed to have the canopy open while equipment is being moved. Persons are to be trained on this policy on an annual basis.

3. The mine operator did not have adequate policies or procedures in place to ensure that locomotive operators stayed within the confines of the operator’s compartment at all times while the machine was in motion.

   Corrective action: The mine operator has trained its personnel to stay inside the operator’s compartment at all times while the locomotive is in motion. They were also trained on hazards presented by pinch-points and to stay clear of pinch points until assured that equipment has been secured against movement.

4. The mine operator failed to maintain the safety of the locomotive operator(s) at this mine by not providing or installing visible close-clearance signs or lights where there was an abrupt change in the overhead clearance.

   Corrective action: The mine operator installed clearly visible warning signs in areas where abrupt seam height changes were encountered along the mine track haulage way. The area where the accident occurred is now sufficiently identified and illuminated for a sufficient distance.

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

Activity at time of incident

Locomotive

Subunit / location

UNDERGROUND

Underground location

LAST OPEN CROSSCUT

Mining method

Continuous Mining

Accident type

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Source of injury

NARO G RAIL CR,MTR-UG EQP

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

HEAD,NEC

Total mining experience

6 years

Experience at this mine

2 years

Experience in this job

2 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY