Continuous Miner Operator

Fatal injury due to a rib roll while bolting a belt trench at 240 blk 4 to 7 in 9 south.

1. The mine operator's policies and administrative controls did not ensure that the ribs were adequately supported or otherwise controlled to protect persons from the hazards associated with rib rolls while mining out-of-seam.

   Corrective action: The approved roof control plan was revised to include rib bolting as mining advanced in out-of-seam areas (18 inches above or below the coal seam) as mining advances to protect miners from rib rolls.

2. Existing equipment was unable to install needed rib support and was thereby unsuited to current conditions. The continuous mining machine was not designed to install rib support. A design change to add rib bolting was not considered when mining out-of-seam or in adverse conditions.

   Corrective action: Rib drills were retrofitted to the continuous mining machine to install rib bolts as mining advanced.

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

Activity at time of incident

Roof Bolter, Nec

Subunit / location

UNDERGROUND

Underground location

FACE

Accident type

Struck by falling object

Source of injury

CAVING ROCK,COAL,ORE,WSTE

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

TRUNK, MULTIPLE PARTS

Total mining experience

7 years

Experience at this mine

3 years

Experience in this job

1 year

Degree of injury

FATALITY