Shaftcrew

Two shaft repairmen had finished pulling lacing from the pipe compartment, the all clear/tucked in verbal command was given twice with response. The bell signal was transmitted to raise the skip. One miner's fall protection lanyard was accidentally left connected to a shaft anchor. As the skip raised the lanyard remained secured pulling the miner between the skip and shaft timber.

Nicholas P. Rounds, Shaft Repairman, age 36, was killed on June 2, 2014, while working in the chippy (personnel) hoist compartment of the Jewell Shaft. N. Rounds and another miner were working in the shaft performing rehabilitation work. Prior to the accident, N. Rounds had tied off his fall protection lanyard to a stationary metal rod (hanging rod) located on the shaft wall behind him. After loading and securing wooden lacing onto the chippy work deck, the hoist operator was given the okay to move the hoist upwards to the surface. However, the victim had not disconnected his lanyard from the hanging rod and when the chippy conveyance moved, he was pulled into the space between the chippy work deck and the shaft wall. The accident occurred due to management’s failure to identify possible hazards and establish safe work procedures associated with performing shaft maintenance work, specifically where miners were to safely tie off their lanyards. A safe procedure for replacing or transporting wooden lacing during shaft maintenance had not been developed or implemented. Material on the chippy work deck affected where the miners could tie off their lanyards while performing shaft maintenance.

1. Management failed to ensure that a safe procedure for shaft maintenance work. Material on the deck affected where the miners could tie off while performing shaft maintenance. The victim had tied his lanyard off to a stationary metal hanging rod located on the wall of the shaft between the timber sets. When the conveyance was moved, the victim was pulled from the platform he was standing on.

   Corrective action: Management developed and implemented procedures for shaft maintenance work. The procedures also address the proper use of fall protection while working from conveyances. The miners involved in the rehabilitation of the shaft were all trained regarding the new procedures.

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

Activity at time of incident

Machine Maintenance

Subunit / location

UNDERGROUND

Underground location

VERTICAL SHAFT

Mining method

Conventional Stoping

Accident type

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

Source of injury

ELEVATORS,CAGES,SKIPS,ETC

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

HEAD, MULTIPLE PARTS

Total mining experience

18 years

Experience at this mine

1 year

Experience in this job

1 year

Degree of injury

FATALITY