Continuous Miner Helper

Employee received fatal injuries from a shuttle car that struck him while hanging a check curtain on the #6 unit, #7 entry, #11 seam. His body was discovered by the car operator upon returning from the feeder. (AN MSHA, STATE AND COMPANY INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.)

1. The mine operator failed to effectively task train and/or instruct Falk in the safe work procedures in order to perform the task of continuous miner helper safely, which included working in the active haulageways.

   Corrective action: The operator has revised their written safety policy to include the requirement that miners working in the active haulageways must first communicate directly with the mobile equipment operators and that communication must be verified with a response. All travel in the affected area is stopped until work has been completed. The preferred method of communication is by radio. All miners were trained in this safety policy prior to the mine resuming normal operations. The operator also developed and implemented a procedure to enhance the information provided on the MSHA 5000-23 training form. Additional information was provided concerning specific safe work procedures to be trained in for a new task on the working section. The miner is not considered to be task trained until he/she has demonstrated an adequate understanding of each standard identified for that specific task.

2. Alterations made to the cab compartment impaired the shuttle car operator's vision, when traveling toward the dumping point while the shuttle car was loaded.

   Corrective action: The operator restored all shuttle cars at the River View Mine to the original manufacturer's design.

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

Activity at time of incident

Set Or Remove Brattice

Subunit / location

UNDERGROUND

Underground location

LAST OPEN CROSSCUT

Mining method

Continuous Mining

Accident type

Struck by powered moving object

Source of injury

MINE JEEP,KERSEY,JITNEY

Nature of injury

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

4 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY