Laborer

EE was fatally injured while performing the standard practice of scaling loose material using a mechanical scaler. Loose material fell from the back contacting the scaler and employee.

On January 21, 2015, John D. Hoodenpyle, Mechanical Scaler, age 54, was killed when a section of rock fell from the back/roof, collapsing the protective structure on a scaling machine. Hoodenpyle was operating a mechanical scaler (scaler) in the RC3PO Northeast drift when approximately 175 tons of material fell, covering the machine. The accident occurred due to management’s failure to identify hazardous ground conditions and to design and install an adequate support system that controlled the ground in the RC3PO Northeast area, where persons worked or traveled in performing their assigned tasks. Management did not ensure that miners scaled the roof from a safe location.

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

Activity at time of incident

Underground Equipment, Nec

Subunit / location

UNDERGROUND

Underground location

SLOPE/INCLINED SHAFT

Mining method

Conventional Stoping

Accident type

Struck by falling object

Source of injury

CAVING ROCK,COAL,ORE,WSTE

Nature of injury

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

4 years

Experience at this mine

4 years

Experience in this job

2 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY