Beltman

A fully trained miner was fatally injured while attempting to remove a splice pin from a 72" mechanical belt splice. The splice was positioned near the outby side of the tail frame. The victim was positioned between the bottom conveyor belt and the top conveyor belt. Investigation is on-going by company, state and federal officials.

On December 23, 2019, at approximately 4:15 p.m., Raymond "Ray" Starkey Jr. (Starkey), a 21-year old general inside laborer, was fatally injured when he was caught between the 72-inch wide belt and the steel frame of the belt tailpiece. The accident occurred because the assembly holding the Cameron Corridor belt in place was not strong enough to withstand tension created during the belt move. The mine operator used belt grippers, lever hoist chains, and lever hoists that were not designed to withstand the forces generated during the move.

1. The Cameron Corridor belt was not adequately blocked against motion during the belt move.

   Corrective action: The mine operator revised and expanded their belt move procedure. The revised procedure requires the belt splice to be positioned at least 100 feet outby the tailpiece. It also requires all belt tension to be removed, which eliminates the need to clamp the belt near the tailpiece. Miners were trained in the revised procedure.

2. Adequate supervision was not provided while the victim was being task trained.

   Corrective action: The mine operator trained miners who perform the supervised portion of task training to ensure trainees are safe while they are being trained.

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

LAST OPEN CROSSCUT

Mining method

Other

Accident type

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

Source of injury

BELT CONVEYORS

Nature of injury

FRACTURE,CHIP

Body part affected

SKULL

Total mining experience

2 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY