Electrician

While employee was working on the ride a piece of rock rolled off coal rib, striking them in the back. Pinning them against the personal ride.

On Friday, October 18, 2019, James R. Senters, a 60-year-old electrician with 12 years of mining experience, was working between a coal pillar and a personnel carrier when coal/rock fell from the rib and pinned him against the carrier. The coal/rock rib that fell weighed approximately 1,250 pounds and measured 79 inches long, 26 inches wide, and 8 inches thick. Lifeguard Ambulance Service transported Senters to the Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) for treatment of his injuries. He was released from the Medical Center on October 25, 2019. Senters was at home on November 4, 2019, when he complained that he was having trouble breathing and suddenly became unresponsive, slumping to the floor. He was taken by ambulance to PMC where he died later the same day. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not effectively control the coal/rock ribs on the 001 Mechanized Mining Unit (MMU).

1. The mine operator’s rib support practices did not control the ribs to protect miners from rib fall hazards.

   Corrective action: The mine operator stopped mining in the area where the accident occurred and started mining in an area where the mining height would be 6 feet or less. The mine operator also submitted a revision to the roof control plan for areas where the mining height exceeds 6.5 feet. MSHA approved this revision on November 8, 2019, which requires all areas having a mining height of 6.5 feet and above to be rib bolted. One row of rib bolts is required at a maximum spacing of 8 feet, when the mining height is 6.5 to 8 feet. Two rows of rib bolts, at a maximum spacing of 6 feet, are required when the mining height is 8 feet or more. All rib bolts are at least 4 feet long and used with pans, headers, or straps.

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

INTERSECTION

Accident type

Struck by rolling or sliding object

Source of injury

CAVING ROCK,COAL,ORE,WSTE

Nature of injury

FRACTURE,CHIP

Body part affected

CHEST (RIBS/BREAST BONE/CHEST ORGNS)

Total mining experience

12 years

Experience at this mine

12 years

Experience in this job

12 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY