COAL MINE FATALITY - On Friday, March 24, 1995, a
maintenance trainee was fatally injured while working as a
continuous mining machine helper. The continuous mining machine
operator, utilizing a remote control, was in the process of
tramming the continuous mining machine through a crosscut. The
operator was walking in front of the machine as the machine moved
toward him. The maintenance trainee was attending to the
continuous mining machine power cable at the rear of the machine.
When the continuous mining machine was "squirmed" the conveyor
boom crushed the trainee against the inby rib of the crosscut.
The victim had three weeks of mining experience.
The continuous mining machine operator's line of sight to the
rear of the mining machine and the victim, a distance of thirty
feet, was obstructed by illumination from the mining machine's
headlight. Two other employees were in close proximity to the
moving continuous mining machine, between the machine's operator
and the victim.
This is the sixth coal mine fatality in 1995. As of March 24
last year, there had been ten fatalities. This death is the first
classified as MACHINERY in 1995.
Line drawing of the accident scene
For more information:
MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL95C06]