COAL MINE FATALITY - On Thursday, February 26, 1998, a 48-year-old maintenance electrician was servicing and repairing a continuous mining machine located in the last open crosscut of a three-entry longwall development section. The electrician was positioned between the continuous mining machine and the inby rib of the crosscut. Suddenly, a 26-foot long by 12 to 40 inches wide by up to 16 inches thick section of the rib fell. The falling material pushed the maintenance electrician into the continuous mining machine.
BEST PRACTICES
The roof and ribs of all work areas must be thoroughly examined prior to the work starting.
All miners should be trained to recognize hazardous rib conditions.
This is the sixth fatality reported in calendar year 1998 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 1997 there were 4 fatalities. This is the first fatality classified as FALL OF RIB in 1998.
For more information:
MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL98C06]
