COAL MINE FATALITY - On Tuesday October 29, 1996,
a shuttle car operator with seven years mining experience, was killed
by a piece of falling draw rock. Leaving the dumping point, a shuttle
car operator was tramming a shuttle car inby towards the face where
pillar mining was taking place. A piece of draw rock 60 inches long
by 50 inches wide and about 3 inches thick, fell from between the roof
bolts and into the operators compartment of the shuttle car. The entry
height at the accident site was 40 1/2 inches. The canopy had been
removed from the shuttle car due to the entry height on the section.
Earlier, two roof bolts had been sheared off adjacent to the location
where the draw rock fell and supplemental bolts had not been installed.
This is the 30th coal mine fatality in 1996. As of October 29, of
last year, there had been 38 fatalities. This death is the eighth
classified as FALL OF ROOF in 1996.
Photograph of Roof Fall Location
For more information: 
MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL96C30]
