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COAL MINE FATALITY -On Monday, March 23, 1998, a 40-year-old section foreman, operating a scoop, removed three cribs that had been installed along the left rib of an entry. The cribs were removed because the continuous mining machine was going to mine-through from the crosscut at this location. After removing the cribs, the foreman watched the roof for over five minutes, then walked between the scoop and the left coal rib picking up loose crib blocks and tossing them into the scoop bucket. Suddenly, at approximately 4:40 p.m., a 58-inch long by 44-inch wide and up to 8 inches thick, section of the roof fell from between the coal rib and left rib pattern bolts, striking both the scoop and the foreman.

BEST PRACTICES
  • All work of removing roof support should be conducted from a remote and protected location.
  • This is the ninth fatality reported in calendar year 1998 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 1997, there were six fatalities. This is the fourth fatality classified as ROOF FALL in 1998.

    For more information:
    Fatal Alert Bulletin Icon MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL98C09]