COAL MINE FATALITY - On Saturday, November 4, 2006, a 44-year old section foreman, with 25 years of mining experience, was fatally injured while operating a battery-powered scoop. The plug end of a shuttle car cable had been wrapped around a canopy post of the scoop in order to pull the cable from one location to another during a section move. The cable became fouled, unwound from the canopy post, and struck the victim.
Ensure that properly designed ropes or slings are used to move cables. Do not attach cables to the decks or canopy of equipment being used to pull them. Attach cables to be pulled to the end of the equipment opposite to the direction of travel. Re-attach to the other end if the direction of travel is reversed. Develop processes whereby managers and miners work together to assess and manage the risks associated with recurring tasks. (SMART)
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Submit your own suggestion for a remedy to prevent this type of accident in the future. Please specify if you wish your submission to be anonymous or whether your name may be used. Please include the year of the fatality and the fatality number. |
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This is the 44th fatality reported during calendar year 2006 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 2005, there were 16 fatalities reported in coal mining. This is the seventh fatality classified as Powered Haulage in 2006. At this time in 2005, there were seven fatalities in this classification.
The information provided in this notice is based on preliminary data ONLY and does not represent final determinations regarding the nature of the incident or conclusions regarding the cause of the fatality.
For more information:
MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report