June Fatalities 2000 – 2005 Coal & Metal / Nonmetal.

June Fatalities

2000 – 2005

Coal & Metal / Nonmetal

June Factors

• Higher humidity can have an effect on roof rock and falls become more likely.

• A popular vacation month that may rush some miners to complete jobs or simply distract them from their surroundings.

• Miners assigned to unfamiliar or non-routine work during vacation periods.

Fatalities 2000 - 2005

51

32

29

44

26 17

44

45

38

2531

47Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

JUNE

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

85

13

72

6

69

6

56

8

55

7

57

7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Total Fatals

June Fatals

June as a Percentage of all fatalities (Even distribution across a given year is 8.3% per month)

•2000 15.3%

•2001 8.3%

•2002 8.7%

•2003 14.3%

•2004 12.7%

•2005 12.3%

*An Average of 5.5 miners per month have suffered fatalities since the year 2000.

*In the month of June an average of 7.8 miners have suffered fatalities since the year 2000

Coal

Fatalgrams 2000 to 2005 YTD (6/9/2005)

• COAL MINE FATALITY - On Friday June 2, 2000, a 48 year old foreman, with 16 years mining experience, was fatally injured when he was crushed beneath the rear wheels of a loaded LAL 9000 Ford coal truck that was backing toward the raw coal bins. The victim was in the process of moving a water hose, which was used for dust control purposes, when the coal truck backed over him.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Wednesday, June 21, 2000, a 28 year old continuous mining machine operator, with 10 years mining experience, was fatally injured in a roof-fall accident. The accident occurred in the No. 1 room off the No. 6 entry of the 001-0 working section. The continuous-mining machine was mining in the first left side lift when a horseback in the roof measuring 28 feet wide, 18 feet long, and 8 feet thick fell with little warning. An eyewitness to the accident stated that the roof fell seconds after they heard the top begin to work, making what he referred to as a crunching noise. The miner operator was caught beneath the fall, killing him instantly. The miner helper (eyewitness) was caught and trapped by the fall for approximately 45 minutes, receiving a fracture to his lower right leg.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Wednesday June 27, 2001, a 29 year old continuous mining machine operator, with approximately 3 years mining experience, was fatally injured in a fall of roof accident. A piece of rock, measuring approximately 27 feet long by 12 feet wide and 0 to 18 inches in thickness, fell from the mine roof and pinned the miner operator to the floor. The roof fall occurred while mining an extended cut with a remote controlled continuous miner. The victim had positioned himself inby the last row of permanent roof supports.

COAL MINE FATALITY - - On Thursday, June 20, 2002, a 55 year old utility man with 31 years mining experience was found trapped between the frame of the number 12 bunker car and the upright beam attached to the catwalk that provided access to the bunker area. He was assigned to work on the old bunker in the "A" shaft area of the mine.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Thursday, May 23, 2002, a 58-year-old electrician sustained serious injuries as a result of an electrical accident. The victim was located beside the section power center when an electrical arc at the female receptacle of a shuttle car occurred causing severe burns to the victim. According to statements obtained during interviews, the victim was attempting to find a fault in the shuttle car cable when the accident occurred. Following the accident, the victim remained hospitalized, until he died from his injuries on June 27, 2002.                                                                                                 

COAL MINE FATALITY - On June 28, 2002, at approximately 5:50 A.M., a 49-year-old truck driver was fatally injured when the truck he was operating (a 50-ton 773B Caterpillar) backed through a haulroad berm prior to reaching the dump point, the truck overturned and slid down a steep slope into a coal slurry impoundment. The driver was recovered from the impoundment at 1:25 P.M. and transported to a local medical facility where he was pronounced dead.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On June 9, 2003, a 49-year old supervisor with 29 years mining experience was fatally injured when he was thrown from the elevated bucket of a Simon-Telect 42-foot aerial bucket truck. The victim and two other miners were dismantling a de-energized electrical substation on the surface area of an underground mine. To secure a steel "I-Beam" structure, a nylon rope was attached between the bucket of the aerial lift and the steel structure. After the steel structure was disconnected from the substation, the rope broke, causing the aerial bucket to shift suddenly, throwing the victim out of the bucket. The victim fell 28 feet 11 inches to the ground. The steel "I-Beam" structure then rolled onto the raised frame of the aerial bucket truck.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On June 13, 2003, a 21-year old Coal Driller Helper with 2 years total mining experience was fatally injured when the working face of a crosscut was inadvertently blasted into the next outby crosscut. Two other miners were also injured, one seriously. The victim and his co-workers had retreated to the last open crosscut to set off the shot when the accident occurred. The entries and crosscuts were driven off-centers, resulting in the crosscut blasting into the outby crosscut. The mine operates in a 32-inch thick coal seam.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Friday, June 13, 2003, a 41-year old maintenance foreman, with 15 years experience, was fatally injured while working on the surface at an underground coal mine. The victim and two other maintenance foremen were working at the substation to resolve a mine power problem. The victim had removed fuses from disconnects feeding power to a bank of capacitors located on top of the substation. While kneeling on top of the substation reinstalling the fuses for the station capacitor bank, the victim inadvertently came into contact with either energized 12,470-volt power cable or the top of the capacitor bank.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On June 20, 2003, a 32-year old section foreman with 13 years mining experience was fatally injured when he was run over by a scoop. The victim was found laying in the last open crosscut between the No. 2 and No. 3 entries. He was last seen working on centerlines for the advancing continuous haulage section.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On June 23, 2003, a 47-year old lead mechanic with 27 years of mining experience was fatally injured at a surface-mine repair yard while preparing to move a section of a shovel mainframe with a front-end loader. The metal mainframe section was to be used at another location to block-up another piece of equipment. After the front-end loader operator positioned the bucket over the shovel mainframe section, the victim reached under the bucket to attach a chain between the mainframe section and the bucket. During this process, the bucket drifted downward, pinning the victim's head between the mainframe section and the bucket.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On June 26, 2003, a 59-year old truck driver, with 25 years of mining experience, was fatally injured when the truck he was operating backed over a spoil pile dumping point. The truck rolled 166 feet down the spoil pile before striking the base of an adjacent highwall. The dumping point was not provided with a berm.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Thursday, June 10, 2004, a 52-year old heavy equipment operator with 26 years of experience was fatally injured at a surface coal mine while operating a refuse truck. The truck, loaded with clay dirt, was descending a grade from the crest of an impounding structure. The driver lost control of the truck during the descent. The truck left the roadway, traveled across a deep ditch, and overturned. The driver was found along the ditch, approximately 60 feet uphill from the truck.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Wednesday, June 16, 2004, a 45 year old general inside laborer with 23 years mining experience was fatally injured when he became trapped between an upright steel channel and a moving bunker car. The victim was washing down the area at the time of the accident. Apparently the bunker operator was unaware of the victim's location.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Wednesday, June 16, 2004, a 25-year old shuttle car driver with five years mining experience, was fatally injured when he was struck by a roof fall measuring approximately 210' long, 20' wide, and 6 ½' thick. The victim, employed by an independent contractor, was working with four other miners and had been installing timbers during retreat mining. They temporarily halted production to observe the mine roof when it began to collapse. The section crew ran, but the victim was unable to escape the fall.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Thursday, June 17, 2004, a 26-year-old utility man with two years mining experience was fatally injured when he was struck by a section of roof measuring approximately 38 feet by 12 to 14 feet by 27 inches. The crosscut between the No. 6 and No. 7 headings had been completed and the victim was apparently preparing to help move the continuous mining machine cable.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Wednesday, June 1, 2005, a 42-year old electrician with 3victim was working years mining experience was fatally injured while attempting to remove a piece of canvas that was wrapped around the section feeder rotary pick breaker. The in the feeder when the rotary breaker started.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Monday, June 6, 2005, a 33-year old electrician with eightyears of mining experience was fatally injured when he was struck by a roof fall that was8 feet long, 4.5 feet wide, and 4 to 19 inches thick. The victim was located in a crosscutapproximately 12 feet inby the last row of permanent roof support when the accident occurred. The continuous mining machine had just completed the left pass of a 20-footcut, broke through the intersection, and was backing out when the roof fell on the victimand the machine.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Friday June 10, 2005, at approximately 4:45 p.m., a 24-year old roof bolting machine operator with 5 years mining experience, 40 weeks at the mine, received fatal crushing injuries. The victim was performing utility man duties when he was caught under the front end of a shuttle car.

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Friday June 10, 2005, a 26 year old roof bolter operator with 14 months total mining experience was fatally injured when a roof fall occurred in the 3rd East Butt Section. The victim was in the process of installing additional roof bolts in a previously bolted intersection, when a section of roof approximately 20 feet by 25 feet by 5 feet fell. The intersection was in the last open crosscut of the No. 27 room.

Metal\Nonmetal

Fatalgrams 2000 to 2005 YTD (6/9/2005)

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 6, 2000, a 43-year-old boiler maker (contractor employee) with 20 years construction experience was fatally injured at a cement operation. The victim had stepped from the walkway onto a steel I-beam to help position a component being installed. He lost his balance and fell about 63 feet. The victim was wearing a harness attached to a lanyard, but he had not connected his lanyard to the wire rope static line that was provided.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 11, 2000, a 32-year-old saw operator with 14 years mining experience was fatally injured at a dimension stone operation. The victim and a co-worker were withdrawing the saw blades from two large granite blocks. The blocks, positioned about 3 feet apart, had wooden two by four supports wedged between them to hold the cut end slabs in place. The victim noticed the back middle support had fallen and asked his helper to find another support. The victim walked between the blocks, apparently to reinstall the fallen support. The remaining support came loose and the victim was pinned by the end slab which fell.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 12, 2000, a 47-year-old loader operator with 17 years mining experience was fatally injured at a dimension stone operation. The victim had used a wheel loader to move two large limestone blocks from the waste rock dump. He placed the rear block on uneven ground. The victim was positioned between the blocks marking them for cutting, when the rear block toppled forward pinning him against the front block.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 14, 2000, a 44-year-old dozer operator (contractor employee) with 2 years mining experience was fatally injured at a milling operation. The victim parked his dozer near the stockpile area and dismounted. A 25-ton articulated haul truck was in the process of pulling away from the stockpile after dumping his load when he struck the victim.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 19, 2000, a 29-year-old commercial truck driver with no mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim had just turned off the state highway and was struck by a train as he drove his over-the-road truck onto mine property.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 23, 2000, a 57-year-old tire contractor with no mining experience was fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim was using a radio controlled, truck mounted, power handler to load a 1,600- pound tire onto his service truck. As the tire was being moved, it fell from the attachment and pinned the victim against the service truck.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 23, 2000, a 40-year-old iron worker (contractor employee) with no mining experience was fatally injured at a cement operation. The victim was installing a steel walkway on an elevated deck. As he walked across the unsecured decking, he stepped on a section which tipped and he fell 45 feet to the ground.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 26, 2000, a 59-year-old utility operator with 2 weeks mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel dredging operation. The victim and a co-worker were repairing the anchor cable while positioned in a work boat. Their boat became entangled in the cable and filled with water. The survivor was able to reach the shore, however, the victim was swept away by the current and drowned. Neither worker was wearing a life jacket.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 30, 2000, a 33-year-old supervisor with 2 years mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim was adjusting the water feed when he lost his balance and fell into the log washer which was operating.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 24, 2000, a 58-year-old maintenance man with 7 years mining experience was fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. The victim was at ground level cutting limbs from a felled tree while his co-worker was using a hydraulic shovel to move cut trees. As the tree was being moved, it snagged on another tree, fell from the bucket of the shovel and struck the victim.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 30, 2000, a 56-year-old front-end loader operator with 4 years mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim parked his loader and walked over to an area where a backhoe was being positioned to excavate access to a plugged water line. When the backhoe operator engaged the swing pedal, it stuck, causing the boom to swing and strike the victim.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 4, 2001, a 27-year-old miner first class, with 4 years mining experience was fatally injured at an underground platinum mine. The victim had parked his load-haul-dump tractor (LHD) and was loading steel into the bucket by hand when the LHD drifted forward and struck him.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 5, 2001, a 47-year-old production miner with 21 years mining experience, and a 34-year-old production miner with 10-years mining experience, were fatally injured at an underground silver mine. The victims were installing ground supports in a drift when a violent inrush of rock buried them.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 13, 2001, a 32-year-old miner with 5 years mining experience was fatally injured at an underground gold mine. The victim and a co-worker were loading a face round when a ground fall occurred.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 14, 2001, a 56-year-old miner (contractor employee) with 35 years mining experience was fatally injured at an underground platinum mine. The victim was connecting an air hose, when he was struck by an LHD that entered the work area.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 1, 2002, a 32 year-old conveyor attendant with 5 years mining experience was fatally injured at an open pit copper operation. The victim became entangled in a tripper conveyor pulley.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 3, 2002, a 41 year-old maintenance mechanic with 11 years mining experience was fatally injured at a cement operation. The victim and co-workers had cleared a plugged chute and then jogged the kiln feed bucket elevator to make sure it was free. The elevator drive assembly failed and the victim was struck by metal fragments.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 12, 2002, a 35-year-old maintenance worker with 7 years mining experience was fatally injured at an alumina operation. The victim was drilling out scale that had accumulated inside heater tank pipes. The drill motor, detached from the gear box, fell from the drill mast and struck the victim.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 2, 2003, a 52-year old contractor foreman, with 25 years construction experience, was fatally injured at a surface clay operation. The victim was installing a 24-inch drainpipe in a 9-foot deep trench when a portion of the trench wall caved in and partially engulfed him.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 14, 2003, a 25-year repair crew foreman, with 4½ years experience, was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim was positioning a wedge bar to secure the upper liner plate in a stationary jaw crusher. Apparently the liner shifted and fell, striking the victim.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 1, 2004, a 49-year-old superintendent with four years mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim was trapped in a dragline when it fell into a water filled pit.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 19, 2004, a 33-year-old maintenance man with 3 years mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. A three man crew was attempting to unplug material at the discharge chute below a 30-ton hopper. The victim entered the hopper from the top without wearing a secured safety harness and lanyard when the material suddenly gave way and engulfed him.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 29, 2004, a 43-year-old maintenance supervisor with 9 years mining experience was fatally injured at a surface gold operation. He was operating a water truck and apparently lost control as the truck was traveling down a grade. He either attempted to exit the cab or was ejected and was fatally injured. The truck traveled through a berm and came to rest about 50 feet below the edge of an embankment.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 17, 2005, a 32-year-old equipmentoperator/mechanic with 5 years mining experience was fatally injured at a sand and gravel operation. The victim was removing toggle seat wedge bolts so that the broken pitman toggle seat could be replaced. The safety pins, provided by the manufacturer, had not been installed nor had other steps been taken to block/secure this component against hazardous motion. The pitman assembly shifted and pinned the victim against the crusher framework.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 27, 2005, a 70-year old dozer operator,with 41 years mining experience, was fatally injured at a crushed stone operation while cleaning off a bench in preparation for drilling. The dozer backed over the edge of the bench, rolled over, and fell 45 feet to the quarry floor, landing on its tracks.

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 29, 2005, a 21- year old equipmentoperator, with 12 weeks mining experience, was operating a scraper at a sand and gravel operation. The scraper's wheels ran over the edge of the stockpile, causing it to overturn. A co-worker saw the victim jump from the machine. He was fatally injured when the scraper rolled on to its side.