Coal Age Magazine - For more than 100 years, Coal Age has been the magazine that readers can trust for guidance and insight on this important industry.
Issue link: https://coal.epubxp.com/i/465229
The agency also noted that no worker should ever enter a hole mined with a highwall mining machine or auger without a specific, detailed and approved plan to do so. In that plan, operators should specify methods for equipment retrieval that do not expose miners to hazards and also train all miners. Investigators also reminded all of the nation's operations in a list of best practices that they need to know and follow the provisions of the established ground control plan and keep all equipment in prop- er working order by establishing and implementing maintenance schedules. The second occurred just a handful of days later at Peabody Powder River's North Antelope Rochelle operation in Wyoming. MSHA classified it as a powered haulage event. In it, contractor truck driver Darwin Reimer, 51, was removing top soil ahead of the East Elk Pit at the Campbell County complex when he drove off a highwall, landing about 240 ft below. The victim had five years of experience, but had worked at the Powder River Basin operation a little less than a year. In its preliminary recommendations for accident prevention, fed- eral investigators urged equipment operation that was consistent with conditions of the mine's roadways, grades, clearance, visibility, traffic and the type of equipment in use. While commonplace for many, it also focused on the importance of standard signage for workers indicating traffic rules, signals and warnings. Adequate berm and barrier design and maintenance was another best practice point, along with training for all workers and monitor- ing activities by all employees to ensure all safe work practices are followed. MSHA has not yet released its final findings for Reimer's death. About a month later on November 10, Red Bone Mining's Crawdad No. 1 operation in West Virginia was the site for the 14 th fatal event in coal. Classified by federal officials as fall of roof or back, it involved sec- tion foreman and then-roof bolter Raymond Savage, 49. In a preliminary federal report, those probing the incident said that Savage was involved in a roof fall at the 2 North Section at the No. 2 entry of the Monongalia County operation. A review found that the rock measured 5 ft long by 3 ft wide by 13 in. at its thickest point. "It fell inby the last row of support between the ATRS and the left rib," MSHA said. While a transport was made to the local hospital, the report listed the event date and time of death as the same point. Investigators are still looking at the details of the event, and thus a final report was not available at press time. However, in its fatalgram alert posted by the agency to help prevent future similar incidents, MSHA stressed visual examinations of the roof, face and ribs, and immediately before any work is done in an area. "Be alert to changing conditions, especially after activities that could cause roof disturbance," it said in its best practices. "While under supported roof, perform sound and vibration tests where roof supports are to be installed [and] adequately support or scale down any loose roof or rib material from a safe location." While an ATRS was in use in this case, the agency highlighted the need for all units on bolters to be maintained in good working condi- tion and set firmly against the mine roof before supports are installed. Additionally, all operations must ensure ATRS are set within 5 ft of permanent support as well as within 5 ft of the rib line. Additionally, all operators should stay under the roof bolting machine canopy when working in the area between the ATRS and the last row of per- manent roof support. It also focused its recommendations on the compliance to an approved roof control plan. Experience was not an issue in the Red Bone incident; Savage had 27 years of experience and nearly 20 of that at the bituminous complex. Finally, just weeks before the Christmas holiday, one final event — an underground powered haulage accident — took a Kentucky min- er at the now-closed Highland Mining Highland 9 operation. Repairman Eli Eldridge, 34, was struck by a battery ram car that was en route to a continuous miner in the No. 7 entry. The victim, a 15-year mining veteran, had been at the Union County complex just 36 weeks. Some additional information was released shortly after when MSHA released its fatalgram. In it, investigators indicated that unit was traveling toward the face area, striking the victim with the left side, trailer end of the ram car. Among the agency's recommendations in the best practices seg- ment of the report was the use of proximity detection systems. In addition, officials stressed clear visibility, the use of transparent curtain in active face areas, and sounding audible warnings. Operation of lights in the direction of travel was also highlighted, along with personal strobe light use for all of those working inby the tailpiece. At press time, a final investigative report of findings was pending. MSHA's Final Findings While all of the Q4 deaths are still being investigated, federal officials did release several final reports for past events during the time period. s a f e t y r e p o r t c o n t i n u e d 48 www.coalage.com February 2015 One of two fatalities this year at Peabody Powder River's North Antelope Rochelle operation Wyoming killed contractor truck driver Darwin Reimer. Red Bone Mining's Crawdad No. 1 operation in West Virginia was the site for the 14 th fatal event in coal, when Raymond Savage was struck in a roof fall.