U.S. Department of Labor

Mine Safety and Health Administration 4015 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, Virginia 22203-1984

ISSUE DATE: August 25, 2000

PROGRAM INFORMATION BULLETIN NO. P00-12

FROM:           MARVIN W. NICHOLS, JR.
                        Administrator
                             for Coal Mine Safety and Health

SUBJECT:      Crushing Fatalities in Underground Mines

Who needs this information?
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) enforcement personnel, underground coal mine operators, and miners should be aware of this information.

Why is MSHA issuing this bulletin?
MSHA is issuing this bulletin to inform the mining industry of the alarming increase in the number of miners who have been fatally crushed by face equipment. This bulletin also informs the industry of methods to prevent crushing injuries.

Why is this bulletin necessary?
In recent months, four miners have been fatally crushed between mining equipment and ribs.

• April 10: A shuttle car operator was fatally injured while exiting the operator's cab of a shuttle car. As the miner exited the operator's cab, another shuttle car struck his shuttle car and crushed him between the cab and rib.
  
  
• May 12: A continuous mining machine operator was crushed between the trailing cable support bracket of a continuous miner and rib while tramming the machine out of the working face. The mining machine was being operated by remote control.
  
  
• August 14: A miner was fatally crushed between the cable reel guide of a shuttle car and rib while assisting a shuttle car operator move a cable anchor. The miner had positioned himself between the shuttle car and the rib with his back to the shuttle car.
  
  
• August 15: A miner received fatal crushing injuries when he was pinned between a continuous miner and the rib. The continuous mining machine operator was tramming the machine to a new working face and was crushed by the rear frame of the continuous miner. The mining machine was being operated by remote control.

• Ensure that everyone is in the clear before operating mining equipment.
  
• While a machine is energized, do not perform other tasks, such as cable handling or changing bits, which could result in unintentional machine movement or activation.
  
• Always remain outside the machine's turning radius and pinch points when tramming a machine from place to place by a remote control.
  
• Position machines so that there is sufficient clearance for entering or exiting equipment.
  
• Never defeat the safety features on remote control units.
  
• Always communicate your position and intentions to the equipment operator.
  
• STAY ALERT TO ACTIVITIES AROUND YOU!