June 11, 2021 - On June 2, 2021, a 26-year-old section foreman with five years of mining experience was pinned against a continuous mining machine by a piece of rib. The piece fell while he was installing a rib bolt with the machine mounted rib drill.

Best Practices

• Support loose roof and rib material adequately or scale loose material from a safe location before working or traveling in an area.
• Examine the roof, face and ribs immediately before starting work in an area and throughout the shift as conditions warrant.
• Take additional safety precautions when mining heights increase and in areas where mine conditions change.
• Train miners to recognize roof and rib hazards and to stop work in the area until the hazards are corrected.