ROOF FALL FATALITIES

1. ROOF FALL FATALITIES

2. 1996 ROOF FALL FATALITIESVirginia

3. 07/08/96 • Substitute Roof Bolter Operator • Roof Bolting Machine Was Angled Such That The Operator Was Positioned Inby Supported Roof • Loose Coal Accumulations • Off-Center Orientation Of The Crosscut

4. 09/18/96

5. Employee’s First Day Employed At The Mine Left-side Roof Bolting Machine Operator Was Standing Inby Permanently Supported Roof He Was Holding A Roof Bolt And Resin Cartridge

6. 12/09/96 Pillar Recovery Was Being Conducted Pillar Lift Was 33 Feet Deep and 30 Feet Wide Shuttle Car Operator’s Compartment Was Advanced Inby Permanent Roof Supports The Roof Control Plan Limited The Cut Depth to 20 Feet

7. 1997 ROOF FALL FATALITIESVirginia

8. 05/15/97

9. Mining Into A Coal Pillar During Second Mining With A Radio Remote Continuous Mining Machine Section Foreman and Continuous Mining Machine Operator Were Trapped When the Roof In The Entry And Intersection Fell, Trapping Both Men Second Fall Section Foreman Multiple Injuries, and Continuous Mining Machine Operator Died From His Injuries Before Rescuers Could Extricate Him Evident Slip Fault

10. 07/15/97

11. Continuous Mining Machine Was Being Remotely Operated Making A Pillar Split On A Retreat Mining Section Roof Began To Work; Both Men Ran Outby Into The Intersection Roof In The Intersection Fell, Killing The Continuous Mining Machine Operator And The Foreman

12. 07/15/97

13. First Production Shift For This Crew At The Mine One Cut Had Been Taken From The Face Continuous Mining Machine Backed Into The Open Crosscut Four Miners Were Near The Continuous Mining Machine Large Horseback Fell Three Miners Injured, And The Foreman Was Killed

14. 10/01/97 10/01/97

15. Occurred On An Advancing Mining Section Resulted In The Death Of The Continuous Mining Machine Operator Entrapment Of The Continuous Mining Machine Helper Occurred As The Continuous Mining Machine Was Being Backed From The Face Area A Large Slip Fell From The Freshly Mined Face Area Operator And Helper Were Located Alongside The Continuous Mining Machine When The Fall Occurred

16. SUMMARY OF ROOF FALL FATALITIES Virginia1997

17. The average age of the roof fall victims was 44 years of age, and the average years of total mining experience was 22 All five of the victims were under supported roof when the falls occurred Three of the victims were operating continuous mining machines, and two were foremen

18. The continuous mining machine was not cutting coal when the falls occurred All of the victims were located in or inby the last open cross-cut

19. National Roof Fall Fatalities Virginia’s Roof Fall Fatalities 63% of the Nation’s 1997 Roof Fall Fatalities Occurred in Virginia

20. RIPPLING EFFECTS VA Miners Killed By Roof Falls In 1997 Family Members Affected By The Above Deaths Wife, Son Wife, 2 Sons Wife Son, Daughter

21. Virginia’s 1997 roof fall fatalities were the result of roof failures caused by large horseback type slips which were not detected and controlled Copies of fatal alert bulletins can be found on MSHA’s Website at http://www.msha.gov