Coal Mine Safety and Health Report of Investigation: Underground Coal Mine, Fatal Slip/Fall of Person Accident, June 9, 2011, Rock Mountain Steel, Inc. (7WU), Montrose, CO at West Elk Mine, Mountain Coal Company, LLC, Somerset, Gunnison County, Colorado. MSHA ID No. 05-03672

摘要

On Thursday, June 9, 2011, at approximately 10:22 a.m., Fred A. Benally (Victim), a 53 year old contract ironworker with 12 years mining experience, was killed when he slipped and fell from a beam at the scalping tower construction site. Benally and two other ironworkers were working on the second floor of the scalping tower to remove a chute plate. Benally was standing on an 11-inch wide steel beam, which was covered with coal, coal dust and chunks of coal. He unhooked the lanyard which was secured to a beam anchor. While positioning to climb up to the floor grating above to reattach his lanyard, Benally slipped and fell. After falling approximately 8 feet down, he struck a crossbeam with his chest before landing on his back on a conveyor belt cover. He was wearing a full body harness with dual lanyards, but neither lanyard was secured (tied off to a suitable connection) when he fell. The presence of coal and coal dust on the beam, which created a slipping hazard, was also a contributing factor.