Five-year miner Ryan Lashley was working at Murray Energy’s Century mine in Belmont County on November 23 when he was struck by high-pressure hydraulic fluid from a panline valve bank.

“The victim was advancing shields and the panline when a hydraulic hose extending from the panline to a shield was pinched between a shield pontoon and the mine floor,” the US Mine Safety and Health Administration confirmed on Wednesday in its preliminary findings.

“As the shields and panline advanced, a fitting on the hydraulic hose broke where it was attached to a panline valve bank.”

Lashley, who was at the 144 shield on the 2 West longwall section at the time of the incident, was pronounced dead on arrival to a local medical centre.

In an effort to prevent future similar incidents, MSHA is urging all US mines to use whip checks to prevent excessive free motion of hoses at connection points and to keep all hydraulic hoses free from pinch points, sharp edges and abrasive areas.

Additionally, high-pressure hoses should not be located in travel ways or in areas where miners are regularly exposed to them and any proper hose routing should eliminate abrasion damage and exposure to ignition and electrical sources.

When replacing hoses, investigators said pressure should always be removed beforehand and the replacement should match the original hose in length, diameter, pressure rating and other specifications.

Hoses should be checked frequently underground and if any are found to be defective, miners should replace them immediately.

Finally, MSHA said, all operators should train all workers on the dangers associated with hydraulic hoses on longwall faces and the proper maintenance procedures for hydraulic systems.

Lashley’s death was the 20th coal fatality in 2013 and the sixth classified as a machinery fatality.

Century, located near Beallsville, employs 698 workers, of which 609 are underground.

The non-union mine extracts from the Pittsburgh 8 seam at a height of about 54 inches.