Acting section foreman Robert Carey, 45, a nine-year mining veteran, was working at UAE Coalcorp’s Harmony complex in Northumberland County on June 16, 2008, as part of a crew retreat mining a section of the operation.

“The accident occurred after the continuous miner operator was directed to begin cutting coal from the west end of the coal pillar, increasing the width of the pillaring area, and exposing more of the adverse roof condition. The mining of this section of the pillar caused the roof to collapse, pinning [Carey] against the coal rib, resulting in fatal injuries,” the agency said.

MSHA noted that the victim was working along the east side of the solid pillar line, approximately 16 feet inby the last permanent roof supports, where mining had occurred three days before. When another worker asked Carey if he was okay where he was standing at the time due to the presence of a roof roll, the victim replied that he was “all right”

The resulting roof fall that killed Carey measured approximately 30 feet wide, 20 feet long and 4 inches to 4 feet thick, covering the front of the continuous miner and extending the width of the entry.

MSHA concluded in its report that Carey was violating the Harmony mine’s federally approved roof control plan (RCP); despite observed adverse roof conditions in the area, he continued mining without installing proper roof supports or opting to halt mining completely.

“Also, hazardous conditions were either not recognized or ignored during workplace examinations,” it said. “The accident resulted from failure to follow proper mining practices, procedures, and applicable regulations.”

As a corrective action to the worker’s failure to follow the RCP, MSHA and the state Department of Environmental Protection held a day-long meeting with all workers and supervisors to review and discuss revisions that the mine consequently made to the plan, including sequential steps for retreat mining.

Further, the agency ordered the mine superintendent and general mine foreman to observe mining conditions underground “as soon as practicable” when crews begin a new section or retreat mining is relocated.

The Harmony mine has 31 workers and produces an average 25,742 tons per quarter, based on the last four quarters. The operation’s last MSHA inspection for safety and health was performed from April 16, 2008, to June 17, 2008.

The mine’s non-fatal days lost (NFDL) incidence rate in 2008 was 22.84, versus the national average for the mine type of 2.35.