A sharp, lethal piece of steel, travelling at a high speed struck him in the neck. Hard carbonate nodules had been encountered in the cut resulting in a large amount of sparking at the face.

The subsequent accident investigation revealed the shrapnel came from a miner bit which had lost its tungsten carbide cutting tip.

From September 2000 through July 2003 there have been seven reportable accidents and one fatal accident involving shrapnel from an operating continuous mining machine's cutter head.

MSHA released a series of recommendations miners should follow to avoid future tragedies.

Replace dull, cracked or burred miner bits every cut and more often when hard cutting conditions are encountered. When in doubt follow the bit manufacturers' replacement recommendations. Once the tip is lost the bit body becomes a blunt pick pounding on the face.

Wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as ANSI Z87.1 eye and face protection when near the active mining face.

Read, know and follow manufacturers' recommendations and company safety policy.