Reports from the state’s Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training were released Tuesday on the investigations of two fatalities: Nathan Dove, 24, on May 16 at Massey Energy’s Aracoma Alma No. 1 operation; and red hat Adam Lanham, 18, at International Coal Group’s Sentinel complex on May 30.
Investigators issued eight citations for non-contributing violations in Dove's death, but cited Massey because the power to the shuttle car he was repairing was not de-energised before the work began, according to the Associated Press.
The wire had not been locked out and tagged out properly, so Dove – who had five months of mining experience – cut into it live, the agency found.
In the report of Lanham’s death, ICG was found to be at fault for two violations that contributed to his death: the unsafe operation of heavy equipment and improper supervision of an apprentice miner. In the accident, the worker with just 33 days of experience was run over by a scoop that was hauling gravel underground.
The AP said investigators found that the foreman was operating the equipment at the same time as he was supervising Lanham, and allowed the worker to walk in front of his scoop.
ICG spokesperson Ira Gamm responded to the reports Tuesday afternoon, telling International Longwall News: “International Coal Group disagrees with the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training’s findings of two contributory violations in the accident at the Wolf Run Mining Company’s Sentinel Mine on May 30, 2008. The company intends to contest the violations.”
Massey spokesperson Jeff Gillenwater acknowledged that one contributing violation was recorded in the state’s report and maintained that the company provides “extensive training” on locking and tagging procedures at its mines.
“Electricians understand that it is their duty to lock and tag any piece of equipment they are working on,” he said.
“We are not sure why Mr Dove did not lock and tag out this piece of equipment prior to working on it.”
There have been 16 coal deaths in the US so far in 2008, four of them in West Virginia.
