A section foreman was killed yesterday evening at a Kentucky coal mine where federal inspectors had threatened to beef up enforcement efforts because of a high number of serious safety violations.

Wilson R. Meade, 58, was killed in the 7:15 p.m. accident at D & C Mining Corp.’s operation in Harlan County, Ky., according to a preliminary report from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Here’s what MSHA’s report said about Meade’s death:

At approximately 7:15 p.m., the scoop operator for the 001 MMU was positioning a trailer load of concrete block at the number 35 crosscut on the 4 South Mains between the number 2 and 3 entries in preparation for construction of a stopping. The chain connecting the trailer of block to the scoop became unattached and the trailer rolled down grad, from 2 entry to 3 entry, pinning the victim (section foreman) against the outby bridge conveyor. The victim was feed and the METs on the section immediately began treatment. The victim was transported to the surface via a rubber tired diesel mantrip and on to the Harlan Appalachian Regional Hospital via Life Care Ambulance Service. The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital at 8:15 p.m. by the Harlan County Coroner.

Meade’s death is the first fatal accident at a U.S. underground coal mine since Oct. 19, 2008, according to MSHA spokeswoman Amy Louviere.  The previous longest period without an underground mining death was 135 days in 2006, Louviere said.

In December 2007, MSHA threatened to find D & C Mining had committed a pattern of violations because of a high number of serious citations. Oddly, MSHA appears to have sent the company a second, similar warning letter in June 2008.

Meade is the 7th coal miner in the U.S. and the 3rd in Kentucky to die on the job in 2009.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 3:51 pm and is filed under Mine Safety. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.