Eli Eldridge, 34, was fatally injured when he was struck by a coal hauler while working underground earlier this month.

Patriot said it was fully cooperating with state and federal mine regulatory agencies as the investigation into the incident continued.

Despite this fatality, the US coal industry is looking set to achieve a record low in its annual death toll, following the aftermath of the 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion in West Virginia.

As 2014 draws to a close, a total of 16 coal mining related deaths have been recorded, down on the previous record of 18 in 2009.

A drowning at a surface mine at West Virginia Law River Company’s Crown Hill Dock on April 18 this year was added to the MSHA website this morning after the case was found to be chargeable as a mining fatality on December 22, 2014.

Federal mine safety officials have credited the changes made since the UBB disaster for the drop in fatalities, including more aggressive use of team inspections at problem sites and a suite of other measures.