On Saturday, May 20, at about 1.00am local time, an underground explosion occurred at Darby No. 1 mine in Kentucky that resulted in the deaths of five miners.

The accident occurred at the start of the maintenance shift and four of the six miners underground, including the survivor, were located in the active working section at the time of the explosion.

MSHA said mine operators should adhere to the following best practices to avoid future incidents similar to the one at Darby No. 1 mine:

Maintaining sufficient ventilation is the first line of defence against an ignition or explosion;

Generous applications of rock dust can prevent the propagation of coal dust explosions;

Gas tests should be made more frequently during periods of dropping barometric pressures. Also, gas tests must be made at all locations that could be contacted by flame or sparks immediately before and continuously during any welding, cutting, or soldering activity, which shall not be conducted in air that contains 1% or more of methane;

Monitoring the efficiency of ventilation systems is critical to ensure gases are continuously diluted and carried away from active workings. Examinations should also ensure that seal water traps contain sufficient fluid to maintain effective isolation; and

Clean up loose coal, coal dust and other combustible material. The possibility of a fire or explosion can be diminished by reducing the fuel supply.

The five deaths brought to 17 the total number of fatalities classified as Ignition/Explosion of Gas/Dust in 2006.

On May 24 this year at about 2.30pm, a 34-year-old man with 7 months of mining experience was fatally injured while operating a battery-powered scoop. While tramming the scoop to the surface, a plank, three inches thick by nine inches wide by 12 feet long, entered the operator's compartment striking and fatally crushing the victim.

MSHA said mine operators should adhere to the following best practices to avoid similar future incidents:

Conduct thorough pre-shift examinations to determine the presence of any hazards in areas where mobile equipment is to be operated;

Examine active roadways as often as necessary to ensure safety, particularly when hauling loose materials;

Maintain all haulage ways and travel ways free of extraneous materials that may pose a hazard to equipment operators, passengers or miners; and

Emphasise safe operating procedures for equipment and maintenance of roadways in all training programs.

The death was the fifth fatality classified as Powered Haulage in 2006.