Published in the May 2008 Coal USA Magazine

The topic of injury prevention through behavioral training and other methods has received significant interest in the last several years, with research pointing to proactive safety programs and more efficient supply handling systems to reduce the number of workers injured and disabled each year.

While technology has stepped in to take the place of some of the hardest labor underground, there are still many men and women working in the nation’s coal mines whose jobs include such back-breaking duties as shoveling coal from beneath conveyor belts and carrying heavy materials from place to place.

While many of the details in this photo would look much different if this worker were candidly snapped today, it is undeniable that workplace health hazards will always be a challenge.