The accident occurred on March 29 when rock fell as a 57-year-old longwall operator was preparing for a longwall move by installing roof bolts between the shield tips and the face.
As the worker, who was positioned at the outer edge, attempted to remove himself from the area for safety, he fell and was injured when the back of his head made contact with the panline structure.
The miner passed away on April 10 after being hospitalised for the injuries he sustained.
The agency issued the following best practices:
Pre-shift examinations of roof, face and rib areas, including the conducting of sound and vibration tests and more periodic tests when conditions warrant it;
Stay alert to and note changes in roof condition;
Make sure roof bolting procedures and equipment are safe for use while working beneath canopies; and
Slip and trip hazards should be removed from a work area before any other work can commence.
The agency has also asked that workers submit suggestions for prevention of such accidents in the future through their sites. It promised submission authors would remain anonymous.
The fatality was the third of its kind in the US in 2006 classified under the agency's heading of Fall of Roof or Back. It was the 24th US coal mining fatality reported.
