Between 1984 and 2004 there were 29 fatalities involving remote-controlled continuous miner use. While just one red zone death was marked from June 2004 to July 2008, one miner lost is still one miner too many.

With this in mind, MSHA has updated the rules in its “Safe Operation and Maintenance of Continuous Miners” Safety Targets Program.

MSHA said it opted to bring the package current due to a rash of CM-related deaths since 1995, including three miners doing maintenance, 11 by roof/rib falls, one from a broken cutter bit strike and one who was run over by a shuttle car while escaping a roof fall.

MSHA said the new rules for operations were simple to follow and could eliminate all accidents.

The entire pack includes videos, a single source web page that MSHA developed for mine use, a poster on red zones, and several fatalgrams of prior fatalities.

Agency Program Policy Letters (PPLs) on the topic, information on close calls and near misses, and equipment safety and health concerns have also been made available, along with details on proximity protection.

The program shows all types of accidents that can be had when working on and near RCCMs, as many new operators of those units have been hired by mines since 2004 or were working on other job classifications.

“Learn about accidents involving RCCMs and about measures you can take to prevent yourself from being involved in a similar accident,” MSHA reminded miners in the program’s introduction.

“The life you save may be your own.”