Continuous miner operator Chad Meyers, 30, was killed on November 17 at Big Ridge’s Willow Lake operation in Equality, Saline County, while repositioning a continuous mining machine on the No. 5 working section.

According to the US Mine Safety and Health Administration’s final investigative report released late Tuesday, Meyers was backing the continuous mining machine out of the first cut of a crosscut being developed to the left of the No. 4 entry at the time of the incident.

“As Meyers was repositioning the continuous mining machine to mine the right side of the crosscut, he was pinned between the continuous mining machine cutter head and the outby coal rib.”

Big Ridge is a subsidiary of Peabody Energy.

MSHA said that, in a review of the mine’s policies during its probe, it found that the details of the approved roof control plan were not being followed. Also, while Willow Lake had a red zone policy outlining potential discipline for non-compliance, no evidence of such repercussions could be produced.

“Eight employees were interviewed during this investigation [and] all eight were questioned whether they had observed persons operating equipment in the red zone,” investigators said.

“Six of the eight stated they had observed persons operating continuous mining machines while in the red zone.

“One of the six stated a miner was observed in the red zone during the last full shift that he worked [and] several stated they had observed continuous mining machine operators tramming the continuous mining machine while leaning against the machine with their feet on the trailing cable. One employee stated this was a common practice.”

MSHA concluded that the fatality occurred because administrative controls and policies were not adequate to prevent the practice of operating continuous mining machines from an unsafe location.

Additionally, it said, no engineering controls were in place to prevent that type of accident.

To rectify the root causes of event, MSHA ordered the closure of the Willow Lake operation on November 27. It has not produced coal since November 17 and, as of June 12, was in the process of being sealed.

The air shafts have been capped, bore holes have been grouted, and a fence has since been installed around the slope opening.

“To prevent this type of fatal accident, mine operators must strictly adhere to the requirements of their approved roof control plans, which includes strictly following policies and procedures that keep miners from entering red zones,” MSHA said.

“Also, proximity detection systems should be installed on all continuous mining machines.”

Big Ridge’s citation was issued for a violation of 30 CFR 75.220(a)(1).

“The mine operator has displayed aggravated conduct constituting more than ordinary negligence,” it said in the report.

“This violation is an unwarrantable failure to comply with a mandatory standard.”

Standard 75.220(a)(1) was cited 40 times in two years at the mine, it added.

Controlled by Peabody Midwest Operations, the room and pillar Willow Lake mine operated in the Illinois No. 5 coal seam using four mining sections, all of which used split air (fish tail) ventilation.

Coal was mined by two continuous mining machines on each working section, and 454 crew members produced an average of 17,000 raw tons daily.