Eight-year industry veteran Bruce Edward Makin, 50, was working as a surveyor for Civil Mining Environmental Engineering at the Nolo mine in Indiana County on February 25. While examining a continuous miner, he was hit by a loaded shuttle car that was moving through check curtain and dragged a short distance.
The 97-worker mine has been run by Pennsylvania operator AMFIRE Mining since 2003.
An order to idle was presented after the incident and Makin's death was later ruled an accident by local authorities.
MSHA recommended the following best practices for other mines to prevent a similar incident:
- Never position yourself in an area or location where equipment operators cannot readily see you;
- Before operating mobile equipment, always ensure that other miners are not in the area of your intended travel;
- Sound warnings when the operator's visibility is obstructed, such as when making tight turns, reversing direction, or approaching curtains; and
- Wear reflective clothing to ensure high visibility when necessary to walk or work in the area of moving equipment;
- Perform surveying at times when the section is not in production.
Makin's death is the fifth for US coal mining so far this year, and the second classified as Powered Haulage by MSHA.
