COAL FATALITIES NO.

5&6
TRI-STAR MINING INC
JOB # 3
MSHA ID NO 18-00713
 MINE OVERVIEW
 Mine began production 07/03/1986
 103,497 man hours worked and 652,856 tons
produced in CY 2006
 The mine works 6 days per week one shift per
day
 55 full time employees
 0.0 NFDL and 1.92 NDL injury rate in CY 2006
 7 violations issued since 01/01/2005 – 1
designated S&S
 DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT
 Between 9:25 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on
4/17/2007, a highwall failed resulting in the
entrapment of an excavator operator and a bull
dozer operator. The estimated size of the
highwall that collapsed was 150 to 170 feet
high by 100 to 150 feet long and
approximately 50 feet thick. The highwall had
been examined just prior to the collapse.
 NOTIFICATION OF ACCIDENT
 At approximately 10:15 a.m., an MSHA
inspector who was at a nearby job site was
notified of the accident.
 The inspector issued a verbal 103(k) Order at
approximately 10:30 a.m. and immediately
notified the district office.
 Two accident investigators were dispatched to
the accident scene and arrived at
approximately 12:00 p.m.
 RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 Shortly after investigators arrived, a decision
was made to begin tramming two large
Bucyrus Erie shovels towards the accident
location. The shovels were travelling towards
the scene from different areas. The weight of
the shovels caused them to sink into the
ground, delaying their arrival.
 RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 Loading out of the material began at
approximately 6:00 p.m. on the date of the
accident and continued for approximately 30
hours. Haul trucks with a 100 ton capacity
were loaded at a rate of 25 to 35 trucks per
hour. The condition of the highwall was
extremely hazardous. During excavation,
recovery was halted on different occasions to
assure the safety of the workers.
 RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 As material was removed, rocks were
encountered that were too large for the shovel
to load out. The rocks had to be chipped by
the shovel in order to be moved, which
delayed recovery.
 As material was loaded from the toe,
additional material would slide towards the
shovel until it reached the angle of repose.
RESCUE AND RECOVERY
RESCUE AND RECOVERY
RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 Shortly after midnight on 04/19/2007, a
decision was made to use explosives to
remove a large overhang that was above the
shovel. This time was also utilized to refuel
and service the shovel.
 The shovel had to be moved out of the pit prior
to the detonation of shot. Due to soft bottom
conditions, it took approximately 5 hours to
move the shovel approximately 500 feet.
RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 Two shots had to be detonated to remove the
overhanging material. Again, the shovel had
difficulty tramming due to roadbed conditions.
By 7:30 a.m., the shovel resumed loading.
 At approximately 6:00 p.m., the counterweight
of the excavator was uncovered. As work
continued in the direction of the highwall, it
continued to be unstable.
RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 As work continued to remove material, the
blade of the bull dozer was uncovered at
approximately 9:42 p.m. Additional removal
of material indicated the slide cause the two
machines to be pushed together. Other pieces
of the machines were removed from the pit as
work progressed. At approximately 3:45 a.m.,
a decision was made to halt the removal of
additional material until day light is available.
 RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 The shovel could no longer safely extend to
reach additional material. An excavator was
utilized to remove the material from atop the
fallen material. When enough material was
removed to expose both pieces of equipment,
an examination revealed the body of the
excavator operator was still inside the cab.
RESCUE AND RECOVERY
RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 The body of the excavator operator was
discovered at approximately 10:20am in the
location of the crushed cab of the machine.
The arm of the excavator was beneath fallen
material and had to be removed. The
excavator was then pulled off the bench to
facilitate recovery of the victim. The victim
was recovered at approximately 2:40 p.m.
RESCUE AND RECOVERY
RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 RESCUE AND RECOVERY
 While the excavator operator was being
removed from his cab, work continued to
remove material from atop the bull dozer. At
approximately 2:40 p.m., the bull dozer
operator was discovered in the cab of the
machine. Work continued to move the recover
the cab section of the dozer to a safe location
to extricate the victim.
RESCUE AND RECOVERY