CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A February death at a Marion County mine has been connected to a lack of effective safe work policies around mobile equipment, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said in a report released Tuesday.
James Campbell, 50, died from injuries sustained while attempting to assist a truck driver position a trailer for loading a rock truck.
“The victim was standing in front of the wheels on the trailer’s front axle and was struck by the trailer’s wheels as the tractor and trailer moved forward,” the agency said.
The Feb. 27 incident happened at the Patriot Coal Federal No. 2 property, which is in an active a non-producing state. Four full-time employees work at the site.
The report notes the loading area did not provide enough room for positioning a tractor and trailer directly in front of the rock truck. Campbell and two other men were working to move the truck. Campbell gave a man operating the tractor and trailer hand signals, which the driver did not see until after Campbell was struck.
Officials determined Country Roads Transport LLC did not have a policy in place ensuring safe work practices and communication while working around mobile equipment. The report noted the company has developed a written procedure to prevent similar future instances.