This article originally provided by The Zanesville Times-Reporter

May 14, 2008

Magnum Coal cited in fatal fall at preparation plant

By Ken Ward Jr.
Staff writer

A Magnum Coal operation has been cited by federal authorities in the death of a preparation plant worker who died after a November 2007 fall, a new report shows.

Weatherby Processing Corp. was cited in the death of mechanic Larry W. Bird at the company's Remington Preparation Plant near Ohley in Kanawha County, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration report.

Bird fell from the third floor of the plant to the first floor while working to replace a piece of polyethylene pipe, according to the MSHA report.

The incident occurred at about 7:35 a.m. on Nov. 4. Bird died two months later, on Jan. 2.

During the pipe replacement, Bird dropped a battery-powered impact wrench. The wrench landed on a six-inch horizontal ledge located along the wall of the preparation plant.

"While attempting to retrieve the impact wrench, Bird crossed beyond the third-floor handrail without fall protection and fell to the ground floor," MSHA said in its report.

An MSHA citation stated, "An employee working in a surface work area did not wear protective clothing and devices such as safety belts and lines where there was a danger of falling." MSHA has not yet assessed a fine.

MSHA investigators found Magnum's typical annual miner training did not cover fall protection.

The MSHA report said that, at the start of Bird's shift the day he was killed, a 15-minute safety meeting addressed "avoiding slip and trip injuries."

Magnum has amended its regular training plan to include the topic "fall protection," the MSHA report said.

At the time of Bird's death, MSHA had not yet started a complete inspection in 2007 of the Remington plant, according to agency records. A complete inspection was started about a month after the accident.

To contact staff writer Ken Ward Jr., use e-mail or call 348-1702.