Two miners were injured recently when a large rock fell on them as they worked in a crawl space in a mine operated by Rosebud Mining in Kiski Township, northeast of Pittsburgh. According to the Kittanning Paper, the rock was about three feet wide and nine feet long. The two workers were taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Both the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the state Bureau of Mine Safety were investigating.
The accident occurred just as a new mine safety education and training facility opened in West Virginia. The first-of-its-kind training facility will focus on educating mine owners and operators about proper safety and rescue techniques. The facility will also offer simulated real life training opportunities for mine workers in the hope of reducing accidents.
Injuries and Fatalities
Mining is a dangerous industry, and many workers risk their lives every day that they report for work despite safety improvements in recent decades. Over the past 10 years, 26 miners have lost their lives and hundreds of others have been injured in Pennsylvania mining accidents, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Not only do mine workers work in dangerous conditions, but rescue workers who respond to mine accidents also face danger. According to the United States Mine Rescue Association, 159 mine rescue workers have been killed in 42 separate incidents in the United States while trying to save trapped miners.
If you have been injured or lost a close family member in Pennsylvania mine accident, you may be entitled to benefits through the Worker’s Compensation. Although the workers’ compensation system is intended to protect injured workers and their families, it can be difficult to navigate. If you have questions or concerns about your legal rights to compensation, contact the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorneys at Shor & Levin, the Bulldog Lawyers, by calling 855-860-4539 or by using our online contact form.
