Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 102156.015 - Employee dies from methane gas asphyxiation

Accident Summary Nr: 102156.015 -- Report ID: 0316400 -- Event Date: 11/28/2017
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
1287429.015	01/11/2018		212112	Rockwell Mining Llc

Abstract: At 2:00 p.m. on November 28, 2017, Employee #1 and a coworker were looking for drainage valves at a mine water treatment pond facility. Employee #1 went down a ladder into a manhole next to one of the ponds to look for the valve. Employee#1 fell off of the ladder as soon as his head got to ground level. He fell into the bottom of the twelve foot deep manhole and collapsed against a wall. Emergency services were contacted along with responders from MSHA. The MSHA personnel were the only people on site with gas detectors. The MSHA personnel found the oxygen level to be 5 percent and the methane level to be 15 percent in the manhole. A blower system was set up to clear the manhole of the methane gas before rescuers could retrieve Employee #1. Employee #1 died from asphyxiation before he could be rescued.

Keywords: Asphyxiated, Enclosed Space, Fall, Ladder, Manhole, Methane

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	1287429.015	27	M	Fatality		Laborers, except construction

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