Lack of Policy to Blame for Fatal Mining Accident

Lack of policies and procedures blamed for the accident that killed a miner when he was fatally pinned between a locomotive and a rail car at a Consol Energy operation in West Virginia October 2008.

Victor Goudy, 58, was killed in the fatal accident when he was trapped when the rail car was struck by a second locomotive at the McElroy Mine.

According to a report by the Mine Safety and Health Administration released Thursday, McElroy Mine did not require operators to notify others when they stopped and the lack of policies and procedures for operation contributed to the accident. Miners were also able to work between locomotives and rail cars without proper notification of trailing locomotives.