An investigation into a workplace accident earlier this year has concluded that a Wyoming coal mining company failed to maintain safe equipment standards.

Earlier this summer, a 25-year-old contractor was crushed to death by the upper frame of a large crane. Mine Safety and Health Administration officials determined that an oil leak allowed hydraulic pressure to release and abruptly lower the 10,700-pound crane.

Officials cited the company for the incident and claimed it failed to remove unsafe equipment from service. It was determined during the course of the investigation that the now deceased worker had correctly followed all safety protocols in place while operating the machine.

Mining Accidents and the Mine Safety and Health Administration

The MSHA is a federal regulatory agency that administers safety provisions and guidelines for the mining industry. When companies fail to meet standards set by the MSHA, they are fined or temporarily shut down until standards are met.

One recent example is the case of another Wyoming mining company, who in 2012 managed to collect over two dozen safety violations. MSHA officials shut down operations for the company until its problems were corrected.

Mining accidents have the capability to be fatal and extremely dangerous, and mining companies have an obligation to protect their workers and to cooperate with regulatory agencies created to bolster safety. In 2010, a major mining disaster in West Virginia took the lives of 29 people, and recently the CEO of the mining company has been in the spotlight for doing little to prevent it.

Metier Law Firm – Injury Attorneys Representing Clients Nationwide

You can read more about the MHSA by visiting their website.