Explosives and Breaking Agents

The detonator had a dead battery. In order to set off the shot, employee brought up a loader. The loader battery was used to set the shot off. Employee was unable to be inside the shelter provided for blasting.

On March 22, 2016 at approximately 6:35pm an employee was struck by flyrock after a shot was detonated. The employee was sitting inside of a pickup approximately 1,200 feet away from the shot when detonated. This incident resulted in a fatality.

Individual was hit by fly rock while setting off a shot.

Employee went back to check on a post blast and became overcome by Carbon Monoxide from powder smoke. Carbon Monoxide

Employee went back to rescue down nipper. Carbon Monoxide

Employee was operating a loader near the highwall when a shot was initiated.

The investigation is not complete, but as of now it appears a miner was fatally injured when material that traveled through a borehole struck him after a blast was initiated. The victim was on the 1290 level ramp waiting for a blast to be initiated. The concussion from the explosion traveled through a 3-inch borehole, blowing small rock and debris onto the victim.

2 miners lit their fuse for a face round and then re-entered blast area prior to the mandated 1 hour wait period. When they were within 25 feet of the face, a misfire detonated. This was against company policy and recent training. 1 miner was killed by the blast and the other injured.

Miner was hit in head by fly rock from blast causing his death.

AT 12:30 PM A RIGHT BREAK OFF THE #4 ENTRY SHOT OUT THROUGH AN EXISTING HOLE IN THE RIB OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SHOT INTO THE PARALLEL BREAK, SHOOTING COAL ONTO THE DRILL OPERATOR, DRILL HELP ER AND SHOT FIRER.