DUGOUT Coal

Employee was walking outby on the off side of the belt when they took a step with the right foot and the ankle twisted inward. The resulting injury was a fracture to both the metatarsal #4 and #5 bone.

An employee was in the process of taking down a Kennedy stopping. During this process, they picked up a panel and began to collapse it. The top section of the panel slide down and pinched the individuals left little finger against the bottom section. This resulted in a laceration which required 5 sutures to close. Employee was released back to work with no restrictions.

After rock dusting activities, employee was placing the hose into the bucket of the scoop. At this point, the bucket was inadvertently lowered onto the injured's right foot. The injured was taken to the hospital where x-rays revealed no broken bones. EE was prescribed days off work.

GMS employee was retrieving a bag of rockdust near the rear of the bolting machine and the rear of the bolting machine was lowered causing injury to the employees foot.

The roof bolter operator was removing his drill wrench from the chuck when he inadvertently got his hand too close to the auger clamp. As he pulled the lever it caught his right finger between the auger clamp.

Attempting to remove a new knife from plastic packaging material. He advised 4 employees sitting next to him to conduct an Observation on him, as he removed knife. He put on cut proof-gloves & cut plastic with his cutters. He then attempted to tear plastic to remove knife, in doing so the knife (or plastic) cut his forearm. Knife was packaged with the blade in the open position.

Making a mechanical belt splice. Victim was holding a belt splice tool and another employee was striking the tool with a hammer. Victim moved tool and his partner swung the hammer, striking victim on back of right hand.

Employee was cutting a cardboard box with a knife when the knife slipped and cut his leg.

Carrying a crib block and slipped on ice and fell, the crib block landed on his hand.

He was walking on the surface, in the snow, when he slipped and fell. He fractured his right Fibula.

A roof fall occurred in the gob area behind the longwall face of Gil 4 MMU 010-0 disrupting ventilation. Ventilation devices in the South Mains and Giil 4B cross over were damaged.

Pulling a 3/4" hose through a man-door and pulled a muscle in his back.

Shoveling coal on to conveyor belt.

Floor conditions were uneven in the area and the injured person stepped on a softball sized piece of coal and rolled his right ankle.

A water discharge pipe broke in the Pace X-over main return aircourse, adjacent to a return entry sump. The broken line was not discovered for several hours, as such the water in the sump overflowed to a point where it blocked off a return aircourse. The mine was under a previous K Order, mining was not taking place. Ventilation changes were minimal.

Two longwall Coordinators were in the process of investigating elevated CO in the tailgate entry of the longwall. The CO occurred subsequent to a large cave in by the longwall shields near the tailgate corner. Elevated CO was detected behind shield No. 155 in the tailgate entry. Based on their findings a decision was made to evacuate the mine.

Employee was in the process of loading old belt rollers & structure in the bucket of his LHD. As he was topping off the load with a 54" cluster, a belt roller rotated causing the cluster to twist, catching his finger between the edge of the bucket & the cluster.

The AMS operator was alerted to 19 PPM at BEP #3 in the Gil-8 bleeder. Shift Coordinator was notified and investigated. The odor of burning coal was detected and the order was given to evacuate the mine. Efforts to investigate were unsuccessful, MSHA made a decision to evacute the mine. The cause of the elevated CO was never determined due to the fact the area was sealed.

Cutting coal on the longwall face when a small piece of rock flipped up and struck his lip.

EE & his partner were removing 2" diameter pipe that was hung on the mine roof. He stepped onto the conveyor structure railing (bolting was removed) to remove pipe from its hangers. The structure tipped slightly & he lost control of the pipe. He said he had a sharp pain in his upper back when the pipe fell. He reported the incident and worked the next day. He was advised to see Dr.

Two employees were using com-a-longs to drag a set of stairs across the top of an overcast, for installation. In the moving process the steps hung up on a lip. IE pushed on the tensioned chain with his foot to free the stairs, as he did the stairs swung to one side. In the process a loose chain (suspended from the stairs) caught his foot and pulled him off the overcast.

A small roof fall occurred in the tailgate entry of the longwall. The roof fall was not above the anchorage zone of the bolts, however, it partially blocked travel out the alternate escapeway. The fall measured 17' x 16' x 3'.

The continuous miner operator was standing between the second and third to the last row of roof bolts in the No. 1 entry (Gil-10 Headgate), completing a cut, when a rib roll occurred. The rib struck his left leg. The rib measured 6' x 6' x 0-24".

The Gil-8 longwall section, MMU 010-0, experienced an outburst while in the process of mining the tailgate side of the face. Ventilation and travel on the face were unaffected, however, production was halted for more than one hour due to equipment damage.

The Gil-8 longwall section, MMU No. 010-0, experienced an outburst while in the process of mining the tailgate side of the face. Ventilation and travel on the face was not affected, however, production was halted for more than one hour due to equipment damage.

Loading pipe on a pipe trailer, when he stepped on a small chunk of coal and rolled his ankle.

A roof fall above the anchorage zone occurred in the 7th East No. 1 tailgate entry to the Gil-8 Longwall Section. The fall included the tailgate of the longwall and approximately 14' outby. The fall blocked use of the alternate escapeway, but did not adversely affect ventilation.

The miner operator was rockdusting the face with a machine mounted hydraulic Bantam duster. The dusted became plugged with damp rock dust, so the operator removed the guard to clear the plug with his hand. In the process he accidentally leaned against the toggle switch on his remote control, activating the auger.

The mine experienced a bounce/burst in the Gil 8 longwall section, MMU-010-0 at shield No. 12.

Making a cable repair on No. 4 shuttle car. While trimming the insulation on one of the leads his razor knife slipped and struck his left hand, resulting in a small puncture wound.

Installing a rib pin and was in the process of lowering his canopy and swinging his boom in. When the canopy lowered the collar of the canopy caught the wrench protruding from the tool tray. The wrench flipped up and struck his lip.

The crew was in the process of packing old belt structure through a man-door. Employee and another employee were in the process of carrying a belt cluster when he tripped over a belt roller and fell. As he fell he twisted his ankle.

Three mechanics were in the process of repairing a broken cat tract on a continuous miner. The victim was holding a keeper pin with a pair of channel locks and another employee was striking the pin with a hammer when the pin ricocheted, striking him above the upper lip.

A methane ignition occurred in the 8th East development section. The left side roof bolter operator drilled a hole to a depth of 17" in the mine roof, when his drill steel plugged (wet drilling). He was retracting the steel from the hole to clean the plugged steel, when the hot drill bit ignited a pocket of methane in the drill hole.

He was standing on shield No. 67, operating the side shield control lever when a rock, measuring 6"x8"x5" fell between shields No. 67 & 78 striking him on the back of his right hand. The force of the rock striking his hand forced his hand into the leg cover, subsequently causing a small laceration to the palm of his hand.

A frictional methane ignition occurred in the 8th East develpment section. The operator completed his final cut and was in the process of cleaning up when the miner bits contacted the mine floor, igniting a pocket of methane in the floor.

A frictional methane ignition occured in the 9th East CM section. Operator was turning a crosscut (15' depth) when the miner bits contacted fallen roof rock. The miner head was 1' above the floor when the ignition occurred. It appears that a spark was generated from the sandstone, subsequently igniting a methane floor feeder. The ignition lasted less than 10 seconds.

Attempted to move a shuttle car. He thought the door was latched tight and started to move forward. The door swung open and he reached out and caught the door. As he was shutting the door he simultaneously let off on the tram lever, the inertia from this action caused the door to swing shut faster than anticipated subsequently catching his finger between the frame and door.

He was using a com-a-long to pull a belt head roller and frame back into place, (that had broken free of its welds). A monkey face was then welded to an "I" beam to attach a com-a-long. As he was using the com-a-long, the monkey face broke free and struck his right knee.

Installing a master link on a shuttle car. He was pounding a strap on the link when a small sliver of metal dislodged, passed through his leather glove and embedded in the back of his hand.

Prying on the bottom of a canopy cylinder on a Fletcher Roof Bolter when the bar slipped and struck his left hand.

He was in the process of installing an upper leg keeper pin on shield No. 141. As he was attempting to insert the pin the shield took weight and the pin blew out and struck two fingers on his left hand.

The shearer cut into the tailgate entry of the longwall and the crew prepared to change direction, cutting back to the headgate. They were not cutting coal, but the drums were turning. At this time the tailgate corner of the longwall block bumped and methane was released. The crew noticed flames in the center of the body of the shearer.

Six men were hanging a drive through door. Employee was on one corner and while lifting the door he felt a pop in his left arm.

Installing a length of 2" Drisco pipe. The pipe needed to be cut to proper length to fit. Using a utility knife he exerted pressure on the knife. The knife slipped and struck the palm of his left hand,

EE was tightening the top clusters during belt move. He was on the offwalk side and the rib blew out and in the process of getting out of the way he twisted his knee.

Carrying a length of pipe, when he tripped and fell. His thumb was caught between the length of pipe and the floor when he landed.

Received notification from Department of Labor that employee exercised his right under Title 30 Part 90.

Assisting an employee load a timber onto a timber trailer, when he caught his finger between the timber and an upright pipe on the trailer.

Changing the left front tire on a shuttle car. As they were prying the tire off it came loose and fell on his right leg.

He was using a rock drill to bolt down the 7th East head roller steel. He had his left hand on top of the steel and the drill fell over and hit him on the left finger.

Cleaning cap rock off the taildrive, when a small piece of rock fell between the shields and landed on his finger.

EE was building a new dumpster in the shop. While turning the dumpster over something popped in the bend of his elbow. During a follow-up examination on 11/16/07 it was determined that a tendon was detached, surgery is required to repair the damaged tendon.

A frictional methane ignition occurred on the Gil-6 longwall at shield No. 138

A frictional methane ignition occurred on the Gil-6 longwall panel around shield No. 136.

He was tramming the Shearer to the tailgate when a bump occurred. A chunk of coal struck the left side of his Airstream helmet face shield, striking his cheek. He did not go to the doctor and continued to work. On 9/21/07 he was diagnosed with a fractured bone below his left eye, surgery is required.

A frictional methane ignition occurred on the Gil-6 longwall panel. The ignition occurred at shield No. 19. The flame lasted approximately one minute.

Following a cave in the gob behind the longwall face elevated levels of CO were detected at the tailgate end of the longwall face. The Mine Evacuation Plan was implemented, all underground personnel evacuated. Management personnel immediately investigated the incident. Less than 5 PPM CO was detected along the longwall face, return and bleeder entries of the affected area.

A frictional methane ignition occurred on the longwall face, shield No. 32. The flame was extinguished within a minute.

A frictional methane ignition occured on the longwall face, shield No. 130. The flame was extinguished in 3-5 seconds.

He was walking on a belt on the ground that was covered in coal dust & slipped twisting his right knee.

Assisting with the removal of cap rock from the top of the continuous miner. As they lifted a slab of rock it slid pinching the tip of his finger.

He was in the process of installing a belt hanger with a Fletcher Roof Bolter. He was guiding the bolt wrench onto the head of the roof bolt when his hand slid and his little finger was pinched between the belt hanger and the auger clamp.

A shuttle car operator was spelling the regular bolter operator through lunch. He tightened a conventional pin (in the rib), and noticed that the friction created by the wrench/bolt head ignited methane. Water immediately extinguished the flame.

A roof fall occurred in the bleeder entry behind the longwall face. The roof fall was not above the anchorage zone on the installed roof bolts, however ventilation controls were damaged, disrupting ventilation.

While backing the miner out of the face, cap rock fell in. The cap rock broke off at the last row of roof bolts landing on the miner. A portion of the slab measuring 3' x 4' x 6' broke off when it struck the boom. As the slab broke it pivoted back landing on his foot. He was standing at the 2nd to the last row of roof bolts facing the shuttle car when the incident occurred.

Employee was installing a Kennedy stopping. He was installing the clips on a rail when the panel slipped off a 4" lip. The edge of the panel cut through his gloves lacerating his finder.

Employee was operating the Shearer on the longwall face when he heard someone calling on the face phone. He bent down to answer the face phone (with his back to the face). A slab of coal fell from the face landing in the face conveyor. The top section of the slab broke off and came into the walkway, striking him on the ankle.

A bounce occurred around the longwall headgate area of the Gil-5 panel. The bounce separated top coal from the roof rock, measuring approximately 20' x 40' x 24-30" thick. Production was interupped for more than one hour while the area was re-bolted.

Employee was stepping out of mantrip and twisted his knee. Damage is strain / sprain to the left knee.

Employee was chaining down motor on winch truck when chain binder rolled and smashed his left ring finger

He was in the process of retrieving a small tool box from the inside of his big tool box. He lifted the lid on the large box with his right hand, as he lifted the smaller box with his left hand he let go of the lid on the large box, he then placed his right hand on the rim of the large tool box. The unsecured lid fell striking his right hand.

A frictional methane ignition occurred at shield No. 37 in the Gil-5 longwall panel. The crew was cutting from the headgate to the tailgate at the time of the ignition. The Headgate shearer operator stated that he bumped the roof with the bits and noticed the flame between the drum and the roof. The flame lasted 3-4 seconds.

A frictional methane ignition occurred on the Gil-5 longwall face. The crew was in the process of cutting toward the headgate when the tailgate shearer operator noticed a small orange glow at the bottom of the tailgate drum. He estimated the flame lasting approximately 5 seconds.

At approximately 8:50 AM a frictional methane ignition occurred on the Gil-5 Longwall, at shield No. 15. The flame was described as a small orange glow at the bottom of the cutter drum. The flame lasted one to two seconds before it was extinguished by the cutter drum water sprays.

The shearer was operating at number 38 shield, cutting toward the tailgate. The headgate shearer operator was washing the toes of the shields when he reported seeing a small orangle glow. He immediately pointed the hose towards the shearer drum and stated that the glow lasted about 2 seconds.

Inj EE and another employee were in the process of anchoring a set of stairs to an overcast. Inj EE was standing to the low side of the stairs. As he reached for bolts and nuts the stairs slid down the side of the overcast. As the stairs slid they pivoted to the side he was standing on. The stairs hit him and knocked him to the ground, landing on him.

Employee was removing belt structure. He tripped and fell backwards, as he fell he landed on his hand resulting in a fractured finger.

Hitching a material trailer to mine LHD, raised trailer and blocked trailer to within 1 inch of height needed then tryed to hand lift with right hand. Trailer fell pinching right middle finger (tip of finger) between hitch and wv.

A frictional methane ignition occurred in the No. 1 entry of the 2nd East section. The miner operator was trimming the bottom on the right side of the entry when he contacted the rock mine floor with the bits of the miner igniting methane gas.

He was standing at the feeder breaker talking to the shuttle car operator. He placed his right hand on the deck of the feeder while the car was unloading. A chunk of coal fell on his right hand from the conveyor while dumping.

Tripped and fell landing on his back on a chunk of coal. Several months later he sought medical treatment and was diagnosed with a pre-existing degenerative back disease. He was placed on a therapy program. On July 27, 2006 surgery was performed to repair the degenerative disks in his back.

Removing loose coal from the Bretby tray when a chuck of coal fell from the lump breaker and landed on the tip of his thumb resulting in a laceration.

Roof Bolter Operator was installing a rib pin. With the wrench in the chuck, he reached out to put the head of the bolt in the wrench as he was activating the feed lever. He pinched his finger between the clamps and the rib pin plate.

Two employees were in the process of changing out a two-stage hydraulic pump on a Fletcher Roof Bolter. The injured employee was working on the old pump in the rear walkway of the bolter. The other mechanic was working on the new pump on the top of the bolter (bolting tray). The pump fell from the tray and landed on the victims hand.

Swinging a sledgehammer and he pulled a muscle in his back

Roof bolter operators were positioning a 4 1/2' roll of welded wire mesh screen in preparation for the bolting cycle. The mesh was positioned parallel to and under the last row of permanent roof support, when a roof fall occurred. The roof rock sheared off at the last row of permanent roof support striking injured EE.

He was in the process of connecting two high voltage cable couplers together, using a spanner wrench. He was pullling the wrench towards him when the wrench slipped off and struck him on the mouth.

Shuttle car operator was operating the shuttle car when his right rear tire dropped into a hole. He struck his head on the cab of the shuttle car straining his neck. He returned to work for one week, however, on 11-08-04 he reported off work due to a neck strain which resulted from the injury.

Employee stepped through a set of double doors and slipped and fell, spraining his ankle

After performing trouble shooting and repair work the injured ee was helping reinstall the top drive train covers on #12 u.v. while standing on top of the machine the ee took a step backwards and lost his balance causing him to fall landing on a piece of protruding metal.

Employee was operating the shearer on the longwall face. His eyes became irritated due to dust/hydrogen sulfide generated during the cutting cycle. He finished his shift and sought medical attention later that evening. The doctor prescribed eye drops for his eyes.

THE MINER OPERATOR BACKED THE CONTINUOUS MINER OUT OF THE FACE IN PREPARATION TO ROCK DUST THE FACE WITH A BANTAM (MACHINE MOUNTED) ROCK DUSTER. THE VICTIM WAS IN THE PROCESS OF DUMPING A BAG OF ROCK DUST INTO THE HOPPER OF THE DUSTER; HE LOOKED INTO THE HOPPER AND NOTICED SEVERAL SMALL CHUNKS OF SHALE ROOF ROCK LODGED AROUND THE AUGER OF THE ROCK DUSTER. HE HOLLERED AT THE CONTINU

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DROP A CONVEYOR BELT BOTTOM ROLLER HE FELT SOMETHING PULL IN HIS LEFT BICEP. HE CONTINUED TO WORK UNTIL 12/25/03, AT WHICH TIME HE SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION. HE WAS DIAGNOSE D WITH A DETACHED BICEP MUSCLE WHICH REQUIRED SURGERY ON 12/02/03.

AN IGNITION OCCURRED IN THE NO. 4 FACE OF THE NORTH MAINS SECTION. THE CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR WAS IN THE PROCESS OF LOADING HIS SECOND CAR OF COAL WHEN THE IGNITION OCCURRED.

A BOUNCE OR OUTBURST OCCURRED ON THE FOURTH WEST LONGWALL FACE WHICH DAMAGED THE SHEARER.

A BOUNCE OR OUTBURST OCCURRED ON THE FOURTH WEST LONGWALL FACE WHICH DAMAGED THE SHEARER RANGING ARM.

INJURED WAS ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE A BROKEN PIN WITH THE AID OF A PORTA POWER. HE PLACED A 1/2 " ALLEN WRENCH INSIDE HINGE AND PUSHED AGAINST THE HEAD OF THE WRENCH TO FORCE BROKEN PIN OUT OF THE HINGE. AS PRESSURE WAS APPLIED, THE ALLEN SHATTERED.

HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL A SHIELD IN AT #118 WHEN A BOUNCE OCCURRED. THE BOUNCE KNOCKED HIM INTO THE SHIELD.

HE WAS HELPING A MECHANIC MAKE A CABLE SPLICE. HE WAS USING A HAMMER AND AN ANVIL WHEN THE HAMMER SLIPPED OFF THE ANVIL AND STRUCK HIS FINGER. HE DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ASSISTANCE UNTIL 5-16-03, WHEN AN X-RAY WAS TAKEN. THE X-RAY REVEALED A SMALL PIECE OF METAL IN HIS FINGER. THE METAL WAS SURGICALLY REMOVED ON 5-29-03.

WALKING UP A SET OF STAIRS (CARRYING A NIP) WHEN HE CAUGHT HIS TOE ON THE TOP STEP AND TRIPPED, LANDING ON HIS KNEE.

A BOUNCE OCCURRED AT SHIELD #122 ON THE LONGWALL FACE THAT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE SHEARER.

EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING DOWN THE ENTRY WHEN HE SLIPPED ON THE MINE FLOOR WITH HIS RIGHT FOOT, AND HE LANDED ON HIS LEFT ANKLE.

HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF STACKING OVERCAST MATERIAL (ARCHES) ALONG THE SOUTH MAINS BELT LINE. AS HE LOWERED AN ARCH TO THE GROUND HE LOST HIS FOOTING ON THE SLICK MINE FLOOR, WHEN HE LANDED ON THE GROUND HIS FINGER WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO METAL ARCHES.

A BOUNCE OCCURRED ON THE FACE OF THE LONGWALL, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE SHEARER, HALTING PRODUCTION FOR MORE THAN ONE HOUR.

INJURED WAS ASSISTING OTHERS IN CHANGING GRATES IN A COAL CRUSHER. A COME A LONG WAS ATTACHED TO A STUCK GRATE. INJURED WAS HOLDING THE CHAIN WHEN THE GRATE SUDDENLY DROPPED . THE CHAIN TIGHTE NED AND PINCHED HIS FINGER BETWEEN THE CHAIN ANDCRUSHER.

HE WAS STANDING AT THE BACK OF THE ROOF BOLTER WATCHING THE BOLTER CABLE, AS THE ROOF BOLTING MACHINE BACKED UP, HE STEPPED BACKWARDS AND STEPPED ON A CHUNK OF COAL TWISTING HIS ANKLE.

AT END OF 10 HR. SHIFT EMPLOYEE CHOSE TO USE 2' X 4' FORM AS LADDER TO CLIMB UP A 3' EMBANKMENT FROM CONCRETE FORMING OPERATION. LOW-SLOPE WALKWAYS WERE PROVIDED AT EACH END OF 18' TRENCH FOR EGRESS. AN EXTRA 2' X 4' SYMON FORM LYING ON THE GROUND TEMPTED THE EMPLOYEE TO USE IT A S A LADDER BUT IT WAS NOT STABLE AND MOVED CAUSING LOSS OF TRACTION RESULTING IN A SLIP & FALL TO KNEE.

HE WAS REMOVING A NIP FORM A SECTION TRANSFORMER AND HE TWISTED HIS KNEE.

THE ROOF BOLTER OPERATORS COMPLETED A ROW OF ROOF BOLTS IN THE FACE; THE LEFT SIDE OPERATOR WAS STANDING AT THE ON-DECK CONTROLS. THE RIGHT SIDE OPERATOR WAS IN THE PROCESS OF KNEELING ON THE STEP SO THAT THE MACHINE COULD BE ADVANCED 5 FT. FORWARD. THE CAT TRACK RAN OVER THE VICTIM'S TOES.

EMPLOYEE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A SPLICE ON A SHUTTLE CAR CABLE. HE WA USING A RAZOR KNIFE TO CUT THE INSULATION WHEN THE KNIFE SLIPPED AND CUT THE TIP OF HIS THUMB.

EE GETTING INTO BUCKET ON TRUCK - SURFACE WAS WET BECAUSE OF RAIN/SNOW, SLIPPED AND FELL TO THE GROUND - BROKEN ANKLE.