All MSHA-reportable accidents at Alpha Coal West, Inc. operations in 2005. Fatalities appear first.
Employee had hooked cable to container, lifted up, into grooves of hopper. He was making a sweep with the blade when the container popped out of grooves and swung to the right where employee was operating controls.
While washing windows, a Technician fell approx. 10 ft off of a rubber tire dozer - breaking one rib.
WHILE OPERATOR WAS ATTEMPTING TO WASH WINDOWS ON 992 LOADER HE LOST HIS GRIP AND FELL FROM THE DECK RESULTING IN TWO BROKEN RIBS. IT WAS RAINING AND OPERATOR DID NOT UTILIZE BEST PRACTIVES FOR CLEANING WINDOWS IN 992
While hoisting the shovel bucket up the wall to fill the bucket, a chunk of dirt cascaded over the shovel bucket, rolled down the shovel boom, through the safety glass, and entered the cab. The shovel operator was treated for a foot injury resulting from an unknown source.
An employee was lowering a clothes basket from the ceiling as another miner walked behind. The basket struck the other employee on the top of the head causing a slight concussion and a laceration which required two staples to close.
The employee was pounding out a latchbar insert for a shovel bucket using a sledge hammer. A small piece of steel splintered off the insert and penetrated the inside of the right thigh. An incision was needed to remove the metal fragment and four stitches were required to close the affected area.
MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN SLIPPED ON A WET STAIR WHILE DESCENDING FROM A DOZER. HE RECEIVED A LACERATION ON HIS RIGHT ELBOW WHICH REQUIRED STITCHES
A PIECE OF STEEL FELL FROM A STORAGE RACK STRIKING A MAINTENANCE TECH. ON HIS LEFT CALF. THIS RESULTED IN A 4" LACERATION.
While repositioning upper rail for removal, the rail slipped off of the house rollers pinching ee's right foot against a track pad.
Welder was cleaning up the scrapes & gouges on an 18" piece of aluminum bar stock using a grinder. A shovel operator was assisting the welder & was positioned behind & to the right-holding the loose end of bar with his rt hand. Grinding wheel stalled in a gouge on bar causing grinder to rebound. The force caused the welder to fall back. Grinder then struck shovel operator's arm.
Operator was closing shovel cab door and caught tip of left ring finger. He received a hairline fracture to the tip of his finger.
Employee received a laceration on the backside of his left ring finger from contacting a wicker in a wire rope.
At the time of the incident employee was removing a roller bearing from the shaft of a pump drive. After heating the bearing race to cause it to expand employee attempted to use a hammer and punch to knock the race off the shaft. When he struck the race, a metal chip broke loose and struck him under the chin.