Alpha Coal West, Inc.Mining Incidents in 2010

Equipment operator was running a 657 scraper when he ran over a frozen dirt clod, approximately 1 foot by 1 foot, and jarred his back.

Mechanic was cleaning battery connections, when a fire flared up momentarily. The mechanic jumped down 3 feet and fell to his back when he landed on the ground. Initially released by a physician to return to work. Knees were bruised and too sore for mechanic to return to work.

The welder was preparing to lift crane outrigger pads from the front of the crane when he was struck by the crane. He sustained a fractured shoulder blade.

A dozer operator was pushing coal cleanings into a berm in a drilling and blasting area. While backing to reposition, the operator misjudged her distance from the crest and backed off the highwall. The dozer fell approximately 33 feet onto a slough pile. The operator was dignosed with one ruptured disc.

The air line supplying air to the operator's seat froze up causing the seat suspension to bottom out, which jarred the operator's back. This caused a lumbar strain.

The electrician was attempting to board an electric shovel. He missed the first step on the shovel ladder and when his foot contacted the ground he sustained an ankle sprain and avulsion fracture to his right foot.

The employee had been working on a piece of equipment. As he went to stand up he started to turn to his right. As he did so all of his weight shifted to his right knee and it gave out. He sustained a medial meniscus tear.

While changing out a crowd motor, a Welder's finger was pinched between a roller and a crowd gear case. This resulted in a one inch laceration requiring stitches.

Equipment operator was watering a 2:1 fill slope and tipped onto its side while backing up. Operator sustained a minor scrape on elbow and complained of a headache.

2 Employees were welding on same piece of metal within 5' of one another under silo #2. One employee received flashburns to both eyes.

Worker was driving in wood posts for silt fencing with hammer and missed. His left index finger was pinched between the hammer handle and the top of the post.

A welder was using a chain anchor to remove a drill bit from a drill steel. He was hit on the knee with a sharp edge on the chain causing a one inch laceration on his knee. The laceration required four stitches

A mechanic was attempting to load a 30 gallon oil barrel onto a hand cart. As he manuvered the barrel his right hand came into contact with the lid clasp on an adjacent barrel causing a laceration to the ring and middle finger of the right hand.

Due to an undetermined medical issue, a technician felt ill after a break. He felt dizzy and nauseous and cut his lip when he fell on the deck of a haul truck. Blood tests ruled out occupational causes.