Appalachian Fuels, LLCMining Incidents in 2004

HAULING SHOT ROCK TO FORMER SLIP AREA, WHILE DUMPING A ROCK GOT CAUGHT IN TAILGATE OF TRUCK MAKING LOAD UNBALANCED AND THE TRUCK TURNED OVER ON IT'S SIDE. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND DRIVER OF TRUCK RETURNED TO WORK. NO WORK TIME MISSED. DRIVER TO WATCH AREA OF DUMPING AND LOADER NOT TO OVER LOAD AND TO WATCH LOADS.

Employee was installing new corner bits bolts in dozer blade. He had all old bolts removed and put a bar in bolt hole to hold bit in place. The bar slipped and the corner bit fell striking his left foot at the base of his toes. Three toes were surgically removed, the big toe and the next two.

Employee was helping out on the powder crew when he stepped on rock and twisted his right leg. Swelling above the ankle in the calf area of right leg. Unknown extents of injury have not been able to contact him.

Employee was going into the parts trailer, slipped and fell off the steps to the ground. Initial medical result was broken upper fibula and strained ankle. He went to his family doctor on 11/1 and futher exams showed a broken right ankle with some misalignment of the pieces of bone. Surgery to put screws in these pieces was done on 11/3. First lost work day was on 11/1.

EE was climbing down from a loader after finishing with servicing. He slipped on the bottom step and twisted his ankle. Diagnosed with a cracked bone in ankle.

Victim states that he initially hurt his back on 9/16/04 but never reported it to anyone. On 9/21/04 he aggravated the injury while performing repairs on a truck. Reported to supervisors and went to doctor this date. Strained muscle in lower back.

Three employees were in a Chevy Tahoe traveling the haul road between Big Ck #2 and Fourmile Fork on the wrong side of the road. Conditions were dusty and they struck a Jeep Cherokee traveling the opposite direction. Victim was a passenger in the Chevy Tahoe, being operated by a fellow employee. He suffered a broken left shoulder.

Three employees were in a Chevy Tahoe traveling the haul road between Big Ck #2 and Fourmile Fork on the wrong side of the road. Conditions were dusty and they struck a Jeep Cherokee traveling the opposite direction. Victim was going to work in his Jeep Cherokee. He suffered bruised and sore right chest and shoulder.

Victim was cleaning the rear window when his foot slipped and he fell to the ground. Diagnosed as torn rotator cup.

EE states that as truck was being loaded with rock, he got shook up and a little while later his back and left leg started hurting. Was taken to hospital, was released and told to rest 4 days.

Victim removed the radiator cap from a D-9 dozer while engine was still hot. The hot anti-freeze blew out and hit him on the forearms, chest and stomach resulting in 1st and 2nd degree burns.

Victim was working on a dozer when he slipped & hurt his back. He is being treated for a herniated disk in his back. He continued to work through June 21, 2004 and began missing work on June 22, 2004 and is still off work.

Employee cut a tree when a grapevine dislodged a rock approx 75 ft uphill from the tree. The rock rolled down the hill striking employee on the knee.

Operator got something in his eye while in the cab of the loader. Stayed home one day from work on doctors recommendation.

Operator parked his truck too close to the highwall. A rock fell striking the right rear of the truck. Operator sustained a strained muscle in his right arm.

When finishing with maintenance/repair on water truck, victim's hand slipped on grab rail and he fell to the ground. No substantial injuries, just stove up and sore.

Employee is a mechanic's helper - was helping the mechanic drop a belly pan on a D9N dozer for repairs - the chain slipped - the belly pan came to the ground & caught both hands

Victim was under a dozer knocking out a pin, when something popped in his neck.

Operator was using loader to clean coal in the pit. The bucket on the loader rolled down and caught hard section of rock causing the loader to jerk to a stop. Pulled muscle in his neck.

Victim was struck in the back of the head by a hose that blew loose on the Anfo truck. He complained of being dizzy for a little while, then felt better and returned to work. On 6/18/04 he again complained of being dizzy and was sent to the doctor. He has been off since that date is in physical therapy.

Operator climbed into dozer to start work shift, got back out to clean the windows and fell backwards onto the tracks and then to the ground. Bruising to this left hip and shoulder. Small laceration on left hand. Small laceration on left hip which required one stitch to close.

While dozer was being serviced by greasers, the mechanic began doing maintenance on the track rollers. The fuel cap rolled off the machine and hit him in the head. Required fifteen (15) clips/staples to close.

Operator twisted around in the seat to look behind him and felt a pain in his lower back radiating all the way down his left leg.

Operator backed dozer over a rock while pushing in shot material. caused him to be jerked quickly. Complains of pain in lower back.

VICTIM WAS PERFORMING REPAIR WORK ON DOZER WHEN A CHAIN SLIPPED. THIS CAUSED HIM TO SLIP & FALL. COMPLAINS OF PAIN IN LOWER BACK AND LOWER RIGHT SIDE.

Victim was operating a D-11-N dozer approx 15 ft from the highwall. A rock approx 12"" x 4"" broke loose from the highwall & went through the left door window striking him in the lower leg. The highwall had been scaled, however a lot of rain had fell in the previous couple of days & probably contributed to the rock coming out of the higwall. Compound fracture to lower left leg.

Victim was performing maintenance on brakes of truck. The rigging slipped slightly and a plate fell and pinched the outside of his little finger. The pinch did not involve the bone, only the ligaments and flesh on the finger. Surgery was done to repair damage and a full recovery is predicted.

OPERATOR WAS USING THE EXCAVATOR TO PULL A ROCK BACK ONTO THE BENCH FROM THE OUTSLOPE. A SECTION OF THE ROCK BROKE OFF CAUSING THE EXCAVATOR TO JERK BACKWARDS. THIS CAUSED THE OPERATOR'S NECK TO HAVE PAIN DUE TO THE WHIPLASH EFFECT.

Victim was struck by a chip of metal from a hammer while observing work being performed. Mechanic stuck hammer against hammer and a chip flew off striking victim in the abdomen. Was taken to hospital where surgery was performed to stop internal bleeding.

A socket for an air wrench fell from the top of a loader tire and struck him in the forehead. Required five stitches to close the wound.

Victim was climbing onto the generator when he slipped and caught himself with his hand on the floor. Complained of pain in left thumb but continued working. After his shift ended he went to the Emergency Room and an x-ray revealed a fractured thumb.

Victim was hooking up a power connection (cathead) on a highwall miner and lacerated the middle finger on his right hand. Six stitches to close the wound.

Victim struck his head on a cross member of the Anfo Bin while preparing to load a truck with Anfo. Six staples to close the wound. Employee was a summer employee and scheduled for 08/20/2004 to be his last day of work before returning to school. He just asked to be terminated one day prior to schedule. No lost time involved and voluntary termination.

Victim cut the index finer on left hand with a utility knife while cutting out a wooden plug. Six stitches to close.

Battery was making noise, so he raised the compartment cover and the battery exploded. Got battery acid on left hand. ER physician applied 6 stitches.

Victim suffered a stroke on the job. The next day he had a fatal stroke while still in the hospital. THIS IS NOT A MINING ACCIDENT OR OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS. THIS REPORT IS BEING FILED UNDER PROTEST AS REQUIRED BY MINE CITATION 7229029.