Canyon Fuel Company LLCMining Incidents in 2002

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT IN THE ROOF STRATA ALONG A CUTTER SEAM IN THE ROOF SHEARED OFF ROOF BOLTS 4-6' UP IN THE TOP AND A FALL ALONG THE CUTTER SEAM.

ROOF FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE 4-LEFT, ENTRY #1 X/C #7. AN AREA 20' WIDE X 20' LONG X 15' HIGH WAS DISCOVERED BY THE WEEKLY EXAMINER. AIR, WATER & STRATA DETERATION CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE OF AREA. REHABILITATION OF AREA IS UNDERWAY. THIS AREA IS INSPECTED BY THE WEEKLY EXAMINER. NO DISTURBANCE IN AIR FLOW HAS BEEN OBSERVED. AIR MOVEMENT IS DETECTED INBY & OUTBY THE FALL AREA.

ROOF FALL IN THE 7 LEFT RETURN MEASURING APPROX 10' HIGH 30' LONG BY 18' WIDE WAS FOUND ON THE WEEKLY EXAMINATION. FALL WAS ATTRIBUTED TO WATER DETERIATION OF THE PERMANENT SUPPORTS AND AIR SL ACK IN ROOF STRATA. STRATA WAS MADE UP OF SHALE ROCK AND SANDSTONE. SUPPORT ANCHOR ZONE WAS IN THE SANDSTONE AREA OF THE ROOF.

AREA 50'X 20' X 12' HIGH FELL IN THE BACK OF 7 LEFT PANEL. AREA WAS DANGERED OFF AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WAS INSTALLED IN ADJACENT ENTRIES TO PREVENT FURTHER CAVING.

AT APPROX. 1:45AM A REPORTABLE ROOFFALL WAS ENCOUNTERED @ X/C 10 6-LEFT MAIN HAULAGE. THE FALL MEASURED APPROX. 16'X 16'X 7'. AIR SLACK & MOISTURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE MAIN REASON FOR THE FALL.

995 D BOX TRIPPED TO PC. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE RESET; WHILE ANOTHER EMPLOYEE SET BREAKERS ON D BOX, PC TRIPPED AGAIN. EMPLOYEE WENT TO SET D BOX AND ASKED INJURED TO WATCH PC. NIP AT PC BLEW CAUSIN G FIRST & SECOND DEGREE FLASH BURNS TO INJURED'SHANDS & FACE.

EMPLOYEE WAS INSTALLING NEW SIZING BARS IN CRUSHER ON TIPPLE AND HIS RIGHT THUMB GOT CAUGHT BETWEEN BREAKER BAR AND SIZING BAR CAUSING A LACERATION TO HIS RIGHT THUMB.

EE AND ANOTHER EE WAS LOADING BUNDLES OF CHAIN LINK IN A BUCKET OF A LOADER. AS THEY WERE LIFTING THE 4TH BUNDLE, HE DROPPED HIS END, WHICH CAUSED PAIN IN HIS BACK.

EE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LOOSEN THE BOLT ON THE TRAINING CLAMP THAT HOLDS THE CONVEYOR CHAIN-ADJUSTING BOLT. HE WAS USING A 1/2"" RATCHET WITH A SHORT EXTENSION PIPE. AS TORQUE WAS APPLIED, THE RAT CHET GEARS SLIPPED INTERNALLY CAUSING EE'S RIGHTLEG TO FLEX AND BODY WEIGHT TO SHIFT SUDDENLY. THIS ACTION CREATED PAIN IN EE'S RT. ANKLE AND UPPER LEG.

INJURED EE WAS HOLDING 10"" PIPE IN PLACE & ANOTHER EE DROPPED A 10"" BALL VALVE ON HIS HAND.

WASHING OFF CEMENT MIXER WHEN SURGE OF WATER CAME KNOCKING HIM OFF ON HIS BACK. HE WAS 2-3' OFF OF THE GROUND.

PC-038 HAD A BROKEN PIN ON THE 480 VOLT DUST RECEPTACLE COVER. AS EE TRIED TO REMOVE THE BOLTS THAT HELD THE GEAR MOUNT IN PLACE HE DISCOVERED THAT THE NUTS ON THE INSIDE OF THE POWER CENTER WERE TURNING. EE HAD NOT DE-ENERGIZED THE POWERCENTER BEFORE TRYING TO REMOVE THE ACCESS PANEL.WHIEL MOVING THE ACCESS PANEL THE 480 VOLT PRIMARY SIDE CAME IN CONTACT WITH GROUND.

EE WAS TRYING TO REMOVE A BOLT FROM AN AIRCOMPRESSOR. DIFFICULT LOCATION AND TIGHT QUARTERS RESULTED IN AN OVEREXERTION AND STRAIN SITUATION. WHILE OVEREXTENDING AND PULLING TOWARDS THE EE BOD Y HE FELT SOMETHING IN HIS CHEST POP. LATER ON THE WAY TO THE HOME HE DECIDED TO STOP AT THE HOSPITAL AND HAVE AN X-RAY. IT WAS DETERMINED HE HAD BROKEN A RIB.

EE WAS IN THE BOOM TRUCK BACKING UP WITH THE MOTOR TO BE UNLOADED WHILE SOMEONE WAS GUIDING HIM. THE BOOM TRUCK OPERATOR STOPPED WHEN THE CAB OF THE BOOM TRUCK CAME TO THE HANGING DRISCO PIPE. SPOTTER TOLD OPERATOR TO CONTINUE BACKING UP & TO BRING THE PIPE OVER THE CAB TO BRING THE PUMP CLOSER TO THE STOPPING. OPERATOR WAS LEANING WITH HIS HAND ON THE CAB TOP & HAND WAS CAUGHT.

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.

PULLING DRISCO PIPE TOGETHER WITH COME-ALONG. WENT TO REPOSITION AND SLIPPED ON FRONT FENDER TO FLOOR (USING MANTRIP TO STAND ON). DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION UNTIL FEBRUARY 24, 2002.

PUT WEIGHT ON 46"" PIPE WRENCH TO SECURE DRILL RODS. WRENCH SLIPPED AND WRENCH SWUNG DOWN ONTO ADJACENT STACK OF DRILL RODS. FINGERS ON RIGHT HAND HIT STACK OF DRILL RODS. FRACTURED MIDDLE FING ER BETWEEN TOP KNUCKLE AND TIP.

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.

EE WAS MOVING A BOTTOM SEAM ROLLER ALONG THE BELT LINE. AREA IS CONSTRICTED IN DEGREE OF AVAILABLE WORKING SPACE. WHILE TRYING TO MOVE THE ROLLER EE'S FINGER WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN A TIMBER AND TH E ROLLER WHEN THE ROLLER CONTACTED THE GROUND. LEFT HAND MIDDLE FINGER WAS CUT AND REQUIRED 11 STITCHES.

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.