All MSHA-reportable accidents at Canyon Fuel Company LLC operations in 2020. Fatalities appear first.
A fire at the tail of BC8 surface belt was found by surface employees. This fire was in the tunnel exiting the crusher building. Fire was out by 5:00 am. A distance of 135 feet of top belt and 135 feet of bottom belt was burned. All communication to and from the mine was lost. Was able to contact MSHA at 4:35 am by cell phone by leaving the mine property.
Person in the area said the top started dribbling and then the intersection fell in. Area that fell was 8 feet high, 45 feet long in the beltline and 15 feet into the crosscut.
Roof fall was found during belt preshift. It had only fell 3' high. Examiner reported it to shift coordinator. When coordinator arrived with timbers and workers, it had fell up to 8' high, making it reportable. Coordinator had it reported. Fall did not affect mining, ventilation or escapeway(s).
What was described as a rib roll by the onshift foreman happened at the 8-bay. Rib roll occurred at 1:50 am while crew was working on face chain plug. While face chain was plugged, the graveyard shift cleaned up rib roll and started setting rock props. The dayshift prep crew fininhed setting rock props.
On 5/26/2020 a roof fall was found in the #1 entry just inby crosscut 26 in the mine 4 submains. This fall was not above the anchor zone, and did not restrict airflow. However, it impedes the travel of the weekly examiner.
A roof fall occurred in the face of #1 entry in the mine 5 mains. Fall was 12' long of unsupported face, and 15' long of supported face. The fall was full entry wide and above the anchor zone of the supported top that fell.
Weekly examiners found a roof fall in the return entry in the south west reserves sub-mains. Fall was 3 foot high, 40 foot long, and 18 foot wide. This is not an escapeway. There was no change in ventilation. Fall did not go above anchor zone.
While finishing a splice on Pines East #2 belt, EE was folding the 60"" belt back over to line it up to put a pin in. EE was pushing the belt alone when the belt was caught on the bottom of the structure, at that time EE's left shoulder was dislocated.
Employee was throwing mesh on bolter and felt pain in shoulder
While working on the roof bolter, Employee needed some more parts and went to the maintenance skid while walking through a water hole at XC-5 in 1 Right Pines East #2, Employee slipped and felt a sudden pain in lower back. Employee did not miss work until 11/28/2020.
A rock fell against a longwall shield and pushed it forward and employees leg got caught between the toe of shield and pan line.
Employee was tightening a bolt with a wrench and it fell off and hit EE's hand causing injury.
EE stepped in a mudhole while pulling leg out of the mud EE fell forward and overextended right knee. Employee did not miss work until 10/30/2020.
GMS employee was working on longwall recovery and the rib rolled out causing injury to ankle
While employee was pulling the cable out of the throat of the Feeder Breaker, employee had a foot pushing off a flight to pull the cable when they felt something in left foot and when they applied body weight to it, it began to hurt.
EE was changing bits on the Headgate drum, when EE turned to walk out of the pan, EE's right patella popped out of the patellar groove of the knee on EE's right leg.
Miner was squatting at the 8-bay looking at the screen. The rib blew out pushing miner against the 8-bay covering miner with rib rash. It took approx. 45 minutes to get the miner uncovered & out of the area. The distance between the rib & 8-bay prior to the incident was approx. 3 feet. The rib was supported with mesh & 4 foot bolts.
After checking the oil EE stepped up on the left side of UV-024 to check the coolant level. After checking, EE was trying to find a hand hold to help get down off the UV, EE missed grabbing the hole for the radiator cap and fell backwards onto the ground landing on EE's left hand.
EE was shoveling at the tail of a surface belt. When throwing a shovel full of material onto the belt, slipped backwards and hit elbow on the cement floor. XRay to elbow was negative. EE returned to work. Elbow has healed but still has pain in shoulder. EE had an MRI done on 8/21/2020 and has began missing work 8/26/2020 due to pain in shoulder.
Employee had just pushed pan and was going to pull up shields tight to the face. The coal and rock face fell into the already full pan. The rock hit the top of the spill tray and some came over onto the shield toes. A piece 2' X 1' X 1' hit miner on the side of left knee causing three fractures. Two below the knee and one above the knee.
Employee was pulling cable and felt pain in mid-section. Employee did not miss work until 8/7/2020 when employee got surgery.
An employee was installing a hose wrap on the hydraulic hoses up on the drill booms of a roof bolter. In the process employee's right pinky finger hyperextended and employee felt a pop. It was later discovered the employee has a torn ligament.
Employee was in the beltline helping remove a 10' length of monorail. EE's end was placed on the ground and EE stepped back to go to the other end and stepped on a small piece of coal. This resulted in a sprained ankle and employee missing 4 days of work.
employee was putting core in belt roll when they felt pain in midsection
Miner was breaking up a 3'X3'X2' rock on the shield toe with a Jack Hammer. The tip of the Jack Hammer slipped and the Jack Hammer went forward causing the miner to pinch finger between the Jack Hammer handle and the rock.
Crew pulled belt out of LW belt bank. They were in process of pinning the belt back together. EE got under elevated belt on knees to help line up splice. Once they were done, EE scooted out from under belt and when they went to stand up, they strained their back. EE did not return to work on the next scheduled shift.
Employee was carrying pipe with another and the other employee dropped EE's end first causing pain in the injured employee's shoulder.
Employee was shoveling belt and felt pain in groin.
Employee was walking past the feeder breaker coming out of the beltline. Employee states employee stumbled and fell onto back and tweaked it. Employee was taken to the hospital for X-Ray. X-Ray was negative and doctor offered RTW full Release. Employee asked for two days off to heal, thus making it a Lost Time Incident.
EE stepped backwards and rolled ankle. It was level ground and EE did not step onto anything. X-Ray showed no injury and EE returned to work. EE had an MRI on their own and saw a doctor on 3/9/2020. Doctor says EE needs surgery. This incident is now reportable and EE will have surgery in two weeks.
Belt man was walking to new location to shovel belt. EE was carrying a shovel in EE's right hand. As EE started down a grade EE got closer to the belt to hold on to dust pipe to sturdy self. The floor was wet closer to the belt and EE slipped and rolled EE's ankle. X-ray showed EE fractured EE's Fibula.
Employee was coming down a ladder and missed a step causing injury to EE's knee
Two employees were pushing a 150 hp pump to the back of the bed of a dodge truck to unload it. The pump was top heavy and it tipped over and pinched the pinkie finger of the employee.
EE was trying to split a small wedge with an axe. EE held it flat against a set can and struck the wedge. It did not break so they lifted it up with left hand and with the axe in right hand. When they struck the wedge against the can a thumb was under the blade of the axe. EE received 3 stitches.
EE tossed a bottom roller into the bed of a dodge truck. The roller hit already loaded rollers and bounced back at EE. The tip of EE's left hand ring finger was pinched between two rollers, resulting in a crack in the tip of EE's finger.
Employee was hanging vent tube and it spun while trying to install a new piece. The tub fell and a piece of tube broke and cut employee's arms causing injury.
Miner was trying to hang buggy cable anchor with cable still in it, by self. EE was using a high voltage hook to hook it to the mesh while EE clevised it to the belt hanger plate. EE lost control of it and the high voltage hook caught EE's finger and caused a laceration. EE was wearing gloves.
Employee was working around a mine foam/seal material called pur a JENNCHEM product. Employee had an allergic reaction to product causing problems with breathing/lungs.
Employee was standing by foreman. Employee fell over forward and died. Miners tried CPR and Defibrillator but could not revive them. We believe the autopsy will reveal a heart attack. This fatal is not mine related.