Canyon Fuel Company LLCMining Incidents in 2021

Enough roof and ribs fell in the longwall tailgate that needed Intake CFM and face velocities could not be reached. A low intake and face velocity plan was approved from MSHA to continue mining.

Roof in the longwall tailgate fell enough that egress off the tailgate face was restricted. Field office was notified and tailgate blockage was implemented.

Top weakened and fell on the 9RT Longwall belt. Fall was 25 foot long X 19 foot wide, and 7 to 11 foot high.

Roof fall was found in primary escapeway in 7RT Bleeder. Fall was not above the anchor zone. Bolts broke at 3 foot level. It did not affect ventilation. Size was 17 feet X 17 feet X 3 foot high

A severe floor heave occurred 100' outby the LW face in the intake. In addition to the floor heave, the pillar rib burst. There were three miners at the end of the can line. One miner received fractures to their left leg. Another miner received stitches to the left side of their face. The third miner was check out and was fine.

EE was helping set shields, they spun the shield and it needed to be pumped up, so they stopped and set the milk to the shield, EE had right hand resting on the shield. When they set the milk to the shield the side seal pin popped out and crushed the ends of EE's middle and ring fingers.

EE was loading a roll of belt onto the loader and after fastening the chain, EE stepped off the loader and stepped on a piece of coal and rolled ankle. On October 18, 2021 EE visited a doctor and was given restriction so ankle can heal.

EE was using a rake to clean up the accumulations that were under the North Mains #1 Belt, the belt was approximately a foot and half off the ground. As EE put the rake under the belt the rake handle came into contact with the belt which then pushed the rake and EE's left hand into a bottom roller causing a laceration on EE's left ring finger

Employee was in the process of installing the kickstand on the sloughing plate of the shear. Another employee had started to pull a staple to repair a leaking fitting. The employees were reminded to get the plate blocked. Work on the fitting stopped. Sloughing plate come down pinning the employee. The pinned employee received 2 staples in the back of EE's head.

EE was unloading belt supplies from BB-203 at XC-7 in 6 North while unloading the supplies another EE was in BB-219 moving the truck out of the haulage way, while backing up BB-219 the rear fender caught EE's self-rescuer causing EE to get twisted between the two trucks.

EE was installing 7' roof bolt. Bolt was pushed into hole most of the way. The bolt bent so EE adjusted drill mast to straighten bolt. When EE tried to push it in again, the wrench broke and hit EE in the cheek. This caused fractures to EE's cheek.

Employee got out of the passenger side of a parked mantrip. The mantrip had parked on a piece of wood with the rear tire, leaving the wood leveraged up 4"". The employee did not see the wood in walkway and got foot caught under it. This caused the employee to fall with foot still stuck under the wood piece. This resulted in a broken ankle.

EE bent over to pick up one end of a belt roll hanging bar. EE barely had it off the ground when they heard a pop in shoulder and pain down right arm. It is determined by Specialist that Bicep Tendon Tore off. First day of missing work is 01/11/2021.

Miner claimed miner went to find the crew members in the section & when miner turned a corner slipped in the mud & twisted left knee which caused miner to drop to knees, after that miner's co-workers saw miner & helped miner to the dinner table where they applied ice packs & wrapped the knee. The operator disputes the injury occurred.

Miner was waiting for equipment at the end of the intake canline. The floor heaved and the rib blew out. Miner was hit by something and received a cut to head, just above the ear.

EE was doing a pre-op and cleaning the equipment, there were (2) five-gallon buckets of oil on the loader. EE grabbed one of the buckets to take it off the loader and when EE stepped off the loader the bucket handle came out of the bucket and slipped through EE's hand hooking EE's glove and puncturing right ring finger causing a laceration on the finger.

While unloading a pump out of the back of a pickup truck, the pump slid to the side. The tip of the miner's middle right hand finger was pinched. This resulted in 8 stitches.

EE was using a handheld cordless bandsaw to cut rib bolt into 1 foot lengths. EE was holding the bolt with the left hand and was using the saw with the right hand. When the blade contacted the bolt, it rolled up the bolt and cut EE's hand. EE was wearing cut resistant gloves. Using the gloves greatly reduced the laceration.

While EE was walking in the 1 Right Pines East #2 return entry to help spot the 650. While walking the EE looked at EE's watch to see what time it was as EE looked up EE walked into the end of a pod line that was hanging in the entry causing a laceration to EE's upper lip.

While installing a rib bolt, the wrench broke and hit operator over the right eyebrow causing a laceration requiring 8 stitches.

EE was replacing a scoop push plate ram. Two miners were assisting employee. As the connection pin was being hit through the block and into the ram eye, the injured EE stuck a finger in the block hole to see if it was lined up. At that point the eyelet dropped a couple inches and the tip of the finger was pinched. This resulted in 11 stitches and the tip of finger fractured.

EE was working on removing the wipe and hanger brackets on 5 West belt. While removing the come along from the wipe it became jammed and wouldn't release. EE took a screwdriver and while prying on the hook of the come along, the screwdriver handle broke causing the wipe to shift and pinched the EE's hand in between the end of the screwdriver and the top of the belt.