Excel Mining, LLC.Mining Incidents in 2009

On 12/20/09 Excel Mine elevator was out of service due to a power surge from a snow storm causing electrical problems with the elevator.

A roof fall was discovered by the mine examiner while traveling the return air course along 2C belt line. The location of the roof fall is adjacent to spad 25558. Estimated size of roof fall is 10' high X 20' wide X 20' long.

MSHA Inspector and Mine Examiner discovered a roof fall during a weekly exam of airways. Location of roof fall is #1 entry adjacent to 2A belt line, break 48 return entry. Estimated size of roof fall is 10' high, 20' wide and 140' long. This area was mined sometime in 12/2008. No injuries were reported as a result of the roof fall.

MSHA Inspector and Mine Examiner discovered a roof fall during a weekly exam of airways. Location of roof fall is 4 cross cuts inby, spad #25145 in adjacent entry. Estimated size of roof fall is 10' high, 20' wide and 140' long. This area was mined sometime in 12/2008. No injuries were reported as a result of the roof fall.

The weekly examiner was conducting his examination and came across a roof fall located at north-east mains in the #1 return entry, spad # 4720. It fell 60 ft long and 7 ft high. It was dangered off. No one was hurt. This did not affect travel or ventilation control.

A roof fall was discovered in the number 3 entry to 1 section. Location of the roof fall is inby spad 25957 adjacent to 5 c belt line, this area was mined 5/28/09 estimated size of the roof fall measured 6 ft high, 20 ft wide and 20 ft long. No injures where reported as a result of the roof fall.

A roof fall was discovered by the belt examiner, at break 5 on 2 belt, the esimated size of the fall is 20 feet wide, 20 ft long and 10 feet high, this area of the mine was developed between 1978 and 1979.

A roof fall measuring 70' L x 20' W x 8' H fell on break 35 of 5 belt track entry. The area had been dangered off, cribbed and will not be cleaned up.

A roof fall was discovered outby spad 25737 adjacent to 11 belt line. Estimated size of the roof fall 10 ft high, 19 ft wide and 140 ft long. No injuries were reported as a result of the roof fall.

The weekly examiner was conducting his examination & came across a roof fall located on the 6th Left Panel in the #3 entry at the AB Seals inby old F Head in the return area. It fell from the intersection to the face. Approximation of the distance of the fall is 70' long & 5' high. This area has now been DANGERED off to keep anyone from traveling into the area.

A roof fall measuring approximately 15'L x 12' W x 4' H fell at the bottom of the slope.

A roof fall measuring approx. 20'Wx50'Lx10'H fell at 10:53 am inby spad number 34187. Both state and federal agencies were notified.

A roof fall was discovered during the preshift exam of 3 section, located in #4 entry in the intersection inby spad 25336. The estimated size of the roof fall is 20' wide X 20' wide X 8' high. No injuries were reported as a result of the roof fall.

Injured employee was installing permanent roof support when he cut his left index finger on a roof bolt plate.

While in process of restocking glue tray, employee's left wrist was struck by falling material, he returned to work on 11/10/2009, on 11/12/09 he had a follow up visit with a specialist, on 11/13/2009 he was removed from work.

While in the process of installing additional roof support, employee's head and neck was struck by falling material, causing contusions and abrasions.

While in the process of preparing roof bolt for permanent roof support, employee's back was struck by falling material.

Injured employee was hitting his drill steel to unstop it with a wrench, when he felt pain in his right forearm.

While walking from #5 entry toward #6 entry, employee struck right side of his forehead on a 10 foot cable bolt that was installed in mine's roof.

Injured employee, while on a rubber tired man trip, came off the track jarring his right wrist and hand. X-rays showed two breaks, one in the middle finger, one in the ring finger of his right hand.

Employee was originally diagnosed with bursitis of the right shoulder. After reviewing the surgeons report we feel this may be a reportable event. The surgeon repaired the employee's rotator cuff in addition to removing osteophytes.

While walking toward a personnel carrier, injured employee tripped over a rock. He fell, causing a strain to his ankle. Employee saw a specialist on Wednesday, August 12th. The doctor took him off work on this day.

Injured employee, while moving the buggy cable, felt a sharp pain in his lower back. Has been off work since 7-20-09 pending MRI results.

Employee was operating a Joy 10 shuttle car. While in the process of making a left hand turn toward feeder, the operator's compartment rubbed the left rib, causing some coal to be loosened from the rib, striking the employee's left knee. Employee stated that when rib roll started to come inside operator compartment, he twisted his back. This accident is still under investigation.

Injured EE while in the process of bending a roofbolt, felt a sharp pain in his lower stomach & groin areas. EE remains off work.

Injured employee was moving the CM's waterline up to the machine when the waterline gave way, striking him in the right cheek area. Injured employee has a closed maxillary fracture that will require surgery.

Injured was walking towards the section when he stepped into a pot hole in the mine floor causing injured employee to loose his balance and fall landing on his right knee.

Employee was moving the miner cable from the roadway when he felt a sharp pain in his lower back. Reports show a lumbar strain.

Injured EE was securing the fish plates on two pieces of rail. The chain ratchet that was hoisting the rail came loose, causin gthe rail to fall and strike EE on the left thigh. EE went for X-rays, report is pending. Possible fracture to the patella.

Injured Employee was bolting in the #9 Heading when a piece of draw rock measuring approximately 45 1/2""L x 19""W x 1-4"" thick struck him in the lower back.

This report is being filed late due to first believing this event to be sports related. It is now believed this could have been work related. He states that he became entangled in a roof bolt cable, lost his balance and fell to the mine floor.

Injured was standing on the side of a conveyor belt tail piece reaching for some shear pins that were on top of a belt feeder. His foot slipped which caused the employee to loose his balance and fall. He landed on the side of the tail piece of his lower back resulting in a contusion. He visited his family dr on 3/30/09 and was removed from work.

Injured ee was cleaning gob off the track and twisted his knee around backwards.

EE was operating battery powered scoop. While in the process of changing batteries EE placed a crib block under scoop bucket & raised the front tires off mine floor. Scoop bucket slid off the crib block, causing scoop to jar EE. He was seen by local ER physician 3/3/09 & released to return to work. He visited his family doctor 3/9/09 & was removed from work.

Employee was hanging miner cable and felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder. Hospital tests have came back inconclusive at this time.

Injured employee was in the process of installing permanent roof supports in a brow overhanging from the mine roof. He had placed the resin grouted rod to be installed into the hole & was pushing on the rod with his hands to straighten the roof bolt. The brow broke off & struck his right hand, resulting in a laceration that required sutures to close.

Two employees were in the process of changing a broken sheer pin in the sprocket of the conveyor chain of a conveyor belt feeder. The injured employee had placed the new pin in the sprocket & asked the other employee to turn the sheer hub in order to line up the hole. During this process the injured employee's middle finger received a laceration that required sutures to close.

Employee was positioned near a coal rib, while the operator of a dual boom roof bolter was moving the machine. The roof bolting machine moved suddenly to the right resulting in contact with the injured employee. Injured employee is currently waiting to see a specialist.

Employee was operating a 2 man rubber tire johnson ride that was traveling thru a small water hole when the ride stalled. Employee dismounted ride and placed his body in front of the johnson ride to hook a chain to the front axle when the ride started moving forward causing the employee to be struck by the ride resulting in fractured ribs.

While in the process of installing permanent roof support, employee's left forearm was struck by falling material, resulting in a laceration.

Injured employee was using a hammer to make a conveyor belt splice, when a foreign object struck knuckle on employee's right hand.

Injured employee was using a screwdriver to replace a suction hose on a Fletcher roof bolter. While in the process of applying pressure to screwdriver, a foreign object struck employee's right eye, resulting in scratches to the eye.

While in the process of tossing wood crib block, employee's right thumb was smashed against the mine roof, resulting in a laceration.

While helping change a reel on a roof bolter, a roof bolt plate struck injured employee's right hand causing a laceration that required sutures to close.

While in process of installing permanent roof support, employee's left foot was struck by falling material.

General Laborer and Scoop Operator in process of removing a rock from top of continuous miner using scoop and 3/8 chain, chain was hooked to scoop's ram, general laborer hooked chain to rock, told scoop operator to pull up scoop to give him more slack on chain, inadvertenly operator pulled ram in, causing chain to tighten, causing lacerations to laborer's index and middle fingers.

While in the process of operating a 10 ton track motor, hauling supplies, dust from top of track motor blew into employee's left eye, causing irritation.

While in the process of putting a tire on a shuttle car, employee decided to cut valve stem off of tire. While pulling on the stem, employee's right wrist received a laceration from a weld on the tire's rim.

Injured employee, while moving a joint of waterline struck his head on a roof bolt plate causing a laceration requiring 12 sutures to close.

Injured employee, while driving through a curtain, felt some debris enter his right eye. It was later found to be a paint chip and had to be removed.

While installing permanent roof support, employee's upper lip was struck by falling material.

While in the process of getting out of shuttle car, employee felt pain in his back.

While in process of using grinder to grind metal, foreign body flew into employee's left eye.

Employee was in process of installing permanent roof support, when plate slid down cable bolt being installed, striking employee's left hand resulting in a laceration.

Employee was performing work on a track switch; employee had placed a lifting jack between the two track rails and was applying pressure to the lifting jack bar, when lifting jack slipped, causing the bar to strike employee's head, resulting in a laceration, requiring glue to close.

Employee was using a bolt cutter to remove his pad lock from his battery light cord. While in the process of cutting the lock the handle of bolt cutter struck employee's left eyebrow resulting in a laceration that required 5 sutures to close.

Employee was in the process of making a splice in a 14/3 cable, when the knife he was using slipped resulting in a laceration to his left thumb requiring 5 sutures to close.

The accident report identified that the mechanism for injury was handling/hanging miner cable. Employee was laid off the following day. No days were missed.

Injured employee was tramming a roof bolter through two sets of doors. While checking to see it the t-bar was clearing the doors, falling material struck his right wrist causing a laceration. The laceration required seven sutures to close.

Employee was plastering a stopping, when another employee, on the other side of the stopping was putting the last block in place. The block fell and struck injured employee on the left middle finger causing a laceration. The laceration required 10 sutures to close.

Injured employee was installing permanent roof support in the #2 entry when a piece of draw rock fell (measuring 12'x5'xpaper-1'wide) on his left arm causing a laceration. The laceration required 5 sutures to close.

The drill steel was hung in the hole, as Injury tried to remove it, his hand was caught between the roof and the drill pot cutting his left index finger. The cut required four sutures to close.

Injured employee kneeled down to grease a bearing on a conveyor belt tail piece when his left leg was struck by a utility knife resulting in a laceration that required sutures to close.

Injured employee was using a shovel to clean up around 5 D tailpiece. Employee stated that while in the process of raising the shovel to dump the material, he felt pain in his middle part of his back. Employee visited his family doctor on 2/5/09. Doctor recommended physical therapy for two to three weeks.

Employee was installing permanent roof support when a piece of draw rock fell, striking injured employee above the left eye. The cut required sutures to close.

On 7/22/2009 employee had a follow up visit with his family doctor and was diagnosed with silicosis as well as complicated pnuemoconiosis. Physician removed employee from work at this time.

EE was removed from work on 6/1/09 by his medical doctor to have both knees replaced. EE has worked underground for more than 30 years as a roof bolter operator.