Highland Mining Company LLCMining Incidents in 2013

Slope hoist became inoperable due to power outage.

A non- Injury unplanned roof fall occurred between # 8 & #9 entry between the Main North belt and the secondary escapeway at spad 2+40.

At 10:30 pm a rock fall was discovered by an examiner in an area that had been abandoned. The fall measured 18' long by 18' wide by 10' high. The fall was in an intersection of the old supply road. The fall is located in #6 entry, crosscut #54, in the 1st sub panel North of 1st panel North off of 2nd Main West.

Unseen roof conditions caused a roof fall in West B supply Road. The fall measured 60' L by 19' W by 10' H.

An unplanned roof fall occurred at XC78 in entry #9 on the Main North. The fall measured 20""Lx18'Wx5""H, limited to the intersection. There were no injuries and no equipment involved. The fall was in the intake escape way and required the lifeline to be re-routed. The lifeline has been re-routed and supplemental roof support has been installed.

An unplanned roof fall occurred in entry #2 between XC 35 and XC 36 of the West B off West A, off 2nd West submain off Main North. The fall was in the return entries, there was no active mining inby the fall. There were no injuries and no equipment involved. The fall measured 90' L X 18'W X 10'H. Ventilation for recovery work was disrupted. Ventilation has now been re-established.

A roof fall occurred in XC27 of the West A off the 2nd West off the Main North between entry 4 & entry 5. Fall is 11,000' outby the loading point. It is in a cross cut & crushed out a brattice between the neutral & return air course. Fall measured 35'L x 19'W x 11'H. There were no injuries or equipment involved. Ventilation was disrupted to unit 5. Brattice has since been rebuilt.

An unseen, hidden slip caused an unplanned roof fall at the #5 entry of the 2nd West Angle, blocking the intake/primary escapeway. The fall area measured app. 50' long, 20' wide and 10' high.

Brake car inoperable due to electrical problem. Repaired at 6:40 AM

The mine hoisting system was inoperative due to electrical problems on the surface. The problem was diagnosed and the hoisting system was operating again at 7:30pm

Stated: Employee was in XC77, 5L, watching FCT cable while mechanics were pulling up tail of lo framing. He was on one knee when the inby corner of the pillar broke off and struck his back and head. A mechanic heard him call for help. When he was on the surface he indicated he could not feel his feet, that was the first indication that his head was not the primary concern.

The Employee bent to pick up a concrete block and felt a pain in his lower back.

Employee was picking up a cross over pad while his partner was moving roof bolter. As he attempted to put the pad onto the miner, he felt a pain in his lower back.

Employee was removing the male plug from a set of scoop in preparation to charge the batteries. As he pulled on the plug he felt a ""pop"" and pain in his left shoulder.

EE was cleaning bath house. He attempted to step over a bench while pulling a water hose in the change room. He hung his toe on the bench and felt a pain in his knee. He was diagnosed with a twisted knee. This accident became reportable on 02/21/2014 when the employee started missing work to have surgery.

Employee was walking beside a de-energized ram car. Went through a clear curtain the ram car was parked under. The operator of the ram car did not realize he had not cleared the ram car, and energized the machine engaged the steering swung the bed and caught him between the rib and the bed fracturing his right femur.

Employee stated that he picked up a bottom roller leaning against the coal rib. As he walked to his ride to load the roller the rib gave way and a section 72"" x 45"" x 12"" rolled off struck him in the buttocks and pushed him to the center of the entry where he fell on the belt roller he was carrying, causing a contusion to his left chest & armpit.

Was drilling hole in preparation to install rib bolt. Drop the boom on the bolt he had prepared for installation and caught his left foot between the roof bolt and the mine floor, causing a contusion to the left foot.

Employee was marking hydraulic leaks on U/G grader. climbed on top and caught left hand between the tandem tire and the fender bracket, causing a laceration & fracture to the left small finger.

Employee stated that he was riding on a golf cart with his right hand resting on the golf cart fender. When the golf cart passed through a back-up curtain his right hand was caught between the golf cart and a ram car that was parked there. This smashed his right hand causing a laceration on his small finger, that required sutures.

Employee stated that he stepped into a hole in mine floor and his knee hurt.

Employee was walking through cross-cut when he fell down and fractured his left ankle.

Employee stated as he placed a pin board on a roof bolt he was installing, he felt sharp pain in his left shoulder.

Employee was on top of a continuous miner adjusting the water sprays. As he dismounted, he slipped and landed on his left foot, twisting his knee. The accident became reportable on 3/12/14 when the employee started missing work.

Employee stated he was bolting on the #2 unit. He had finished the hole with starter steel and as he inserted the finisher steel he felt a pain in his lower back.

Employee stated he was rib bolting in the belt entry and felt a pain in his right arm.

Employee stated that he was helping another employee unload 6 inch waterline from a diesel hauler when he felt a pull in his right side of chest.

Employee stated that he was manually bending a roof bolt when he felt pain in his back.

Employee states he was positioning forks of mini trac when another employee picked up the end and caught his finger between the mast and the fork.

Submitted under protest to terminate citation #8514567. Employee stated that he was hauling material in scoop bucket when he ran over debris in road causing him to hit his head on canopy. Operator is currently investigating the claim and reserves the right to amend and/or correct this report.

Employee was dismounting the Manitou fork lift. As he descended the steps, his right foot slipped causing him to pull his lower back.

EE was spotting belt to make splice when he spotted a flapper on the belt. He stopped belt and started to trim flapper with a belt knife. He pulled the knife toward his leg and when the knife cut through the belt, it went into his right inner leg just above the knee. He cut two blood vessels in his leg. The wound required 6 stitches to close.

Employee stated he tripped on mound of gob and injured his right foot.

Stated: Employee was helping move miner. He was standing on a pile of gob when his footing gave way. He felt a sharp pain in his right calf. He finished the shift and sought medical treatment the next day. He was diagnosed with a strained calf and did not report to work his next shift.

Employee stated he felt a pain in his right shoulder as he picked up a 5 gallon can of power trans oil.

Stated: Employee was installing cover plate over fire suppression on scoop. He was holding bolt with left hand, cover with right hand. The vertical cover fell and caught his right thumb between the opening and the cover. It required sutures to close.

Employee stated that continuous miner cable that was hung on mine roof came loose and struck his Rt shoulder.

Stated: Employee was using track jack to raise belt on top roller. He was going to change out center idler. He pulled on the handle to reposition the jack. The jack slipped off its support and mashed the pinky finger on his right hand between the handle and the brace. It required 6 stitches to close.

Stated: Employee was opening mandoor between neutral and intake. The handle was stuck so he hit the handle with his right palm. After the 3rd strike, the latch gave way. He raked the outside of the little finger on his right hand across a burr where the round stock had been cut to make the handle. He lacerated his finger requiring 10 sutures to close. He remains off work.

Stated: Employee was walking from shower to locker at the end of his shift. He slipped on the wet floor and twisted his left knee. Sought med. treatment and released to RTW full duty. Results from MRI received on 04/09/2013 indicated degenerative changes and a torn meniscus.

Employee was walking in the supply road when he stepped on a mound of fire clay twisting his left ankle.

Employee states that he was tearing down a piece of old curtain when pain occured in his left shoulder.

Employee was assisting others in pulling on wire rope. He stepped on a chunk of rock and felt pain in his foot. He finished his shift. He went to his podiatrist the next day and was told to stay off work for two weeks. He was under the doctors care for problems with the foot and the twisting of his foot aggravated his condition.

Employee was standing 18' back from start of XC 7L on unit 5. A piece of slate 5'Lx32""Wx3""T fell from between the rib pins and the rib and struck his head, rt arm and thigh. There were no spread pins and all had pie pans. He was taken to the ER and diagnosed with contusions, no stitches or fractures. He was unable to work his next scheduled shift.

Employee was operating a diesel Getman. He dismounted the Getman to unhook from a loaded supply trailer. His glove became saturated with oil. When he attempted to mount the Getman his hand slipped striking the metal frame of the Getman.

Stated: Employee was examining the 4C belt line. He was driving a golf cart. As he was driving through an area where clearance between rib and belt structure was limited, one of his front tires hit something. It caused the steering wheel to jerk and threw his left arm into the belt structure. A bone in his arm just up from his wrist was fractured.

Employee was operating a remote controlled Joy continuous miner in #6 entry when a piece of draw rock fell from between roof bolts & struck him on the head.

Stated: Employee was shoveling off the ramp at the end of the lo-framing when a rock measuring 42""Lx30""Wx1 1/2""T fell from between bolts and struck his right shoulder. Evaluation at the ER revealed no fracture but he was unable to return to work his next scheduled shift.

Stated: Employee was helping hang miner cable across XC. They were pushing up on the cable to tie it close to the bolt plates. He felt a sharp pain in his lower right abdomen. He continued to work. As they were hanging cable for the next cut, he again felt the sharp pain. He was taken to the ER and diagnosed with a hernia which will require surgery to repair.

Employee stated that while hanging a spool of wire rope to the mine roof he felt a pop in Rt hip and lower back.

Employee was standing with his hand tray when a rock fell from between roof bolts & struck his right hand causing a contusion to the Rt hand & thumb.

Stated: Employee was coming through mandoor by MN belt toward slope bottom. One large equipment airlock door, toward the slope bottom, was open. As she stepped through, someone opened the mandoor on the other large equipment airlock door. She lost her grip on the door and it mashed her arm between the door and the frame. She is still off work and is a lost time incident.

Stated: Employee works on operator's side of bolter. The bolter had stopped at the intersection of 5 and 5L to load supplies in trays on booms before pulling up to face. A rock measuring 17'Lx40""Wx10""T fell from the top. It struck him on his back and shoved him into the side of the bolter. He suffered broken ribs.

Stated: Employee was steering a 4 man ride being towed to bottom. A pinner steel was lying on the ride. As they turned a corner one end of the steel became lodged in something causing the other end to come around and strike the back of his head. He worked until 1/18/13 when his doctor placed him on complete mental rest.

Employee stated that he was attempting to drill into the mine roof while operating a roof bolter. While holding the drill steel the drill steel was placed against the mine roof. This dislodged a piece of rock that struck employee on rt forearm above wrist.

Employee stated that he tripped over a metal band that is used to bundle concrete blocks together. This caused him to fall down and land on a pile of concrete blocks.

Employee was cutting a piece of ventilation curtain with a belt knife. He was not wearing gloves and was cutting toward his hand with the knife. The knife slipped through the curtain and the blade struck the back of his left hand causing a 2"" laceration. He received 7 stitches.

Stated: Employee was sitting at shack when he heard the roof pop. He stood up to move and hung his light cord on a roof bolt plate. His hat was pulled off and the rock struck the top of his head. The laceration required 2 running sutures to close. He returned to work the next night.

Stated: Employee was lying in hopper of Flexible Conveyor Train, trimming off skirt rubber with a utility knife. The knife slipped and he cut the backside of his right forearm. The laceration required 6 sutures to close. He was released to return to work the next day.

Stated: Employee was bolting in face of #4. He had completed the hole and was trying to remove his steel. He grabbed the steel and pulled with his left hand. A piece of rock broke out from between the hole and the edge of the canopy. The leading edge was sharp and cut his left forearm just above the elbow. It required 6 sutures to close.

Employee was driving toward bottom at the end of shift. He pulled into a cross cut to allow a man trip to pass. He backed out into the travel road and continued on toward bottom when a rock fell from the roof. It fell out in a hinged manner with the sharp edge striking him first. The rock struck just above his right ear. He was taken to the ER where it required 6 sutures to close.

Employee Was diagnosed with carpal tunnel disease

The mine was notified by MSHA that employee received a diagnosis of occupational illness and has exercised his option to work in a low dust area.