Peabody Midwest Mining, LLCMining Incidents in 2010

At 7:55 am on 12/31/2010, the elevator at the Hart Street Portal had the door pulley break. The secondary escapeway was rerouted to the South Portal and repairs were made. The elevator was back in service at 10:50am

A faulty over travel switch on the Hart Street elevator was discovered during an inspection by MSHA. The elevator was immediately taken out of service and repairs made.

A fall of roof occurred in the South East Submain at 33 cross cut, # 7 Entry. The fall measured approximately 20 feet long x 20 feet wide and the thickness is unknown. The area was supported with 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

An unintentional fall occurred in the main north #10 entry at the 17+30'. The fall was 19' X 19' X 10' in the return aircourse.

A fall of roof occurred in South West Submain at cross cut 38, entry 3-4. The fall measured 20 feet long x 18 feet wide x 6 feet in depth. The area was supported with 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

An unintentional fall occurred between the #4 & #5 entrys of the Main North entries at the 55+40'. The fall was appoximately 17W X 17L by 8' high. The fall occurred do to deteriation of the roof above the bolt anchorage.

An unintentional roof fall occured in the intake entry outby the #3 working section. The fall occured due to the fact that the roof strata broke at and above the anchor point, exposing a slip in the fall area. The fall will not be cleaned up, the fall area will be timbered off and all approaches will be dangered off.

A fall of roof occurred in the Southwest Submain at crosscut # 56, entry # 3. The fall measured approximately 18 feet wide x 18 feet long and the thickness is unknown. The area was supported with 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

The mine encountered an unintentional roof fall on the Main South, XC68, between entries #2 and #3. The fall measured 17'W X 15""L X 4' thick. The area was bolted with 4' fully grouted bolts in May of 2000. This fall will not be cleaned up.

A fall of roof occurred in the 2nd South East Submain at cross cut # 31, # 3 entry. The fall measured approximately 25 feet in length x 18 feet wide and the thickness is unknown. The area was supported with 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

An unintential fall occurred in the #7 2nd West Main entry at the 8+40'. The fall was approximately 15'X 15'X 8' on each side of the crib setting on the corner of the intersection. The fall was due to adverse conditions above bolt anchorage.

An unintentional roof fall occurred due to the strata broke at and above the anchor point. The fall occurred at Unit #1 alternate escapeway travelway in entry #4 @ survey station 3+75 and 4+40. Dimensions 18 ft. wide, 30 ft. long, 4 to 5 ft. high. Fall will be cleaned up and resupported.

The mine encountered an unintentional roof fall on the 5A, XC32, from #0 entry to #2 entry. Dimensions: 160'L X 18'W X 8'T. Area developed in 10/2007 and supported with 6' fully grouted bolts. The fall will not be cleaned up. Approaches shall be timbered and dangered out.

The man/material hoist became inoperable due to a malfunction with the counter weight. A guide had worn out on the counter weight and the counterweight came out of the rails that contain it in place. The guide was replaced and the hoist returned to operation at 9:20 AM.

The mine encountered a roof fall on the Main South Travelway, entry #3, XC #22. The fall measured 5' thick X 21' wide X 27' long. The area was initially bolted with 4' fully grouted bolts. The fall affected the haulage of supplies from the South portal. The fall area will be resupported for travel.

A fall of roof occurred in the South East Submain at cross cut # 32, # 6 entry. The fall measured approximately 60 feet long x 19.5 feet wide and the thickness is unknown. The area was supported with 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

The mine encountered an unintentional roof fall on the MainSouth travelway, entry #3, between XC #49 and 50. The fall affected transporting supplies from the South Portal. The area was mined in March of 2000 and bolted with 4' fully grouted bolts. The area will be resupported.

An unintentional roof fall occurred at this mine on this date at approximately 1722 hrs. The fall fell due to deteriation of roof above the bolt anchorage. The fall was 20 long by 20 wide by 15' high.

An unintentional roof fall occurred due to the strata broke at and above the anchor point. A smooth slip ran through the entry. The fall occurred in a neutral entry off Unit 2 travelway @ entry 3-4 @ 2+25 east. The fall was approximately 25 ft. long, 18 ft. wide and 1-6 ft. high. Found by mine examiner.

A fall of roof occurred in the Main South Main at cross cut # 9, # 3 entry. The fall measured approximately 90 feet in length x 25 feet in width and the thickness was unknown. The area was supported with 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

The mine encountered an unintentional roof fall on the Main South, Entry #4 (belt), between XC#62 and #63. The fall measured 40'L X 20'W X avg. 5' thick. The area was developed in April of 2000 and supported with 4' fully grouted bolts. Supplemental support consisted of 6' fully grouted bolts. The fall will be cleaned as per approved site specific plan.

An unintentional roof fall was discovered on 6/30/2010 on the Main South, XC #20, between entries #3 and #1. The fall measured 110' L X 18' W X 5' thick. The area had been supported with 4' resin bolts. The fall will not be cleaned up. It did not effect ventilation, travel, or escapeway.

The man/material hoist became inoperable due to a malfunction in the braking system. A rod that applies tension to the brake itself broke. Repairs were made and the hoist was returned to normal operation at 12:35 PM.

Our examiners found a roof fall at crosscut #31 on the Southwest submain in entry #3. The fall was located in a crosscut, at an intersection adjacent to the travelway.

During an inspection by an MSHA inspector, a roof fall was found in the return of the Southeast Submain at crosscut #36 in entry #3. The fall was located in the route that an examiner would travel during his weekly examination of the area.

A fall of roof occurred in the South East Submain at # 28 cross cut, # 3 entry. The fall measured approximately 30 feet in length x 30 feet in width x 6 feet thick. The area was supported with 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

A fall of roof occurred in the South West Mains Return at 29 cross cut,# 11 entry. The fall was approximately 20 feet long x 20 feet wide x 8 feet thick. The area was supported by 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

The mine discovered a roof fall on the Main South, entry #4 at crosscut #50 - #51. The fall measured 35' L x 18' W x 4' T. The area was developed in 3/2000 and supported with 4' resin bolts. The fall shall be cleaned up.

A fall of roof occurred in the South West Sub Main, # 26 cross cut, # 6 entry, @ 15+70. The fall was approximately 20 feet in length x 20 feet in width x 12 feet thick. The area was supported by 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

An unintentional fall occurred just inby #9 crosscut on 2nd west travelway. The fall was 14' X 14' X 5'.

A fall of roof occurred in the South East Submain, # 59 cross cut, 32+46, entry # 2. The fall was approximately 18 feet in length x 18 feet in width x 6-8 feet thick. The area was supported with 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

The mine discovered a roof fall on the 4 Main West, entry #3, at crosscut #151. The fall measured 18' X 18' X 7' thick. The area was developed in 2/2007 and bolted with 6' glue bolts. The fall will not be cleaned up. The 4 Main West is being recovered and will be sealed.

An unintentional fall occurred in the main north #10 entry at the 40+50'. Fall was in an entry not a intersection, fall was 30'L X 14""W X 15'H.

A fall of roof occurred in the 2nd South West Main, # 4 cross cut, # 2 entry. The roof fall was approximately 20 feet in length x 20 feet in width x 6 feet thick. The area was supported with 6 foot fully grouted roof bolts.

Injured employee was in the process of removing the bottom section tub from a belt drive gear. The tub fell and pinched off the end of his left thumb. He had surgery to repair his thumb.

Employee was operating a Continuous Miner in Unit #3. He was turning a xcut to the left standing directly under a roof bolt. A rock approximately 2ft. x 4ft. x 1in. to 1ft. fell and struck him on the left side of his head, neck, shoulder and leg. He received a puncture wound to the left side of his head behind his left ear that required 5 staples to close.

The employee stated that he was watching his cable on the continuous miner he was tramming. The employee stated he picked up the miner cable and started walking backwards pulling the cable to get a knot out. The employee stated that while doing this, he stepped on a rock approximately 10"" in diameter and twisted his right knee.

Operator was hauling dirt from cut area. He had just dumped a load on spoil and was driving on return ramp when he drove up on berm, proceeded approximately 80 feet and then drove off of highwall, resulting in injuries and damage to equipment.

Employee stated he was hanging cable with two other employees when his left wrist got caught and bent backwards causing a sprain.

EMPLOYEE HAD BEEN BEATING ON AN AREA THAT WAS WELDED ON A RAMCAR AND A PIECE OF SLAG CAME OFF AND WENT INTO HIS ARM. THIS HAPPENED ON 11/22/10. EMPLOYEE WORKED UNTIL IT WAS TAKEN OUT ON 1/21/11. SLAG WAS REMOVED AND HE RECEIVED 6 STITCHES, AND WAS TAKEN OFF WORK UNITL 1/31/11.

The IE stated that he was changing the batteries out on the coal hauler he was operating. When he was tramming away from the set of batteries he ran over the jumper cable with his front tire causing the cable to get tight, pinching his hand between the edge of the fender and the cable.

Injured employee was working on #81 diesel mantrip and his left hand came in contact with the flywheel while the engine was running. Employee suffered avulsion to 4th finger and fracture to 3rd finger on left hand.

Employee was walking by the miner and a rock that was on it, broke and fell down hitting him on both shins and his feet. No broken bones, but doctor put him off due to swelling and pain in his right ankle.

EE was walking underground when he felt a pop in the back of his left foot. There was no trauma or event that caused this to occur. He had been experiencing additional foot problems and was being treated by a doctor. He has had surgery to repair the achilles tear. The doctor reports are attached as well as a history on the employee.

The employee stated that he was traveling around a corner in # 7 entry in a battery coal hauler, when his front wheel climbed on top of an uneven ledge. This caused the coal hauler to slam down jarring him in his seat. He stated that he was having lower back pain and right leg pain.

The injured was a passenger on a Damascus MAC-XP ride that struck the #9 shelter hole in the South Slope. He was transported to Good Samaritans Hospital and later transferred to Deaconess in Evansville. He was treated for a laceration to his upper lip and and an avulsion to his left leg and released.

Injured employee was bolting and a rock fell from the roof and hit him on the left shoulder and elbow, causing a contusion and pain. Started missing work on 9/23/10.

Injured employee was helping hang roof bolter cable using tie wire. The bolter trammed foward and the cable became tight and pulled loose from the tie wire. The cable struck the employee in the back of his head and neck. He is experiencing pain in his neck.

Employee was operating a remote control miner and had a large rock caught in the conveyor. While attempting to load it into a shuttle car, the rock came off the side of the boom and pinned him against the rib causing a fracture to his left leg.

Employee was scaling down loose material on the rib when coal came loose above and struck him on the left shoulder and above left knee causing a laceration.

EE was carrying a fire extinguisher in muddy conditions to replace one that had been used and slipped in mud and when he caught himself to keep from falling, he strained his lower back.

On 8/4/2010 the employee stated that he was experiencing kidney pain. On 10/13/2010 the employee was diagnosed with a lumbrosacral sprain. The employee alleges that he injured his back while loading supplies on a roof bolter.

Injured employee was pulling on a hydraulic hose that went thru the frame of a continuous miner. As he was pulling on the hose his feet slipped out from under him and he felt a burning sensation in his groin area. He continued to work until 12/04/2010, and then had surgery to repair a inguinal hernia on 12/06/2010.

The injured employee was walking from entry #4 to entry #6 to unlock a piece of equipment. When crossing entry # 5, inby the feeder tailshaft, the corner of the inby rib fell out striking the employee in the face. The coal rib measuring 2'x2'x2' pushed the employee to the ground. He had surgery on 9/10/2010 for a deviated septum, which took him off work.

Employee strained his back when he picked chain hangers up off a mantrip, the chain hanger were strung on a 3' bolt, that had 25 hangers on it. He injured his back when he turned, holding onto the bolt.

As the CAT 777 end-dump driver was travelling from the pit floor to the top of the coal seam (approx. 8 foot incline), he was jarred inside the cab of the truck resulting in a compression injury to his lower back.

The IE, a coal hauler operator, was found laying on the ground holding himself up by his left elbow. The IE was in xc 2-1 at station # 21+15, when he was struck by a rock, that fell out between the roof bolts, and struck him on top of the head. The rock measured 10'L x 3'W x 0-11"" thick, and fell from a height of 7'11"".

This employee was standing beside a roof bolter and his buddy turned on the bolter and the cable took his feet from under him, and he landed on his back injurying it. This did not become a lost time till 6/23/10.

The injured employee was removing boom canopy from Fletcher bolter when it fell off striking him on the right lower leg causing a fracture to his tibia. he was transported by ambulance to local hospital.

Employee pulled his Gob Truck up to a berm. As he dismounted from his truck he slipped on the berm and twisted his lower back. He was seen by a physician on June 1 and did not return to work.

Employee was operating ramcar and ran over rock in roadway and hit his head on canopy of ramcar, straining his lower back.

Employee was injured on 11-03-09 and worked until he had surjury on 4/26/10. Injured struck his right elbow on a piece of metal when he was jerking on hose on a service center. Torn Tricep.

Employee was working on a bit lug on miner and a rock fell from the roof and hit his hardhat. The rock broke and a piece of the rock came down and lacerated his jaw on the right side of his face.

The injured was installing a curtain board and walked around the front of the bolter and beside the ATRS just as the operator moved the bolter. The ATRS pad struck him in the stomach above his navel pushing him against the rib.

The injured fractured his right leg and bruised some ribs when he slipped and fell after he stepped on the steel plate attached to the foot shaft on a feeder. The feeder was locked out because it had gobbed out and the crew was cleaning it. When the injured fell he landed on the conveyor chain, on his right side and back.

IE was struck on the left little finger by a hammer while making a belt splice.

Employee was getting out of truck and slipped on some mud twisting his left knee. Employee worked until taken off work on 4/5/10 due to a torn meniscus.

EE, a roof bolter on Unit #1 was on the operator side of #38 Fletcher bolter in Entry #9. He walked to the back of the machine to get a bag of rock dust. He stepped in a hole/depression in the mine floor twisting his right knee. He informed his Supervisor. EE was transported by Company vehicle to Good Samaritan Hospital where he was diagnosed with a right knee strain.

Employee went back to employment dust box on bolter and put his hand up on control lever cober and a rock fell out and hit his left hand breaking 2 metacarpal bones in his hand.

Employee stepped on a piece of coal lying on the mine floor and twisted his right ankle. He continued to work until the ankle began to swell and was transported out of the mine to a medical facility. X-rays revealed a lateral malleolus fracture to his right ankle.

On 12/13/2010, the employee was operating a continuous miner, and he stated that he went to lift a bucket of miner bits and felt a pain in his left shoulder. He later tried to pry a rock off the continuous miner and the pain got worse. He continued working, a MRI was done on 2/22/11 which showed a torn labrum. The IE had surgery on 2/28/2011.

The injured was operating #85 Damascus, battery operated 2 man vehicle. He and a passenger were traveling down the South Slope. The vehicle struck the corner of the #9 shelter hole causing the injured to strike the steering wheel suffering injuries to his chest. He was transported by ambulance to Good Samaritans hospital, and later transferred to Deaconess.

While installing a supplemental pressure pump for pumping of the NW Seals, the employee stated that he was using #430 and #460 channel locks to break apart a section of miner waterline. He stated that he felt something pop in his right shoulder. He continued to work until he had surgery on 12/17/2010 to repair a torn rotator cuff.

The employee stated that he was on a ladder, twisting the curtain wire onto the roof plate prior to hanging the curtain. When he twisted the wire, the wire came up under his safety glasses striking him the right eye.

While dusting # 10 entry of the 2nd SW with the # 1 battery scoop and slinger duster, the IE tripped over the front of the bucket. When he fell, he fell forward, and in the process of trying to catch himself, he strained his right shoulder. He continued to work with the pain, until he had surgery to repair a tear to his labrum on Februuary 21, 2011.

The employee stated that he was shoveling coal off of the catwalk of the collecting belt. He pushed forward to get a shovel full, and he felt a pop in his right knee. The employee continued working until he was scheduled for a MRI. It was determined that he had a tear of the MCL. He is scheduled for surgery on 2/8/10.

The miner operator was cutting in #10 entry on #2 Unit. He had approximately 10 foot cut out of the right side, when he was struck by a small piece of flying metal. The piece of metal struck the employee in the left nostril, embedding the piece of metal in his nose. He was transported to the hospital,where the piece of metal was removed. He received 5 sutures to close the wound.

Injured employee was using a screwdriver to break the metal bands on a new roll of conveyor belt. When he broke the last band the metal band struck him on the right forearm. He received a laceration that required 5 sutures to close. The employee returned to work on full duty.

The employee was changing a tram chain on a roof bolter. The IE was using a chisel and a sledge hammer to take a link out of the chain. When he struck the chisel with the sledge hammer the chisel flipped up striking the employee in the upper lip, causing a laceration.

The injured was walking and came in contact with wire mesh fencing that was hanging down. The fencing struck the employee in the inner ear.

Employee was struck by a piece of roof slate on the right forearm while roofbolting. The piece of slate roof was approximately 3' x 2' x 1"". He received 10 sutures to close the laceration.

IE was repairing a steering arm on a haul truck. A grease line was attached to the steering arm and supporting part of the weight. When IE removed the grease line, the steering arm dropped and he tried to catch it. His left ring finger was pinched between the steering arm and a piece of cribbing, resulting in a laceration that required 8 sutures.

Employee was loading roof plates onto roof bolter. He caught his right middle finger between two bundles of plates. He sustained a laceration to finger requiring seven sutures to close and a fracture to the end of same finger.

Employee was helping hang miner cable on a rib. A piece of roof rock approximately 1/4in. - 3 in. x 9in. - 12in. x 30in. fell from the roof and struck her above her right eye. She received 7 sutures.

The employee stated that another EE and the IE were putting the side covers back on #5 continuous miner. While installing the cover,EE and the IE both had the top half in their hands. The cover slipped out of both of their hands smashing the IE's right index finger between the cover and the edge of the pan. The laceration required 7 sutures.

The employee stated that while he was re-installing an impact bed slide, the slide roller fell over while positioning it into place, smashing his right ring finger. He was transported to Gibson General Hospital where he recieved 7 sutures.

Mechanics were tightening bolts on an R-190 axle box. They were using a 1 inch impact with a universal / 1in 7/8 socket combination. The socket came off and struck ee in the mouth resulting in a lacerated lip that required sutures and fractured two teeth.

See attached forms. this report is now being turned in due to waiting surgical reports.

Employee never had an incident at the mine. Employee has carpal tunnel due to repetitive motion over the years. Dates and time above is from the day he started missing work due to this.

EE reported soreness in both wrists on 1/7/2010, was seen by a physician on 3/5/2010. Has exhausted non evasive treatment. Carpal tunnel surgery to repair required on 7/22/2010, this will be the first shift the injured has missed.