Pinnacle Mining Company, LLCMining Incidents in 2009

The door switch located at the mine floor for the 8 Haulage elevator froze up due to adverse weather conditions. The elevator was down from 5:10am to 6:45am for a total of 1 hr. 25 min.

While extracting coal in the #2 face of the 9E section, 75 feet inby crosscut #28, the continuous miner operator thought he saw a flash on the right side of the ripper head after the methane monitor had spiked and de-energized the machine. After investigating, no evidence of an ignition was found.

Weekly examiner discovered a roof fall in the 8 Haulage bleeders between 8K and 8L. The fall measured approximately 20'L x 20'W x 12'H. The area has been dangered off and a different route will be used.

Examiner discovered a roof fall in the 8N bleeders in the #2 entry at the #37 intersection. The fall was approximately 25'L x 20'W x 12'H.

Weekly examiner discovered an unintentional roof fall on the 9E section in the #3 entry at the #6 crosscut. The fall measured approximately 40 feet long by 20 feet wide by 15 feet high.

Weekly examiner found a roof fall in the 9E section return between crosscuts 17 and 18. The fall measured approximately 60'L x 18'W x 15' high.

Weekly examiner found a roof fall at #31 crosscut in the #2 entry of the 3 Mains section. The fall measured approximately 8'L x 12'W x 12" thick and did not fall above the anchorage.

An Unintentional roof occurred on the (004 MMU) 4 Mains section in the 110 pillar block #5 entry inby spad #952 in the #3 lift, resulting in the Company #17 remote control continuous mining machine being caught by mine roof.

Fireboss discovered the roof fall when making his examine. 8O Section #1 Entry, #6 Break had fallen. 18'L x 18'W x 30L, this is an approximate measurement. Area has been breakered off. Travel way and ventilation was not changed.

Unintentional roof fall on the 8R longwall setup between #1 and #2 entry behind the longwall head drive. The fall was approximately 20'Lx18'Wx2'H and did not fall above the anchorage.

A roof fall was discovered in the #4 entry of the 8Q section. The fall is located at #10 break in the intersection of the #4 entry.

Roof fall between #44 and #45 brk at 8HLG Extension Track and Belt Entry. 50' Inby #45 Brk. Approximately 50'Lx20'Wx8' to 12' H. Had fell out above the anchorage. Area has been breakered off at this time.

Examiner found a roof fall in the 8N bleeders during his weekly examination. The fall was at #30 crosscut and measured approximately 18.5'W x 25'L x 5.5'H. The area was mined in April of 2006 and is 7,120 feet from the nearest face.

At approximately 11:00am a mine examiner discovered a roof fall on the 9F section in the No. 1 belt and track entry at crosscut #11. The fall was in the intersection and was approximately 20'L x 23' W x 8" H. The area was 2,323 feet from the nearest active working face and was mined in August of 2008. The supply track for the 9F section was blocked off by the fall.

Examiner found a roof fall in an inactive area of the mine. A fall approximately 20'L x 20'W x 10' H was found in the #3 entry at #9 crosscut of the 8 Haulage elevator mains. The fall is 11,838 feet from the nearest working section. The area was mined in January of 2003. No ventilation or travelway was disturbed.

Mine examiner discovered a roof fall in the 8 South return at #5 crosscut in the #5 entry. The fall was in an intersection and measured approximately 20'wx20'lx5'h. The area is inactive and is 11,445 feet from the nearest working face. The entry was mined in August of 2002.

Roof fall approximately 73 feet long and 63' wide at it's peak was reported to the surface at 3:00 pm by an examiner. The fall was on 8O section which is in an inactive part of the mine. The fall was approximately 16,140 feet from the nearest working face.

Roof fall in #27 crosscut that rolled out into track entry. The track is inactive and is only traveled by examiners. The fall measured approximately 10'L x 18'W x 6'H. The area is 33,820' from from closest active face and was mined in June 1972.

A roof fall was discovered on the 9E Section #2 Entry #3 Break Intersection. Roof fall was 25'Lx19'Wx8'H. The area has been breakered off.

Elevator went down for a door switch at approximately 8:10AM. No one was on the elevator at the time. Everyone was notified of thge problem. Production was stopped and the people were removed back to he loading areas. Elevator door switch was repaired and the elevator was operating correcttly at 10:30AM.

A roof fall was discovered at #39 Break in #3 entry of the House Extension Section of the mines. The fall was approximately 30'Lx18'Wx6'H. The area has been breakered off. The fall had no effect on the ventilation or travel ways of the mines.

Roof fall was discovered on 02/27/09. It is in the House Extension of the mine at #44 break in the #3 entry. The fall is approximately 30Lx18'wx6'H. The fall had no affect on the ventilation or travel ways of the mines. The area has been breakered off.

Elevator went down at approximately 10:55PM due to ice hitting the cables hooked to the proximiy swith on the 1st floor. Everyone was pulled back tot he loading points on the sections. Elevator was operating at 12:05AM 01/20/09.

Elevator went down at approximately 11:10PM when a piece of ice hit the switch for the 1st floor doors. All personnel were pulled back to the loading points on the sections. The elevator was repaired and operating at 12:20AM.

Individual was crawling to the head when he crawled between 4&5 shield a rock fell between the shields and struck the injured on the leg.

Employee had finished his shift and was removing his boots in the bath house when he felt a pull in his left calf.

Injured had lifted a roller into place at unit #119 dryer at Pinnacle Prep Plant. Injured worked until Jan 15, 2010 and was off work until Feb 12, 2010. Injured stated that his back was hurting prior to Dec 9, 2009 and that on Jan 15, 2010 he had lifted a 5 gallon bucket of anti freeze feeling a twinge in his back went to see a doctor. MRI showed degenerative arthritis.

Employee had his hand resting on the back of the scoop blade when the operator of the scoop inadvertently pulled in the ram and mashed the employees right hand causing a fracture to the right ring finger.

Injured was holding a special tool to drive a bearing into place. Foreman was striking tool with a sledge hammer. He missed striking injured on right thumb. Causing a laceration to right thumb. Injured was transported to hospital.

Employee was working in longwall set up face we he slipped and fell striking his left thigh on a spring rod causing a contusion.

Injured was struck by a slate bar that was hanging out of the side of a mantrip and came in contact with a wooden crib that had been set beside the track for roof support. As the slate bar contacted the crib, it swung around and struck the injured in the lower part of his left leg just below the shin causing a fracture to his fibula.

Employee was pulling pump cable when he felt pain in his back.

Injured was holding a roof bolt while his co worker hit it with a sledge hammer to drive a pin out of the miner. Co worker hit the pin with a glancing blow striking injured on the right forearm and wrist. Injured was transported to the hospital where he was treated for contusions and pain to right forearm and wrist.

Injured got on top of flat car to move pallet and his right foot got caught on sheets of tin. He stated he felt pain in right knee. He finished the shift and went to a doctor the next day. He is being treated for pain in right knee.

Injured at the 8E switch of 8HLG track on his hands and knees pushing a 120' piece of sch 11 pipe over with his arms. When he started to stand up he felt a pop between his shoulders causing pain. He was transported to the hospital. He is being sent to a specialist to diagnose the injury.

Injured was pulling a 60" top roller. He stated that he felt the roller hang and he jerked on the roller he fell catching himself with his right arm and felt a burning in his groin. He was transported to the hospital where he is being treated for a pulled groin.

Injured was struck on the right foot by a rail that a scoop hit when tramming in the injured work area. Injured was transported to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken right big toe.

Injured was walking the primary escapeway. When he was going across the second overcast near the Y he said he caught his right foot on the platform and fell forward. When he stood up he felt pain in his right foot. He finished the shift and came to work the next day. He was transported to the hospital sent to another hospital for treatment of a sprained right foot.

Injured was helping to carry a pump with a co-worker when he slipped on a rock causing pain to his lower back. He finished the shift and went to the doctor the next day. He is being treated for a strain to the lower back.

Injured was walking toward the side door entrance of the warehouse when he slipped on ice and snow. Falling on his left hip and striking his cap lamp battery against the pavement. He was transported to the hospital where he was treated for contusions and pain of the left hip.

Injured was walking down the grade at the dust hole when her left ankle twisted causing her to put her weight on her right knee and leg causing pain. She was transported to Princeton Hospital. She is being treated for a hyper extended right knee.

Injured was using a miner bit to drive a broken miner bit from the bit lug when he struck his left index finger with a ball pien hammer. He was transported to the hospital where he was dianosed with a fracture and laceration to the left index finger.

injured dislodged a rock from the tailgate of a coal truck when it shut injure left ring finger got caught between the tailgate and the bed of the coal truck. He was transported to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured and lacerated left ring finger.

Injured was carrying a 6" flange weighing approzimately 11lbs down the strairway between the 5th and 6th floor when his ankle gave out causing him to stumble striking his face against the handrail. Injured was transported to the hospital where he was treated for a laceration above his left cheek and eye.

Injured was pushing the insert back into the head when he pushed the lever in the up direction catching his right little finger between the steel and the chuck. He was transferred to the hospital where he was treated for a lacertaion to the right little finger. No stiches were used.

Injured and co-worker were removing the top layer of belt rollers from a loaded flat. Roller twisted catching the left pinky finger of injured. Caused lacerations to the left pinky finger. Injured was transported to the hospital where he was treated for the laceration.

Employee lacerated his left middle finger with a razor knife while attempting to replace a piece of water line. The laceration required 14 stitches