Pinnacle Mining Company, LLCMining Incidents in 2012

A weekly Examiner identified a roof fall in the 8D section of the mines measuring 75X 20 X 5 with a distance of 5,978 from the face. This fall does not interfere with airways or travel ways.

Weekly examiner found an unintentional roof fall upon his examination at the #8 1/2 crosscut in the #3 entry of the 8 Haulage bypass. The fall measured approximately 40' x 18' x 8' high.

Roof fall at West Mains track, #5 Entry at #146 break. Rock measured 20' X 20' X 9'. The location was mined in JUL 1989 and was bolted with 4' fully grouted bolts and 6' cable bolts. The fall occurred 36,260' from the face.

The brake coil for the 8 Haulage elevator overheated, and had to be replaced. The elevator was inoperative from 0910 until 1100 hrs. This elevator is the secondary escape hoist.

The break coil for the 8 Haulage elevator shaft became overheated. This is a secondary escape way.

Employees were bolting according to our plan, when they heard the roof start to work. They went to ask there supervisor for guidance, and upon their return to the bolter, the roof had fallen onto the bolter. The Safety Manager was called at 0709 that morning (14 MAY)

The maintenance crew was installing a planetary on the #71 Continuous Miner and utilizing a Scoop on the section to push the planetary into place. The Scoop Operator announced he was going to pull the injector back and as he did so, the injured employee had his thumb between the Scoop's blade and the injector.

Employee was installing a rib bolt when the plate slid down the bolt and struck him in the left hand.

Employee was dismounting his tracked ride into the mine, when he stepped off the ride and tripped over a water line that was lying on the ground and felt a pain in his right ankle.

Employee was walking belt line when he stepped into a hole and twisted his right knee.

Cutting 1 1/4" black slick line, knife slipped cutting employee on left hand at top of little finger. No stitches, glued.

Employee was shoveling tailings into drag chain on the Mucker, when he lost his balance and his left foot went into the Mucker.

Employee had connected a quick coupling on the scoop when the scoop operator engaged the PTO, the recently coupled hose became loose and struck the injured employee in the chest.

Employee was taking cable doors off around #63 shield, when a piece of rock fell from top and striking employee on the right ring finger.

Employee was Fire Bossing when he stepped into a low spot and felt pain in his back. The employee did not report the injury to any management prior to his departure from the mines that day.

Employee was jacking on a Low Boy, that had become de-railed at #148 break, when the jack rolled out striking the employee, and injured the employee's right foot.

Employee was traveling in a mantrip and as he reached up to open the D-rail switch at #32, he injured his right arm.

The employee suffered and reported the injury on Saturday, 21 April, but was not scheduled to work until TH, 24 April. The employee was walking back to the section from unloading block, when the injured employee stepped on a wooden board that had been covered with rock dust and obscured his vision of the hazard. The employee felt pain in his right ankle.

EE was underground hanging pumpable bag. Timber creeled out & a large rock fell from top, pinned him to mine floor from knees to upper body.

EE was leaning on a wrench to break a bolt loose. The bolt broke loose suddenly, jarring his wrist.

A rock had fallen onto the continuous miner. The miner was backed out of the face to the intersection of the LOB where the rock was removed. When the ripper heads were engaged to break up the rock, they kicked out a piece of debris which struck the employee in the calf portion of the right leg.

While the roof bolter was sitting idle, ee attempted to retrieve materials from the bolter. During this process, the bolter operator began to move the bolter and ee was struck by the canopy. He saw a physician and was diagnosed with bruising.

EE was stacking 50 pound bags of rock dust when he felt a pain in his left arm.

Injured was getting ready to hang a piece of tubing when a stack of roof bolt plates measuring 16"x6"x3 1/2" fell from about 3 1/2 ft striking him on top of right foot. Estimated weight was around 25 pounds.

A rib roll struck employee on the top of his left foot, pushing the metatarsal guard down onto his foot. The rib was 5' long x 2.5' thick.

Fingers of left hand smashed on fuse machine while fusing pipe. Pipe caused injury.

Employee was walking and slipped in a depression filled with water and felt a pain in his lower back.

Employee was traveling when encountered approximately 4"- 5" of water at #38 break. There was material under the water that the employee did not see as he entered the water, as he tripped and fell.

Employee was lifting a duel head air pump, and as he tilted the pump to the right side, he got his finger in-between the pump and the belt structure. Employee was wearing gloves.

Employee was loading rock with Continuous Miner, when a rock was thrown from the CM and struck the operator in the face.

Employee was knocking out block around a Regulator, when he struck a glancing blow on the block and got his left middle finger caught between the hammer handle and the edge of the Regulator.

Employee was using a come-a-long to remove belt strips from rollers that had become entangled when the come-a-long slipped from the support structure and struck him.

The injured employee was holding a "punch" with a pair of channel locks, to knock out a pin on a take-up jack. Another employee with a hammer was striking the pin. The employee with the hammer missed the punch and struck the injured employee in the right thumb. Both employees were wearing approved eye and hand protection.

EE was retracking a motor with a lifting jack when he felt a tightness in his abdominal area. Later, he was turning a trolley pole when he felt a sharp pain in his lower abdominal area. This employee did not miss any work until 3/19/2012.

Employee was building a set of double doors, when his hand was caught between the lock ring and the top of the jack he was using to set the doors.

Employee removed his right hand metacarpal glove to tighten a restraining bolt on a cable. As he finished the job, a rock fell from the top and glanced off his hard had, striking him on the back of the right hand at the index finger knuckle. He was treated at Welch Emergency and diagnosed with a chipped bone.

Employee was using a chisel to change miner bits, when the chisel struck him in the left palm of the hand.

Employee was raising a bundle of 16 straps with the TRS, when his hand was caught in the chain that was used to secure the straps to the TRS. It was the tip of the finger and employee is back to work.

Employee was removing a sprocket from a speed reducer shaft, when a tooth of the sprocket splintered and embedded into his forearm.

The employee was bolting and a rock fell out of the top and struck him on the right forearm. The employee finished the shift, but did not report it to his supervisor. He clocked out upon completion of shift, and went to the doctor of his own accord.

Employee was cutting in belt channel, when carbon from miner bits broke loose and struck the employee in the forehead.

The injured employee was observing employees hook up come-a-longs over the drive, when pressure as added to the come-a-longs a rock fell from the top, striking the employee on the left hand.

Employee was leaving work area and traveling in a Mantrip towards the bottom, when a rock from the top, fell and struck injured employee in the right cheek.

Working underground hanging bags & cleaning up. Timber creeled & rock fell from top, struck him on arm.

Employee was handling belt while performing maintenance on a speed reducer. He felt pain in his abdomen and was treated at Princeton Community Hospital for abdominal strain.

Miner was diagnosed with evidence of pneumoconiosis and was placed in a Part 90 Miner status in accordance with 30 CFR 50.20-6(b)(7).