Pocahontas Coal Company, LLCMining Incidents in 2018

On 11-2-18, at approximately 5:20 p.m. a roof fall occurred on the new 3 section set-up in the intersection of the #6 entry. Area was dangered off and both agencies were notified. No individuals were injured.

At approximately 5:55 p.m. it was called out that there was high methane readings in the old Dog Leg 2 panel. All power was de-energized, employees were evacuated, and both agencies were notified. No one was injured.

A roof fall was found in the #7 entry outby 2 section near spad 11289. The fall was called in to both state and federal agencies. No one was injured.

A roof fall was found in the #6 entry outby 2 section near spad #11307. The fall was called in to both state and federal agencies. No one was injured.

Both of the hoists were down for power loss due to a storm. Both agencies were notified. All employees were evacuated. No person or persons were injured or trapped.

While operating the service hoist the hoist operator noticed a noise and after further investigation it was determined that one of the beams for the drum braking system had came loose from the concrete pier. All persons were evacuated and no one was injured. Both agencies were notified and the hoist was repaired on 5-30-18 and placed back in service.

At approximately 4:00 a.m. while hoisting a track motor onto the service hoist the crane went down due to mechanical issues. No person or persons were trapped or injured. Both agencies were notified. All underground employee's were evacuated via the slope. Track motor was removed and the service hoist was placed back in service.

At approximately 11:10 p.m. an outby examiner found a roof fall in the intersection of the old scoop roadway at 23 break on 3C belt. No one was injured or trapped. Both agencies were notified and all approaches were cribbed and dangered off.

At approximately 3:10 p.m. the service hoist went down while performing the daily checks. It was determined that an e-stop switch on the bottom of the shaft had went bad. The e-stop was replaced, retested and the hoist was put back in service. No one was injured or trapped. Both agencies were notified.

Employee was traveling off of the section when ee noticed a roof fall in the #3 entry (neutral) in the intersection at 18 break along 3C Belts. This area is not considered an escapeway and is no longer classified as a scoop roadway. No one was injured or trapped.

As the foreman on #3 section was making faces, EE encountered that the top had fallen in a down cut in the #1 entry pulling bolts in the supported part of the mine roof. Both agencies were notified. No one was injured or trapped.

Due to a power glitch two fuses were blew causing loss of power to the service hoist. No one was injured or trapped. All persons were evacuated and both agencies were notified.

Employee had just started a cut in the #5 entry on the #2 section with the continuous miner and as they raised the cutter heads close to the mine roof they saw a orange flame. No one was injured, power was de-energized, both agencies were notified.

Employee was dragging line curtain in the #7 entry when they tripped on a rock landing on their right shoulder. Employee was seen by a specialist where it was determined that they had a fractured scapula. Employee is currently off of work.

Employee had just finished loading a shuttle car and as the shuttle car was leaving the miner it hooked the waterline at exactly the same time as the employee was stepping in the miner cable slack. The slack hooked around a leg pulling them to the ground. The employee was seen by ARH and then by a specialist where it was determined that they had a sprained knee.

Employee was unplugging a set of scoop batteries when employee lost balance and hit lower back on the corner of another set of batteries resulting in employee breaking transverse process. The employee is currently off work and actual return date is unknown at this time.

Employee was roof bolting in the #4 face when a piece of rock fell from the mine roof knocking off hard hat. As the employee turned to get hat a second piece fell from the mine roof striking the employee in the top of the head causing a laceration. The employee went to Raleigh General Hospital and received 3 staples. Employee was off work for 1 day.

Employee was roof bolting when a piece of rock fell from the mine roof striking the employee in the left foot ankle bone area. The employee was taken to hospital where ee received seven sutures.

Employee was building a stopping when a piece of draw rock fell from the mine roof and struck the employee in the nose causing a laceration. Employee received 3 sutures.

Employee was removing the rub rail on the miner with a slate bar when the slate bar slipped smashing the employee's right pointer finger between the slate bar and the frame of the miner. Employee was taken to the hospital where they received stitches in the finger.

Employee was using a grinder on a piece of metal that was attached to a starter box when a piece of metal or some type of material came around the employee's safety glasses and went into left eye. The employee finished shift and returned the next day and then decided to go get it looked at where they removed two pieces of foreign material.

Employee was setting up the power on the high voltage splitter box at the 1-2 split when the employee saw an arc and felt that employee had been shocked through the right hand. Both agencies were notified and an investigation was conducted. The employee was seen by an ambulance and was cleared as being ok.

Employee was bolting in the #9 entry with EE's hands on the roof bolter reaching for a piece of drill steel when EE felt that EE had been shocked. This occurred around the same time that the electricians were troubleshooting the miner cable with the fault wizard. EE was seen by an ambulance service and both agencies were notified.

Employee was drilling a hole in the mine roof for a cable bolt and as the employee dropped the boom to add another piece of drill steel the piece that was still in the hole fell out striking the boom bouncing off and hitting the employee on the right side of EE's face. The employee was seen by a specialist where it was determined that EE had a hairline fracture.

Employee was bent over walking through the crosscut between #3 and #4 entries in the feeder line on 3 section when EE caught a damaged roof mat which caused a laceration on the left side of EE's neck above shoulder. EE went to Raleigh General Hospital where EE received seven sutures.

Employee was loading roof bolts on the roof bolting machine and as employee turned left handed employee's left forearm struck a roof bolt plate causing a laceration. Employee went to Raleigh General where employee received 9 sutures.

On 7-30-18 employee received 10% PPD awarded for occupational pneumoconiosis. Employee was laid off on 10/14/2014.

On 6/26/2018 employee received 10% PPD for occupational pneumoconiosis. Employee retired on 12/19/2014.