Sapphire Coal CompanyMining Incidents in 2008

An unmapped mine was cut into while mining was being performed on the 001-0 MMU. A small amount of water was released into the active section. No Methane or low Oxygen was released from the old works and no hazards were noted. All Persons were withdrawn and production was immediately stopped.

An unintentional roof fall occurred in our bleeder system for our MMU 003 section. The area didn't affect the bleeder ventilation quanities, but travel will have to be rerouted. Fall occurred in x-cut inby spad 3546, starting in the # 5 entry and extending to the # 7 entry. This fall was found during the weekly examination.

An unintentional roof fall occurred in the # 4 Rt crosscut and extended into # 5 heading on the 001 unit.

An unintentional roof fall was found by the weekly examiner in the # 8 entry @ x-cut 69.

Unintentional roof fall was found by pre-shift examiner in #6 hdg at #53 x-cut (At spad #3178). Fall was 20' Wide X 20' Long and 12' high.

Unintentional roof fall found inspad 2626 by Mine examiner when making the area.

An unintentional roof fall was found during the weekly examination of 002 Bleeder panel. The area has been cribbed off to prevent access to the area.

An unintentional roof fall has occurred in the #2 entry at #110 crosscut.

At around 8:00 AM an unintentional roof fall was found in the intake airway by the No.3 beltline.

The continuous miner was stuck and drawrock fell on the miner before it could be removed from the pillar cut.

Employee was struck by ram car and suffered a laceration that required stitches.

Employee began missing work from an injury that occurred on 4/3/2008. Employee was struck by draw rock that fell from a rib.

Employee was getting off mantrip and stepped off on a rock & twisted his right knee.

Employee alledges he was hurt on 7/24/2008 when he jumped off a mantrip. He began missing work on 8/5-2008.

While using his feet to push a tire, EE hurt his lower back. He began missing work 10/2/08 from an injury that occurred on 6/25/08 that was diagnosed as degenerative disc disease.

Ee was assisting in removal of forks on a miner when he lost his grip and dooring his attempt to recover his hold a lock pin punctured his right palm. The wound was treated at the local emertency room and required stitches to close.

Employee strained himself on 4/14/2008 while working on a mini-trac. He was using a bar and when it slipped, he felt pain. He later went to a doctor and was diagnosed with a hernia and had surgery to repair on 4/23/2008.

Employee began missing work from an injury that occurred on 1/24/2008. He was rockdust and felt pain in lower back.

When preparing to enter the mine, the excellerator stuck on the buggy while in reverse. The 3 men on board had to evacuate the buggy as it was going to hit a concrete structure and possibly cause a serious or fatal injury.

Employee was walking and slipped and twisted her right ankle. The ankle x-ray showed a fracture.

The employee was trying to unstop a blockage in the tertiary cutter box and the bar being used slid into the box as the coal gave way. this pulled the employees hand toward the cutter. Employees hand caught the top roller of the teritary cutting the tip of the fifth digit on the left hand. The cutter was in operation at the time of the incident.

Employee was operating a mantrip and steering wheel caugh and spun around catching his right hand. He suffered a fractured bone to his hand.

Employee was diagnoised with moderate disc hernation from an injury that occurred 1/23/2008.

Employee was cleaning scrubber on miner when he received a laceration on his head that required stitches.

Employee was using a pry bar and mashed the right middle finger. The wound required stitches.

Using a utility knife and while trimming a piece of belt, he cut his left forearm. Treatment required stitches.

Employee was pulling a jumper cable and injured his shoulder. It was dislocated and out of place. Dr repaired and he returned to work.

Victim was cutting plastic band on bucket of plaster when utility knife slipped and cut right leg requiring staples to close the wound.

Employee was lifting motor off base plate, when motor slipped and caught EE's finger. Required stiches to close wound.

While removing lid employee caught fingers underneath lid and had minor surgery of finger that required stitches.

While removing lid from miner, lid slipped and caught fingers, breaking ring finger and cutting little finger.

An employee tossed a closed knife to the injured employee and the knife bounced off the locker and came open and struck employee in the hand causing a laceration that required stitches.

Hand slipped on ratchet cutting left forearm, requiring 6 stitches.

Employee slipped and fell in muddy conditions resulting in a fracture to a bone in his right hand.

Employee was energizing a breaker when the plug flashed up and his eyes were exposed to the flash. He was later prescribed drops to put in his eyes.

Employee was struck by a chain in the back of the head that required stitches.

Employee hit a roofbolt with his right elbow and had to have stitches to close the cut.

Employee was throwing broken glass globe into a dumpster when a sliver of glass cut his right middle finger. Cut required stitched to repair.

Chain slipped on batteries and cut left index finger, requiring stitches.

Employee began missing work due to a lower back pain and he was diagnosed with Degenerative annular disc bulges.

Employee began missing work because of a degenerative condition to his knee.