Sapphire Coal CompanyMining Incidents in 2010

A ROCK FALL WAS FOUND IN THE #3 ENTRY OF SMOOT CRK. MAINS ONE OF THE RETURN ENTRIES. THE FALL WAS APPROXIMATELY 18 FEET WIDE 40 FEET LONG AND 10 FEET HIGH. THERE ARE 2 ADDITIONAL RETURN ENTRIES IN THIS AREA.

A ROOF FALL WAS FOUND IN THE BLEEDERS OFF SMOOT CREEK SUBMAINS THAT MEASURED APPROXIMATELY 55' LONG, 20' WIDE AND 6' TO 8' THICK.

A ROCK FALL OCCURED ON THE #10 BELT APPROXIMATELY 18' WIDE 65' FEET LONG AND 6' HIGH. THIS FALL WILL BE CLEANED UP AND SUPPORTED.

A ROOF FALL WAS FOUND IN THE SMOOT CREEK BLEEDER IN THE NUMBER THREE (3) ENTRY. THE FALL WAS THREE (3) BREAKS LONG EIGHTEEN (18) FEET WIDE AND APPROXIMATELY SIX (6) FEET THICK. THE VENTILATION AND TRAVEL WAS NOT AFFECTED. THE AREA WAS DANDERED OFF AND PROPS WERE SET AROUND THE FALL AREA.

A ROOF FALL OCCURRED 4 BREAKS ABOVE THE NUMBER 10 HEAD DRIVE IN THE ENTRY ADJACENT TO THE #10 BELT. THE FALL WAS APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET LONG, 7 FEET HIGH, AND 18 FEET WIDE.

A ROCK FALL WAS FOUND IN THE NUMBER FOUR (4) ENTRY OF THE 3-WEST SUB-MAINS ON 8-9-2010, THE APPROXIMATE SIZE OF THE FALL WAS 20' WIDE, 20' LONG AND 10' HIGH. THE ROOF WAS A LAMINATED STACK ROCK, AND HAD BEEN SUPPORTED WITH 6' TORQUE TENSION AND 10' ROPE BOLTS.

Rock fall #3 entry parallel to 21 belt. Rock fall measured 20' x 20' x 6' to 8' thick.

THE EMPLOYEE WAS PULLING A CHAIN ON AN AIRLOCK DOOR WHEN HIS HAND SLIPPED AND HE HIT HIMSELF IN THE STOMACH. THIS EMPLOYEE DID NOT START MISSING WORK UNTIL 08/24/2010.

EMPLOYEE BENT OVER TO PICK UP THE MINER CABLE WHEN HE FELT PAIN IN HIS GROIN. EMPLOYEE DID NOT START MISSING WORK UNTIL 12/20/2010.

EMPLOYEE WAS ENTERING THE MINE ON A MAN TRIP WHEN HE SLIPPED AND FELL OFF OF THE SEAT HURTING HIS RIGHT ARM AND SHOULDER. EMPLOYEE STARTED MISSING WORK ON 10-11-2010.

EMPLOYEE STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS ON THE MAN TRIP, COMING TO THE SURFACE, IT BOUNCED HIM AND HURT HIS BACK.

SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR STATED HE RAN OVER A CRIB BLOCK AND HIT HIS HEAD ON THE CAR CANNOPY.

Injured was moving a continuous miner cable when he felt pain in his lower back.

EE was pulling a piece of conveyor belt when he felt pain in his lower back.

EMPLOYEE WAS HOOKING UP SCOOP BATTERIES WHEN HE SLIPPED AND FELL ON A METAL HOOK CAUSING AN INJURY TO HIS GROIN AREA.

EMPLOYEE WAS REACHING FOR A ROOF BOLT LAYING ON THE MINE FLOOR WHEN A PIECE OF DRAW ROCK FELL STRIKING HIS INDEX FINGER ON HIS RIGHT HAND.

CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR WAS PULLING A PIECE OF DRAW ROCK OFF THE TOP OF THE MINER AND IT HIT HIM ON THE LEG.

TWO MEN WERE RIDING A GOLF CART TOWARD THE MINE PORTAL DOWN GRADE WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED AND THEY RAN THE GOLF CART INTO A GRAVEL PILE.

TWO MEN WERE RIDING IN A GOLF CART TOWARD THE MINE PORTAL DOWN GRADE WHEN THEIR BRAKES FAILED AND THEY RAN THE GOLF CART INTO A GRAVEL PILE.

THE EMPLOYEE WAS HOOKING A ROPE ON THE BELT DOLLY, AND HE PULLED ON THE ROPE TIED TO THE CABLE AND FELT PAIN IN HIS LOWER BACK.

A piece of draw rock fell from the roof striking the operator on the left shoulder.

EE WAS SHOVELING A BELT IN MUDDY AND WET CONDITIONS WHEN HE FELT PAIN AND POPPING IN HIS KNEE.

EE WAS CHECKING VOLTAGE AT THE CONTINUOUS MINER CAT HEAD AT THE POWER CENTER WITH A SMALL VOLT METER AND IT BLEW UP IN HIS HANDS.

EE caught right foot between the mantrip and the coal rib. Medical treatment was provided which required stitches and no splitting of fractures.

EMPLOYEE (ROOF BOLTER OPR.) LOWERED THE ROOF BOLTER POT AND IT STRUCK A PIECE OF DRILL STEEL CAUSING IT TO BE PUSHED INTO THE LEG OF EMPLOYEE.

EMPLOYEE WAS USING A UTILITY KNIFE TO CUT A CABLE WHEN HIS HAND SLIPPED CUTTING HIS LEFT HAND.

EMPLOYEE STATED THAT HE WAS PUTTING OIL IN THE SCOOP AND WAS GOING TO KNOCK A HOLE IN THE TOP OF A FIVE (5) GALLON CAN WITH A PICK HAMMER AND STRUCK HIS LEFT HAND WITH THE HAMMER.

The Injured was removing a guard off of a Head Drive, when the pick hammer he was using, slipped and hit him in the face.

EE was riding on the mantrip (Johnson Industries) when he struck his head on a roof bolt plate that was hanging from the roof.

EE was loading oxygen tanks at the #4 battery station when he caught his little finger on his left hand between two (2) tanks. we discovered about three (3) days after the accident that it was fractured.

EE was operating a battery scoop when a nylon rope hanger which was hanging from a roof bolt plate lacerated the EE's nose requiring sutures.