All MSHA-reportable accidents at Thunder Basin Coal Company LLC operations in 2003. Fatalities appear first.
AFTER OVERSEEING THE ACTIVITIES OF CONTRACTORS WORKING ON THE BELT 614 LEVEL, EMPLOYEE LEFT AND WENT UP THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS TO THE 612 BELT LEVEL WHERE THE ELEVATOR TO THE SURFACE WAS LOCA TED. WITHIN A MINUTE OR TWO OF LEAVING, HE FELL THROUGH A 4X4 OPENING THAT HAD BEEN USED TO LOWER PARTS. THE HOLE HAD FLAGGING AT ALL ENTRIES AT LEAST 4' FROM THE EDGE. HE FELL 19' TO THE BEL
EE WAS FINISHING REPAIR ON A SKID LOADER'S RADIATOR, FAN & WATER PUMP. HE & ANOTHER MECHANIC WERE TESTING FOR LEAKS. EE NOTICED THAT A BOLT WAS MISSING IN THE TOP BRACE OF THE RADIATOR SHROUD & HE REACHED AROUND THE SHROUD TO SEE IF A NUT WAS IN PLACE FOR THE BOLT. HIS MIDDLE FINGER CONTACTED THE ROTATING FAN BLADE. HE LACERATED THE TIP. TIP WAS SURGICALLY REMOVED TO SPEED HEALING
EE GOT OFF A GRADER AND WAS WALKING INTO THE FUEL STATION WHEN SHE SLIPPED ON AN OILY AREA. SHE CAUGHT HERSELF AND FELT A SHARP PAIN IN HER LOWER BACK. SHE WAS SEEN BY A DOCTOR ON OCT 10TH, WH O DIAGNOSED HER WITH A SPRAINED BACK. SHE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PAIN & WAS SEEN BY AN ORTHOPEDIST WHO ORDERED AN MRI WHICH REVEALED SHE HAS DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE AGGRAVATED BY HER SLIP
AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, EE WAS INSPECTING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF A SKID STEER FOR COOLANT LEAKS. TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE ENGINE, EE RAISED THE RADIATOR/OIL COOLER ASSEMBLY & LOCKED IT IN AN OPEN POSITION. AFTER FIXING THE LEAK, THE SUPPORT CAME LOOSE FROM ITS MOUNTING, ALLOWING THE RADIATOR ASSEMBLY TO FALL, PINCHING EE'S LT.FOREARM BETWEEN THE ASSEMBLY & THE SKID FRAME.
EE WAS USING A PORTA POWER TO REMOVE BOLTS ON A SHOVEL HOIST DRUM. THE ALL-THREAD BROKE AND THE RAM STRUCK HIM ON THE HARDHAT. HE WAS CHECKED BY MINE RESCUE PERSONNEL AND RETURNED TO WORK. ON SEP 4 A PHYSICIAN EXAMINED HIM AND ALLOWED HIM TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITHOUT RESTRICTION. OVER TIME PAIN IN THE NECK AND ARMS INCREASED.
EE HAD COMPLETED INSTALLING AN ALTERNATOR BELT ON A CAT 24H MOTOR GRADER AND WAS MAKING FINAL CHECKS WHEN A ROCK ROLLED OFF A NEARBY SPOILS PILE AND STRUCK HIM INT HE LEGS. HIS LEFT LEG WAS FR ACTURED AND HIS RIGHT LEG SUSTAINED A 3 INCH LACERATION.
EE WAS PUMPING ""CONSUME"" FROM A DRUM TO A CONTAINER AND THE ""CONSUME"" GOT INTO HER EYE.
STEPPED OFF LOWBOY, WHILE WALKING BACKWARD AWAY FROM EQUIPMENT AND STEPPED ON ROCK, TWISTED HIS ANKLE & FELL TO GROUND. BROKE LEFT LEG AND DISLOCATED ANKLE.
EE EXPERIENCED A REOCCURRENCE OF BACK PAIN AFTER CHANGING CUTTING EDGES ON A GRADER. INITIALLY HE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WOULD RESOLVE SINCE HE'D HAD THE SAME PROBLEM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. HIS C ONDITION DID IMPROVE AND HE CONTINURED TO WORK SCHEDULED SHIFTS. DURING HIS NORMAL 7 DAY OFF PERIOD HIS PROBLME REOCCURRED AND HE SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION ON OCTOBER 17, 2003. AFTER BEING EXA
EE WAS OPERATING A HAULAGE TRUCK & HE STARTED EXPERIENCING BACK PAIN. MRI HAS REVEALED 3 BULGING DISCS & THE DR HAS STATED THAT THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE. THIS INCIDENT IS BEING CLASSIFIED AS OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS
A WELDER WAS WELDING IN THE HOUSE OF THE SHOVEL. PROTECTIVE FIRE BLANKETS HAD BEEN PLACED BUT A SPARK FELL THROUGH A SMALL HOLE AND STARTED A FIRE IN THE HIGH VOLTAGE RING SECTION BELOW THE DE CK. IT IS A DIFFICULT LOCATION TO FIGHT FIRE AND IT TOOK ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS TO COMPLETELY EXTINGUISH. FIRE DAMAGE WAS LIMITED ELECTRICAL WIRING.
EE WAS EXITING A BULK TRUCK WHEN HIS RIGHT ANKLE TWISTED AS HE CONTACTED A STEP ON THE VEHICLE CAUSING AN ANKLE SPRAIN. THE EE WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH MINE RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE ACCIDENT DID NOT INVOLVE THE MINING SYSTEM. THE ACCIDENT DID NOT INVOLVE JOB SKILLS OR PROTECTIVE ITEMS.
EMPLOYEE WAS STEPPING OFF THE STAIR LANDING OF DRAGLINE 14 TO THE SHOE. HE TWISTED HIS ANKLE.
EE WAS PREPARING TO REMOVE THE FRONT TIRES FROM UNIT 211. WHILE MOVING THE JACK INTO POSITION HE GOT HIS HAND CAUGHT BETWEEN THE JACK HANDLE AND TRUCK FRAME FRACTURING THE 3RD DIGIT OF THE RIG HT HAND.
EE WAS WALKING ON THE WALKWAY BETWEEN THE CHANGE HOUSE AND THE TRUCK SHOP PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SHIFT. THE WALKWAY WAS SLICK. HE SLIPPED AND FELL INJURING HIS LEFT KNEE. HE WAS DIAGNOSED W ITH A POSSIBLE TORN QUADRICEPS MUSCLE IN THE LEFT KNEE. HE WAS PLACED IN A LEG BRACE, LIMITING THE RANGE OF MOTION AND RETURNED TO HIS NORMAL DUTIES THE SAME DAY.
EE WAS HOOKING UP AN AIR COMPRESSOR TO THE PINTLE HOOK ON THE BACK OF A SERVICE TRUCK WHILE THE TRUCK WAS BACKING UP TO THE COMPRESSOR. EE RIGHGINDEX FINGER WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN A SHACKLE ON THE HITCH OF THE AIR COMPRESSOR AND THE PINTLE HOOK.CAUSING LACERATIONS AND A FRACTURE TO THE FINGER
HOLDING ON TO JACK HOSE-JACK KICKED OUT AND THE HOSE PULLED HIS HAND AGAINST A PIECE OF METAL.
EE WAS DISMOUNTING HAUL TRUCK AND CAUGHT ARM ON A PIECE OF HAND RAIL PIPE THAT WAS STICKING OUT NEXT TO THE HANDRAIL. EE SUFFERED A LACERATION TO HIS LEFT FOREARM REQUIRING SUTURES TO CLOSE THE WOUND.
EMPLOYEE WAS USING A POCKET KNIFE TO ADD A HOLE IN HIS BELT. WHILE ADDING THE HOLE THE KNIFE CLOSED AND CUT THE RIGHT INDEX FINGER. THE LACERATION REQUIRED SUTURES TO CLOSE THE WOUND.
OPERATOR WAS TRANSPORTING A CATERPILLAR D-11 DOZER WITH TRACTOR AND LOWBOY TRAILER. AS THE OPERATOR STARTED UP A RAMP HE DOWNSHIFTED THE TRACTOR TO 1ST GEAR. THE FRONT TIRES OF THE TRACTOR CAM E OFF THE GROUND AND THE TRACTOR FLIPPED OVER BACKWARD. THE OPERATOR SUSTAINED A BUMP TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS HEAD AND A LACERATION TO HIS RIGHT SHOULDER REQUIRING SUTURES.
EMPLOYEE WAS REMOVING THE RADIATOR CAP ON DRILL 024. THE CAP POPPED OFF AND HOT COOLANT SPRAYED ONTO RIGHT THUMB CAUSING A SECOND DEGREE BURN. THE BURN REQUIRED DEBRIDEMENT.
WHILE INSTALLING CUTTING EDGES ON GRADER, EDGE SLIPPED & SLID DOWN GUIDE BAR PINCHING SKIN BETWEEN THUMB & INDEX FINGER. 2 SUTURES TO CLOSE WOUND.
EE WAS TIGHTENING A HYDRAULIC FITTING WITH AN 18"" ADJUSTABLE WRENCH, WHEN WRENCH SLIPPED OFF AND STRUCK EE IN THE MOUTH, BRUISING LIP AND BREAKING OFF A PIECE OF A FRONT TOOTH.
EMPLOYEE WAS STANDING BY TOE OF HIGHWALL WHEN LOOSE MATERIAL SHIFTED. HE RAN ACROSS UNEVEN GROUND AND INJURED HIS BACK.