All MSHA-reportable accidents at Thunder Basin Coal Company LLC operations in 2023. Fatalities appear first.
An area was seen smoldering at the top of an 85-foot coal wall. Dozers were used to push an access ramp in, so a water truck with surfactant could be applied to the area and extinguish it. The area burned for over 30 minutes.
Smoldering coal was found in five different areas of the coal mine. The apparent cause was spontaneous combustion from the recent rain, followed by hot dry weather. The areas were difficult to access, so they burned for over 30 minutes.
An area was seen smoldering at the top of an 85-foot coal wall. An elevated dirt ramp had to be constructed to get a water truck high enough to extinguish and seal the area, so it burned for over 30 minutes.
An electrical fault on a mining shovel, initiated a coal dust ignition that caused some material to catch fire on top of the shovel house.
A series of three grass fires started along the railroad tracks west of the mine property and burned onto the mine. It took firefighting personnel over 30 minutes to extinguish the flames.
Smoldering coal was found in an area of the pit that was difficult to access. It was over 30 minutes before a loader could reach the area and dig it out.
A grass fire started along the railroad tracks, west of the mine pit. Firefighting personnel contained the fire within the 30-minute time frame, but total extinguishment took over 30 minutes.
A mechanic smashed their little finger between a track dozer and a jack handle.
A haul truck operator drove into the back of a haul truck that had stopped, crushing the cab and pinning EE under the steering column for about 1 hour. EE had nerve damage to EE's legs.
A wash bay technician was on a portable stairway, trying to remove a mud clod from the ripper frame of a track dozer. EE's hands slipped off and EE fell back on the concrete floor, fracturing two ribs.
A maintenance employee stepped from an IT loader to the third step of a 6' step ladder and fell to the concrete floor, bruising their hip. Employee was released by the doctor but did not report to work on 10/23/2023.
The front suspension bolts sheared off and caused the front of a haul truck to hit the ground. The operator was bruised by the seatbelt.
An employee slipped from the deck of a track dozer and fell between the track and the push-arm, sustaining fractures to their ribs.
Employee lifted a riffle drawer with coal and pulled something in their lower back.
An employee was using a shovel to clean mud from the tracks of a dozer, when the shovel broke and the employee fell into the blade, cutting employee's ear.
An employee's hand slipped off a haul truck shifting handle and EE struck the trailer brake module, causing a fracture to EE's hand.
The technician was working outside when dust/dirt blew into their left eye. After removing the dirt particle, the Doctor prescribed an antibiotic for the tech's eye.
A dragline operator elected to go get carpal tunnel surgery on this date for an illness that has occurred over many years.
A haul truck was driving erratically up a ramp. It stopped near the top, rolled back down into the left repose and tipped onto its side. The operator was found unresponsive, removed from the truck, and airlifted to a Medical Center. Driver died the following day from an apparent medical condition, as no injuries were found.