Westmoreland San Juan Mining LLCMining Incidents in 2004

A small fire occured at the Pinon pit on a dragline. This eqmnt was idled approx. 1 yr ago, we had welders cutting the top off so that we could fill the house with ash, sparks ignited a sm grease pan under the gear case. Fire was extinguish in 1 hr 50 min. Small fire utilized fire extinguisher but re-ignited & called for water truck to fully extinguish.

Discovered that a roof fall had blocked travel off the face into the tailgate entry. The fall measured approximately 19' wide, 15' long and 10' high. The air velocities on the face remained above plan minimums. Following implementation of the blockage plan, 3 passes were made and a travelway was reestablished.

Security patrol noticed smoke coming from a water pumping station. Found a fire water pump engine had small fire atop engine. Extinguished fire withing 28 minutes of noticing smoke. Fire may have started with a fuel leak.

2 TIRES THAT HAD BEEN DISPOSED OF 100 FT DOWN THE SPOIL SLOPE OF PINON PIT CAUGHT FIRE. NO ONE WAS WORKING IN PIT AT THE TIME. WATER TRUCK EXTINGUISHED TIRES WITHIN 35 MINS. MSHA NOTIFIED. PINON RAMP 3 IS A NORMAL TIRE DISPOSAL AREA (MOST TIRES AT BOTTOM OF PIT) AND AN ACTIVE ASH DISPOSAL PIT. DUMP ELEVATION TO BE COMPLETED BY END OF AUGUST, 2004.

A tailgate blockage occurred when the roof fell near XC-8 in the LW tailgate. The fall blocked travel off the face into the TG. The fall was approx. 23 ft long and was up to approx. 14 feet high. It extended rib to rib and went outby the corner of the coal block approximately 3 feet. Two passes provided a passageway in to the TG. Contacted MSHA by phone.

A rooffall occurred at XC-9 in the LW-101 tailgate. The fall blocked travel off of the LW face. The fall was rib to rib and approximately 7 feet high. It extended from the shield tips outby approximately 15 feet.

The mine experienced higher than normal methane levels in the No. 3 Entry of HG-204. Gas was controlled with conventional ventilaiton measures. Further investigation revealed that the mine had inadvertently mined into a horizontal degas borehole.

DURING INSTALLATION OF A TORQUE TENSION ROOF BOLT, THE OPERATOR OBSERVED AN ORANGE GLOW AROUND THE BOLT HOLE. ROCKDUST WAS THROWN ON THE AREA. GAS TESTS FOLLOWING THE EVENT INDICATED A METHANE CONTENT OF .2%. THE ROOF WAS UNEVEN IN THIS LOCATION CAUSING EXTRA FRICTION BETWEEN THE BOLT AND THE STRAP.

Employee claims that while operating a coal hauler she hit a hole in the ramp which caused her to bounce in the seat. Employee sought medical treatment on 12/23/04.

EE STATED THAT HIS BACK STARTED HURTING & INCREASING WHEN HE WAS LIFTING & WALKING WITH BELT STRUCTURE.

Installing steel sets, the first steel set was stood, and the second set was being installed when both sets topled. The injured ee was standing behind the steel sets when they fell, pinching his foot between the steel set post and the rib.

2/8/04 EE REPORTED HIS INJURY. WAS USING A RATCHET WRENCH & EXPERIENCE A POPPING SENSATION IN HIS SHOULDER. PAIN PERSISTED & SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION & A STRAINED TYPE INJURY WAS DIAGNOSED & RELEASED FULL DUTY. WITH THE LONG TERM CONDITION BECAME REPORTABLE WHEN SURGERY WAS PROGRESS ON 3/16/05

EE HAD FALLEN BACKWARD LANDING FLAT ON EE SELF-RESCUE UNIT, CAUSING SEVERE PAIN TO LOWER BACK. EE WAS TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL AND RELEASED FULL DUTY. ON 12/03/04, EE EXPERIENCED SHORTNESS OF BREATH AFTER FIXING ROLLER. WAS SENT TO HOSPITAL TO REMOVE FLUID FROM RIGHT LUNG, SPENT 3 NIGHTS AT THE HOSPITAL AND RELEASED 12/06/04

Employee claims that he was installing transmission into frame (Kress truck) using the overhead crane. Crane hit stop before transmission was lined up so employee pushed w/his left hand to guide it into place and caused him to pinch his left pinkie finger between the transmission & frame. Employee was wearing leather gloves at time of injury.

Ee states that while installing hanger chains, he slipped and felt something 'pop' in his knee. He did not report this to his supervisor. he came back to work from days off and having already seen the physician and reported a knee injury.

EE LIFTED A 75# ACETYLENE BOTTLE OVER HIS SHOULDER AND FELT A SHARP PAIN IN HIS RIGHT THIGH TO MID SHIN, HE CONTINUED TO CARRY THE BOTTLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 100 FT AND THE PAIN INCREASED.

EE PULLED THE SLIDER THROUGH THE D-RING THAT THE ROPE WAS HOOKED TO, THE ROPE BROKE LOOSE FROM THE SLIDER CAUSING EE TO FALL BACKWARD TWISTING HIS ANKLE. EE FRACTURED HIS ANKLE.

Employee strained his lower back while holding the load in his arm and twisting to unload the materials onto the bolters. The pain radiated to his leg.

Employee slipped off the fuel trailer landing on his light battery; the battery pushed extensively into his back, causing loss of breath for a few seconds. He reported his injury to his supervisor but refused to seek medical attention until 9-29-04. The doctor at the clinic diagnosed a possible fractured rib that an x-ray did not reveal due to muscle spasm.

Employee was operating low track in HG and longwall, started feeling dizzy. She was transported to San Juan regional for CO exposure.

EMPLOYEE STRAINED HIS BACK, WHEN HE CRAWLED UNDER THE HOSE/CABLES TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE WATER THAT WAS BEING SPRAYED FROM A FITTING THAT WAS LEFT OPEN ON A PRESSURIZED WATER HOSE.

EMPLOYEE FELT A SHARP PAIN IN HIS LOWER LEG WHEN HE STOOD UP ON TIPTOE TO INSERT A RESIN CARTRIDGE IN A DRILL HOLE.

WHILE EE WAS GETTING OUT FROM THE BED OF THE TRUCK HE STEPPED ON A ROCK CAUSING HIM TO TWIST HIS ANKLE.

EE WAS STRUCK BY A TRIANGULAR PIECE OF COAL THAT FELL FROM THE CORNER OF THE ROOF WHILE HE WAS HANGING BRATTICE. THE COAL MEASURED 2' LONG BY 12"" BY 3"", RESULTING IN A CONCUSSION, NECK STRAIN AND CONTUSION BEHIND HIS RIGHT EAR.

EMPLOYEE WAS SUCKED IN BY THE VACUUM WHILE HANGING THE VENT TUBE CAUSING HIM TO HIT HIS CHEST AND CHIN AGAINST THE TUBE. RESULTED IN LACERATION INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF HIS MOUTH.

Emp claims he was testing the elvator door at the Coal plant. Then he inserted a tool to clean the elev door stop his right middle finger was pinched between the elev door & the tool resulting in a laceration requiring stitches and a finger tip fracture

Employee cliams he was exiting the service truck (Ford F-450) and when he stepped out on his right foot his ankle rolled over & caused him to fall. A minor sprain was detected by the doctor & employee was given a splint & released to full duty

EE WAS LOADING KENNEDY PANELS FROM A STACK APPROX. 6.5' IN HEIGHT ONTO THE BACK OF A PICKUP TRUCK, WITH HELP OF A COWORKER. THE KENNEDY PANELS THAT THEY WERE MOVING TO THE FRONT OF THE STACK ROLLED OVER AND STRUCK THE EE ON THE RIGHT WRIST, CAUSING A LACERATION. THE EE WAS WEARING LEATHER GLOVES AT THE TIME.

EMPLOYEE FELT A SUDDEN PAIN IN HIS UPPER BACK NEAR THE RIGHT SHOULDER WHILE PULLING ON FACE CONVEYOR SLACK TO GIVE ENOUGH ROOM TO CHANGE OUT MASTER LINK.

EMPLOYEE WAS REFUELING LOADER WHEN DIESEL FUEL SPLASHED IN HIS FACE AND CHEST AREA CAUSING MINOR BURN TO HIS LEFT EYE.

EE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REMOVING A CABLE TROLLEY WHEN IT FELL OFF THE TRACK AND HIT HIM IN MOUTH. DR ADVISED HE HAD A PARTIAL AVULSION. ONE OF HIS TEETH HAD BEEN KNOCKED IN.

EMPLOYEE REPORTED TO HIS SUPERVISOR THAT HIS KNEE WAS SWELLING UP. THE DOCTOR AT MESA OCCUPATIONAL DIAGNOSIS HIM WITH BURSITIS INFECTION. CAUSE OF INFECTION UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

Started experiencing mild pain in wrist and right forearm. Pain is more persistent when typing or writing. Doctors determined repetitive typing as root cause. The pain was caught early on where physical therapy will greatly help.

EE WAS DUSTING THE BELTLINE & FOUND THE DUST LINE TO BE PLUGGED. EE RELEASED A BOLT CLAMP TO RELIEVE PRESSURE, THE CLAMP SPRUNG OPEN & CUT THROUGH TWO LAYERS OF GLOVES. EE SUSTAINED A LACERATI ON TO HIS RIGHT PALM.