Every injury and fatality MSHA has on file. Filter by state, year, sector, classification, experience, or any keyword from the investigator's narrative.
Email me when a new incident matches these filters. One confirmation email; unsubscribe anytime.
Appears operator came too close to the coal edge while running parallel with the coal face. Right track on the excavator sloughed down the coal face causing the excavator to roll onto the passenger side of the machine. Employee was extricated by the emergency response team and taken to the medical clinic.
Welder #2 was cutting a strip of steel loose from the rear of the girder cutout. The strip of steel was cut loose & allowed to free fall uncontrolled, approx. 7'-8' to the ground, where it fell over and struck the work platform & broke it loose from the girder. It caused the ladder that Welder #1 was standing on to topple over, and fall approximately 8'-9' to the ground.
While operating dozer, it hit a rough spot while changing, jolted the operator around causing pain in lower back.
Employee was cutting a liner out of a D-11 Dozer blade when the top sprung loose hitting the employee in the face.
An EE was using the joystick on a roof bolter to install a roof bolt, the employee felt left wrist pop. The employee received stitches in a procedure to fix the ligament in wrist.
While mining in #3 the Cutter Head contacted a rib pin causing the washer to break free. The washer projected back 50' at the operator striking EE in the forehead. Resulting in a laceration above the left eye.
While operating the shearer the operator was struck by a chunk of coal that bounced off the back of the panline. The lump struck against the side of the EE's left leg.
Employee was operating a D-6 dozer and was backing up at a 2 to 1 slope and went to shift into forward and the transmission did not catch causing the dozer to free wheel. The operator dropped the blade and this caused EE to lunge forward and rotate from the waist hitting head on the window frame. Operator was wearing seatbelt. Operator received stitches.
While working on a dozer, a sledge hammer slid off the final drive of the dozer and smashed the employee's finger between the hammer and the dozer swing frame. The injury required 4 stitches.
Employee was struck on the arm by a transport manifold after employee had raised a shield to the roof on the set up face. Resulted in a lacerated forearm.
Employee was using a grinder with a cutoff wheel. The grinder kicked back and cut through the glove and into the left hand requiring stitches to repair.
EE was removing cutting edges from a Cat 966 loader bucket. The bolt had a flat edge & when the nut was loosen the head (underside of bucket) of the bolt dropped & spun around lacerating EE's finger. EE received 4 stitches in left 1st finger.
EE was cleaning coal with dozer when EE backed over some large rocks. Employee reported back and neck pain at the end of EE's shift. EE was evaluated at local medical and place on restricted duty.
EE was using a grinder to cut out an unused metal chute in the tipple. The grinder got caught & kicked back striking EE in the right leg above the knee cap. Seven (7) stitches were needed to close the wound.
EE was using a porta power to remove a pin and was using his leg to steady it to get started and a metal splinter came off the pump or all thread and went in his skin of leg.
While accessing a dozer trail to get to an elevated bench, the material on the left side sloughed away causing the dozer to roll 360°. EE was examined and received stitches and given a full release to return to work.
EE replacing fan belt on dragline tail fan, locked & tagged at power source. After tightening belt, was checking the tension by pushing on the drive belt with his hand. He could not see the fan in another compartment. Did not realize the fan was moving. The belt grabbed his hand and pulled his finger into drive pulley, cutting his finger & fracturing bone. Stitches were required.
An employee felt a sharp pain in his right knee while walking up the stairs of a shovel. The employee did not miss any work or have any restrictions until 6/17/15 when he underwent surgery to repair his knee.
The injured EE went to hang ventilation curtain, while his operator put up a corner bolt. The EE hanging curtain went back to get nails. The Operator started repositioned the bolter, not realizing his helper came back. When he started moving the bolter he bumped his helpers hip.
The employee was using a hydraulic ram to remove the rear wheels on Lowboy. As the ram pressured up, it slipped and smashed the employees left thumb between the ram and the inside of the wheel. The employee was transported to the hospital where three stitches were required to close a laceration on the thumb.
On May 22, 2012 an employee was assigned duties as a trainee in the weld shop. He was air arcing on a bucket when the employee felt slag fall between the bucket and his right leg. The employee then noticed a hole was burning through his pant leg. He slapped his leg to put out the fire and in doing so, the slag fell into his right boot resulting in a burn just above the right ankle.
EE was rolling up a grease line after greasing a backhoe. The swivel fitting between the hose & grease gun broke when the hose & gun reached his left hand, cutting his hand & injecting grease into his left hand between the thumb & 1st finger. He was taken to a local ER & transferred to another hospital for surgical treatment to the injury.
EE was overhead welding at dragline. Stated his back started hurting. Pain went to his side & around to his chest. He was taken by ambulance to local ER. Investigations have been conducted by Tx Westmoreland Coal Co. & Company's WC insurance carrier. On 4/19/11, after completion of WC investigation, Co. was informed that a herniated disc in EE's back was result of on job inj.
Employee is a dozer operator. 9 hours into the shift, the employee experienced back pain similar to previous incidents. The employee was unable to complete his shift. On October 9, 2010 he was examined at the Colstrip Medical Center and was unable to report for his next scheduled shift. The employee has a history of back pain incidents dating back to 2004.
Employee was steaming undercarriage of Kress coal hauler. When he sprayed the fire suppressant system, it discharged and the employee inhaled some of the chemical. He continued working and the incident was reported on 10/15/2010. The employee was examined at the clinic on 10/15/2010 and returned to work for his next scheduled shift with no restrictions.
Bobcat stuck in work area, pulled bobcat (FEL) with excavator with tow strap. Tow strap was affixed to excavator, attempted to pull with excavator tracks only with no progress. Began pulling with hydraulic boom of excavator. With angle change, strap slipped from excavator under tension striking operator in the bobcat front end loader, injuring his nose and lip area.
A mobile crane was used to lift wire rope reels into a cable sled. During this lift, the whip line ball was two-blocked. The wire rope guide was broken free and fell, striking the hardhat of the employee, knocking him to the ground. He was transported to the Colstrip Clinic by ambulance and air lifted by Help Helicopter to Billings for tests and observation.
Employee was performing Welding/Air Arcing, laid gouger down & dust blew up under PPE. Employee stated that he felt that he may have scratched his eye during lunch to supervisor on 6/3. Employee received first aid at the mine. Incident occurred on 6/3 and employee was taken to clinic on 6/5/2009.
The employee was pushing dirt over a 20 ft. bank, and thought he had enough dirt in front of the dozer to drive off the embankment to a level below. There was not enough dirt in front of the dozer and it nose dived to the lower level, causing a whip lash effect to the employees neck.
Mechanic was grinding a piece of metal on a bench grinder when the metal caught and pulled his finger into the grinding wheel.
Employee was hoisting a tool bucket with a winch line and put his right hand into a pinchpoint between the pulley and the clamp on the wire rope. Transported to the medical center and stitches were used to close the wound. He was released for work with no restrictions.
The employee was cutting a steel plate that was 1"x48.75"x7.75" in dimension when the steel plate fell approximately 4 feet onto the employee's foot. The employee was taken to the Colstrip Medical Center for treatment where it was discovered that the right big toe and the toe adjacent to the big toe were broken. The employee missed their next scheduled shift due to surgery.
The employee was exercising in the Company provided lumbar extension machine. On about the 10th repetition he developed a back spasm and was unable to finish. He sought treatment with a chiropractor.
The employee was torch cutting rods in a slab of concrete when a slab piece flew back, burnt through his bibs and jeans causing a 10cm x 4cm 2nd degree burn to his lower right leg.
Employee climbed onto his dozer at the start of shift. The a/c was on in the cab and, as he shut the door, he felt something go into his right eye. He went to a local emergency room for treatment and got a prescription for antibiotic eye drops.
Working in steam bay the employee rolled a creeper under a D10 dozer to gain access to clean the underside of the machine with a pressure washer. While removing the creeper from under the machine, the wand slipped out of his hand and engaged the trigger on the wand. The hot water shot him underneath the face shield and burned the skin on the right side of his face and neck.
Employee was attempting to rotate the shaft, using the overhead crane, he was controlling the overhead, pressed the control button passed detent and the hoist raised too fast. The shaft came up and rolled in the direction of the employee pinching his right foot against the exciter set frame work. Transported to clinic, examined, and unable to return for his next scheduled shift.
EE changed out a grinder disk on a handheld air grinder. He set it down on a table and the disk came off, striking his left hand and cutting it. He was taken to a local ER, where he received 4 stitches to the laceration.
In process of repairing upper hoist cylinder pin & bore,EE was preheating bore with a propane torch. Prior to final bushing placement,grease surrounding the bore sleave super heated & blew out of the bore onto the employees hands.EE had just removed his welding gloves to measure the bore temperature with a hand held heat gun.
EE was kneeling next to a person using an air hammer to knock out a bearing race. It is unknown if a piece of the chisel bit flaked off or a piece of the race and embedded in his left knee. He was taken to a local emergency room where a piece of metal was removed from his knee. No stitches were required.
While operating scraper employee hit a soft spot in haulage way, causing the operator's seat to bottom out (seat belt loosely fastened) jarring the employee's lower extremities.
When pulling tag lines from hoist to deck winch, employee got his hand caught between the snatch block & deck winch. He had his hand on the snatch block cable when the gloves he had on caught up in the snatch blocks, catching his fingers between the deck winch and the blocks.
Employee was working with a 1" impact wrench to torque down spring bolts on a coal hauler. While doing this he experienced pain in his right hand from the amount of torque present when the wrench was in operation. Employee was taken to a physician and has been referred for physical therapy.
EE was going to thread a piece of pipe. Holding the pipe in place, he started the pipe threader. His fingers were at one end of the pipe and the clamp on the pipe threader caught his left middle finger, clamping it to the pipe while twisting both the pipe and his fingers. He was taken to a local ER where he received stitches for a laceration of his left middle finger. Returned LD.
Employee was steaming the engine of a Kress Hauler when his foot slipped, he tried to catch himself and the steamer wand went across his left boot. His foot received 2nd and 3d degree burns. He was examined at the Clinic and was unable to return to work his next scheduled shift.
Employee was cleaning wedge coal with a backhoe. The coal wedge and adjacent spoil crumbled and slid toward the open face. The backhoe slid with the material toward the pit floor (about 20 feet) and rolled 1/4 turn onto its side. On September 15, we were informed the employee had seen a chiropractor for muscle soreness.
The employee was welding down deck plating, and after sitting and welding for an extended period of time he experienced spine and hip joint pain. He was seen by a physician and referred to physical therapy. He did not report the incident to the operator until 09/29/2006
Employees were removing a bull gear from the house of a BE480 walking dragline. Employees were using an overhead crane to manuever the gear out of a side door. The gear was attached to the overhead crane and the lift started when the gear shifted striking the employee's lower legs. The employee suffer from bruises to the legs and a puncture wound requiring stitches.
Employee was backing a Dozer from shot to unshot material. The dozer raised up and abruptly came down causing the employee to experience pain in his neck between his shoulderblades and left arm. He was medically evaluated and referred to Physical Therapy.
The employee began exercising in the Company provided lumbar extension machine and exercised on 11/14/2005 and 11/15/2005. Following the second session he started having pain in his left knee and hip (likely from the machine restraint devices). The pain became quite severe requiring medical evaluation. He was referred to and began Physical Therapy on 11/22/2005.