Tunnel Ridge Mine — Accidents
Total: 495 accidents | Fatalities: 1
| Date | Classification | Injury | Days Lost | Narrative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/22/2026 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was changing a ram jack on longwall. While employee was trying to get the ram jack into position, it slipped and accidentally got finger caught between the jack and the panline causing inju... |
| 01/15/2026 | HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was cutting green dust line with a utility knife and the blade got stuck. When they forcibly removed the knife from the line, they stabbed themselves in the leg. |
| 01/15/2026 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | While in the process of removing a stone from the longwall walkway, the employee's finger was pinched between the chunk of stone and the shield framework. |
| 12/13/2025 | HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | A contract employee was cutting a piece of mine belt with a utility knife and the knife slipped, resulting in a small laceration just above the right knee. |
| 12/08/2025 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | DYS AWY FRM WRK & RESTRCTD ACT | 6d lost, 4d restricted | Cut left pointer finger on a piece of metal |
| 11/17/2025 | MACHINERY | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 56d lost | Employee was standing at the back operator's side corner of the continuous mining machine and a piece of rib peeled, pinning left foot against the body of the miner. |
| 10/27/2025 | MACHINERY | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | A spool valve on a longwall line shield was stuck in the open position allowing the shield to slowly lower. The shield contacted an employee working under it, fracturing two ribs. |
| 10/13/2025 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | There was miscommunication between two employees setting a sand prop which caused the prop to tilt before being raised, striking the injured employee in the ear. |
| 09/16/2025 | OTHER | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 2d lost | Employee reported to the safety department on 9/17 stating that on 9/16 they got dust behind their glasses & in their eye while cleaning up debris. They rubbed their eye consistently throughout the ev... |
| 09/13/2025 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 105d lost | Employee strained EE's back while lifting belt structure during a routine belt move. |
| 09/13/2025 | POWERED HAULAGE | PERM TOT OR PERM PRTL DISABLTY | None | Employee reached down and picked up a come-a-long which had fallen out of position. As EE went to hang it back up, a rock of unknown size bounced off the belt and struck EE's left hand, nearly severin... |
| 08/21/2025 | SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 6d lost | We are a water treatment company. This employee is not an employee of Tunnel Ridge. They were getting into position to take a picture for a service report. They stepped on some loose gravel/dirt. Thei... |
| 08/18/2025 | FALL OF ROOF OR BACK | ACCIDENT ONLY | None | An unintentional roof fall measuring 16' long by 16' wide by 6' in height occurred in the East Mains #2 belt entry at 25 wall, crosscut 2 to 3. |
| 08/02/2025 | FALL OF ROOF OR BACK | ACCIDENT ONLY | None | An unintentional roof fall above anchorage measuring 35' long by 16' wide by 7' in height occurred in the East Mains #3 belt entry at 23 crosscut. |
| 07/31/2025 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | None | On 7/31/25 the injured employee experienced discomfort in left upper back and shoulder area while performing longwall support duties. After initial medical evaluation, the employee continued to work n... |
| 07/15/2025 | FALL OF ROOF OR BACK | ACCIDENT ONLY | None | An unplanned roof fall measuring 16' long by 16' wide by 7.5' above anchorage occurred in the East Mains #2 belt entry at 30 crosscut. |
| 07/14/2025 | FALL OF ROOF OR BACK | ACCIDENT ONLY | None | An unintentional roof fall measuring 50' long by 16' wide by 7.5' above anchorage occurred in the East Mains #2 belt entry at 17 crosscut. |
| 06/18/2025 | MACHINERY | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was helping another employee install roof bolts with a Cobra drill. EE was pushing a bolt into a newly drilled hole with left hand and a rock fell from the mine roof (approximately 8' high) a... |
| 06/13/2025 | STRIKING OR BUMPING | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee ducked to avoid a come-a-long chain and ran face first into an overcast I-Beam when they raised their head up. |
| 06/07/2025 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was part of a group installing ""furniture"" on the longwall pan line. The furniture shifted and struck EE on the chin. |
| 05/07/2025 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | A contract employee was working to remove a rock from the Bretby loop on the longwall face and their finger was pinched between the rock and Bretby. |
| 03/24/2025 | HOISTING | ACCIDENT ONLY | None | The 8-man auxiliary hoist located at the West Alexander site was down for over 30 minutes for electrical issues and there were three employees on board. |
| 03/21/2025 | HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | After the employee removed the pin from a belt lowboy draw bar that was hooked to a 30-ton locomotive, the draw bar drifted, pinching a finger between the draw bar lip and locomotive frame. |
| 03/18/2025 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was trying to remove the pin from a shield dolly draw bar hooked to a 30-ton locomotive. The pin was on a bind and shifted, pinching EE's hand between the pin & draw bar. |
| 03/17/2025 | SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 87d lost | Employee exited a supply locomotive and twisted EE's knee. EE continued working EE's normal job through a series of follow up appointments & physical therapy until being removed from duty on 8/7/25 to... |
| 02/25/2025 | SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 44d lost | Employee was walking on the concrete floor near the tail of the North Mains #2 conveyor entry and slipped on wet rock dust. |
| 02/25/2025 | FALL OF ROOF OR BACK | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 7d lost | Employee climbed into the locked-out longwall pan line, under the protection of a shield, to relieve the ranging arm hydraulic pressure buildup so a broken cutter shaft could be safely removed. A rock... |
| 02/22/2025 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was helping install the trapping shoe and left index finger was pinched between the trapping shoe and rack wheel. |
| 02/18/2025 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was helping another employee remove a hydraulic hose. A third employee had radioed the pressure had been released from the line. The injured employee was holding the hose as the other employe... |
| 02/17/2025 | MACHINERY | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 81d lost | Employee was helping winch a shield ram jack. As EE lifted the jack over a shield toe to keep it from getting bound EE felt a pop in EE's right shoulder. EE treated and was released with limitations w... |
| 02/17/2025 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 21d lost | Employee's left foot was pinched between a shield toe and relay bar while working on the 5 Right longwall set-up face. |
| 01/28/2025 | MACHINERY | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was using an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel to cut a bolt. The cut-off wheel bound up and broke. A small piece of the wheel struck EE in the lower lip. |
| 01/24/2025 | MACHINERY | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 6d lost | Employee was using a jackhammer to hammer at a shelf of coal at knee level. The piece of coal gave way and the hammer struck a rock and bounced into EE's foot. Injury was not the result of training or... |
| 01/01/2025 | MACHINERY | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was struck in the side of the head with a roof strap causing a small laceration. |
| 12/27/2024 | IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST | ACCIDENT ONLY | None | An unplanned ignition occurred on the 2 Left West section while mining the face of the #3 entry. |
| 12/16/2024 | FALL OF ROOF OR BACK | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 131d lost | Employee was struck on the top of the foot by a stone that fell from the roof. Initial medical imaging was clear and EE was issued a work release for 12/30, EE's next scheduled shift. On 12/26 EE foll... |
| 12/04/2024 | FALL OF ROOF OR BACK | ACCIDENT ONLY | None | An unplanned roof fall measuring approximately 50 ft. long by 16 ft. wide by up to 7 ft. above anchorage occurred in the #3 return entry of the 2 Left gate section at 85 1/2 wall. |
| 11/09/2024 | HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Weekend warrior employee's foot was caught between two metal objects. EE was taken for an x-ray, which was negative. EE worked normal shift until 12/8. EE's foot was still sore, so EE followed up with... |
| 11/01/2024 | IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST | ACCIDENT ONLY | None | An unplanned ignition occurred on the 2L section while mining the face of the #3 entry. |
| 10/22/2024 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY | 11d restricted | Carpenter lost grip of a 3/4"" sheet of fire rated plywood. It landed on the top right foot. Carpenter chose to continue to work the rest of shift. Carpenter reported in next day 10/23/24, asked to be... |
| 09/29/2024 | HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was in the process of changing bits on the idle longwall shear and smashed a finger with a hammer. |
| 09/26/2024 | FALL OF ROOF OR BACK | ACCIDENT ONLY | None | An 8' wide x 16' long x 6' high unintentional roof fall occurred on the East Mains #2 belt line at 33 crosscut. |
| 08/28/2024 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 53d lost | Employee was reaching to pick up a wooden crib block and EE's right hand was struck by another wooden crib block which had been tossed in EE's direction by another employee. |
| 08/27/2024 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Foreman went to grab panels from the crate on site. Stood on skids to reach into the crate, grabbed the panels. lost footing and fell on skid with panels in hand. Panels cut palm of right hand. |
| 08/27/2024 | EXPLODING VESSELS UNDER PRESSURE | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Employee was unloading ride to load tools on dolly when the tool box with the gas tanks in. There was a pressure in the box that caused the tool box to burst causing flying debris. |
| 08/13/2024 | SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 17d lost | Employee was part of a crew working to unload and store longwall pan line underground. EE stepped in a hole and fell, striking the left side of their head on a piece of pan line, lacerating EE's left... |
| 08/12/2024 | HANDLING OF MATERIALS | DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY | 6d restricted | Pouring concrete under belt had to be on hands and knees to finish concrete. Concrete soaked through pants burning legs. |
| 07/19/2024 | STRIKING OR BUMPING | NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT | None | Foreman was hosting a JHA meeting. When done, EE walked around the side of the truck and walked too close to the gang box, resulting in a cut on the cheek. |
| 07/12/2024 | IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST | ACCIDENT ONLY | None | An unplanned ignition occurred on the 2L section while mining in the face of the #3 entry. |
| 07/03/2024 | FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL | DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY | 65d lost | Employee was bolting with a single head bolter and a piece of rib rolled out, smashing EE's right hand against the body of the bolter. |