Upper Big Branch Mine-South — Accidents

Total: 369 accidents | Fatalities: 31

Date Classification Injury Days Lost Narrative
04/05/2010 IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST FATALITY Fatal During a mine explosion EE was fatally injured.
04/05/2010 IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST FATALITY Fatal During a mine explosion EE was fatally injured.
04/05/2010 ALL OTHER OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES OCCUPATNAL ILLNESS NOT DEG 1-6 None Member is filing a claim of anxiety after the mine explosion on 4-5-2010.
04/05/2010 ALL OTHER OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES OCCUPATNAL ILLNESS NOT DEG 1-6 None Member is filing claim for mental anguish since the mine explosion on 4/5/10.
04/05/2010 IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 310d lost Member claims smoke inhalation and toxic gas from explosion.
04/05/2010 IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST FATALITY Fatal During a mine explosion EE was fatality injured.
03/28/2010 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK ACCIDENT ONLY None Unintentional roof fall approximately 3,000 ft outby face.
03/23/2010 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 5d restricted Member was pulling conduit on miner cable and started gradually feeling pain around his waist down to his groin area.
03/17/2010 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None A piece of rock fell and struck EE on his left hand which resulted in six (6) stitches.
03/01/2010 DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS OCCUPATNAL ILLNESS NOT DEG 1-6 None A miner chose to exercise his Part 90 rights on 3/1/10, therefore the occupational illness is reportable.
02/26/2010 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Injured was building a stopping and while driving wedge above wall struck left index finger with a hammer.
02/21/2010 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK ACCIDENT ONLY None Roof fall, one crosscut inby spad #24062 in the track entry. Fall was 2500' outby the Headgate. Fall was 20' X 20' X 7'. No injuries or equipment involved.
01/12/2010 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None While setting timbers beside track along North Mains between mouth of 1 and Glory Hole, a member was holding timber and injured EE bent over to pick up a glut, when a piece of draw slate measuring app...
12/25/2009 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 102d lost Attempting to start pump located behind splitter box. When he attempted to walk around the splitter box through approximately 8 inches of water, his left knee gave out. Marfork Safety Department was...
12/05/2009 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK ACCIDENT ONLY None Roof fall in the #1 Entry of the longwall at Spad 28+33. Fell out between the bolts on the stage loader crushed and blocked part of the primary escapeway. No injuries occured.
11/29/2009 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 51d lost Replacing bottom roller hangers on the #1 section belt line. Employee lowered the bottom roller to install the hanger. As he pulled up on the hanger to hand it back on the belt rail his right index...
11/24/2009 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK ACCIDENT ONLY None Roof fall in the #2 entry, primary escapeway. Fall was 40'X20'X8'. No injuries and no equipment involved.
11/16/2009 FIRE DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 13d lost Witnesses stated Injured was on the down wind side of bearing in fresh air when they smelled smoke. The Fireboss went to the belt line and found a hot bearing. They started spraying water on it to c...
10/21/2009 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 7d lost EE was using a slate bar to move a 60 lb. track rail that was loaded on a flat car, when it suddenly rolled causing his left hand to become pinched between the roof and the bar, fracturing his left li...
10/19/2009 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 20d lost EE was helping secure a retaining fence on mt. face. He was working on a bench below workers located on top bench that were securing the same retaining fence. Debris was dislodged and fell from the to...
09/04/2009 MACHINERY NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None While loading the shuttle car, a small rock measuring 3"" long, 3"" wide and 1"" thick, came out of conveyor chain and struck continuous miner operator on left cheek and mouth which required 2 stitche...
08/11/2009 POWERED HAULAGE DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 157d lost Mantrip #2 was coming outside & cautioned to watch for #1 mantrip which was checking the belt. At airlock doors mantrip #1 was traveling back to track switch when it slid into mantrip #2 & member twis...
06/18/2009 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 8d lost Member stated that he was hanging the continuous miner cable across the roadway, when he felt pain in his arm (R). He did not report this incident to anyone, but went to doctor the next day and was ta...
05/30/2009 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Member was in the process of putting drill steel against the roof to start drilling a hole, when a piece of rock measuring 0-1/2"" thick, 4"" wide and 12"" long, fell out and struck him on the side of...
05/22/2009 FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 47d lost Member had installed 1st row of bolts in #4 entry. He then installed a bolt in the next row and swung the drill head out to spot a bolt, when coal/rock rib measuring 14' L, 20"" T and H was 68"" struc...
04/24/2009 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Member was removing cinder blocks from an old stopping when a loose block fell from the stopping and caused a laceration to the middle finger on his right requiring 7 stitches.
04/17/2009 FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None While walking beside mantrip while laying track, 2 steel sandjacks fell over, member heard noise and raised both arms up and sand jacks struck arm and drove them on top of mantrip causing a laceration...
04/06/2009 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 166d lost Member was walking backwards caarrying a top roller 48"" belt structure when he tripped and fell landing on his backside. The top roller struck his lower left leg causing a sprain/contusion.
04/06/2009 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None While member was preparing to assist re entering the miner cable the hose clamp was damaged. As he pulled on the nut to loosen it from the packing gland his hand slipped causing lacerations to his rig...
03/30/2009 POWERED HAULAGE DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY None Member was tramming shuttle car from #3 right crosscut toward #4 entry. As he was making the right hand turn the shuttle car struck the inby corner of #3 coal pillar causing a whiplash type injury to...
03/19/2009 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 74d lost We were marking off belt line for the longwall belt. We had to use a 12' ladder due to the height of the mine roof, while moving the ladder under some cables to reposition it the ladder slipped. While...
03/10/2009 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 2d lost Injury had started the continuous miner to prepare for bading shuttle car. The shuttle car opr. signaled for her to check her cable slack on the reel. After shutting miner off, she walked to shuttle c...
03/05/2009 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 33d lost While the member was carrying roof bolts from the middle of the machine toward the front tray of the bolter, he stepped in mud and tripped. The roof bolts he was carrying hit the rib keeping him from...
02/05/2009 FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 3d lost As injury was installing a roof bolt in the rib, he pulled the drill steel out of the hole, a piece of coal and rock measuring 48 inch long by 18 inch wide and 13 inch thick fell from the rib striking...
01/27/2009 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 3d lost The employee was installing a roof bolt when a piece of rock and coal fell striking him on the back.
01/24/2009 POWERED HAULAGE NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None The employee was cleaning the belt conveyor when a piece of rock that went thru on the belt came back and struck him of the left wrist.
01/21/2009 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 65d lost The employee was out of the shuttle car cleaning out the deck when he was hit by a piece of coal in the back pushing him into the shuttle car injuring his right knee. Was diagnosed on 2/10/09 by a spe...
01/19/2009 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None The EE was helping load conveyor belt on a flat car, using a clamp called a Dick Bill. The clamp slipped off the wet conveyor belt, striking the EE in the lower left side.
01/06/2009 POWERED HAULAGE NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None The EE was riding in a track jeep, when a wood board that was hanging from the roof hit the EE on the head. The board had just been tore down by a supply motor and was not seen by the motor crew or th...
01/03/2009 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None The employee was removing a chain from belt stand when his left thumb was caught between the chain and the stand causing a laceration. The employee was wearing gloves at the time of this accident.
12/29/2008 FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 9d lost The employee was pulling a loose rib with a slate bar. As the rib fell, more rib fell than he had anticipated, hitting the slate bar causing the employee to twist his lower back. The employee was reff...
11/12/2008 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK ACCIDENT ONLY None Had roof fall on #2 section, #5 entry, 35' x 18' x 6'. Fall was 15' from active face in the intake on the section. No injuries.
10/20/2008 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 4d lost Person was lifting large piece of rock with a slate bar on top of miner when the bar slipped causing him to twist his lower back causing an injury. Was diagnosed with a strained muscle by a orthopedic...
08/25/2008 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 47d lost The employee was walking when she fell down fracturing right leg and ankle.
07/21/2008 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK ACCIDENT ONLY None Roof fall old #1 Mains intake # Entry 80 ft x 18 ' x 4.5 thick Near spad 21260
07/07/2008 POWERED HAULAGE NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None He was trying to keep belt from twisting when a belt stand got stuck in the belt and swung around and hit him in the face causing a laceration.
06/27/2008 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 5d restricted Employee was using a jackhammer busting up concrete next to a sloped bank. He apparently stepped on some loose rock or slipped and slid down the embankment bruising his lower back.
06/21/2008 POWERED HAULAGE NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None The mantrip came off track and slid for 50', then hit the corner of a coal block. Initial derail knocked his hat off and second impact slammed head into battery lid.
06/17/2008 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 54d lost Member was making belt spice with co-worker. Co-worker struck member's right index finger with hammer, causing multiple fractures and lacerations.
06/03/2008 FALL OF ROOF OR BACK ACCIDENT ONLY None Roof fall 2 brks inby spad no. 21054 002 section # 4 Belt. Clean up plan posted. Ventilation slightly affected due to crushed out intake stopping. No injuries. Notified MSHA and state.