Mining Incidents

Whites Branch Coal

Pine Ridge Coal Company · Underground
Controlled by Patriot Coal Corporation
Gordon, Boone County, WV  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 4608827

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
9
Years on record
2000–2001
Latest incident
May 2001
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
8
citations
3
significant & substantial
$565
proposed penalties
$565
paid to date
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Quarterly safety rates
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2001 Q2 12,504 2 1 159.9
2001 Q1 33,731 3 0 88.9
2000 Q4 25,198 2 2 79.4
2000 Q3 6,898 1 0 145.0
2000 Q2 0 0 0
Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
April 12, 2001 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator Fatality · MACHINERY
Pine Ridge Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

A MACHINERY ACCIDENT OCCURRED RESULTING IN FATAL INJURIES TO CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR. THE EMPLOYEE RECEIVED CRUSHING INJURIES TO HIS UPPER BODY WHEN HE WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE CONTINUOUS MINE R BOOM AND COAL RIB.

Reportable incidents

8 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2001 · 6 incidents

May 2, 2001 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Pine Ridge Coal Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EE STATED THAT HE HAD BENT OVER TO PICK UP A COAL HAULER JUMPER CABLE WHEN HE FELT PAIN TO THE CENTER OF HIS BACK. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE FELT SOME DISCOMFORT INT HE LOWER PART OF HIS BACK.

April 26, 2001 WV · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Pine Ridge Coal Company · Accident type, without injuries

UNINTENTIONAL ROOF FALL. FALL SIZE 56' BY 19' BY 6-7' TYPE OF SUPPORT: 5' MECHANICALLY ANCHORED RESIN ASSISTED. DEVELOPMENT DATE 4-25-01 FALL AT OR ABOVE ANCHORAGE POINT.

March 21, 2001 WV · Coal stopping builder, ventilation man, mason man, overcast SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Pine Ridge Coal Company · Fall from ladders

EE STATED THAT HE WAS BUILDING A STOPPING BETWEEN NO. 1 & 2 ENTRIES WHEN ONE OF THE LEGS OF THE LADDER HE WAS STANDING ON BROKE, CAUSING HIM TO FALL TO THE MINE FLOOR. HE STATED THAT HE WAS RF EELING PAIN TO THE LOWER REGION OF HIS BACK.

March 10, 2001 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Pine Ridge Coal Company · Struck by falling object

EE STATED THAT HE WAS INT HE PROCESS OF INSTALLING ROOF BOLTS IN THE FACE OF #7 ENTRY. HE STATED THAT HE HAD REACHED FOR A HALF-HEADER TO INSTALL ON THE CURTAIN SIDE WHEN A PIECE OF ROCK MEASU RING 3'X1 1/2'X1" TO 4" THICK FELL FROM BETWEEN THE ROOF BOLT PATTERN STRIKING HIS RIGHT HAND WHICH WAS RESTING ON THE ROOF BOLT STORAGE TRAY.

January 11, 2001 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) ALL OTHER OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES
Pine Ridge Coal Company · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

BASED UPON THE MEDICAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM HOSPITAL, THE EE HAS DEGENERATIVE CHANGES TO THE LEFT SHOULDER AND RIGHT KNEE.

2000 · 2 incidents

December 16, 2000 WV · Coal beltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor rider POWERED HAULAGE
Pine Ridge Coal Company · Struck against a moving object

EE WAS TRAMMING A COAL HAULER FROM MINER IN #3 ENTRY WHEN HE HIT A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM CAUSING HIM TO HIT HIS HEAD AGAINST THE CANOPY OF THE COAL HAULER. HE STATED THAT HE HAD A STIFF NECK FROM STRIKING THE CANOPY.

November 9, 2000 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
Pine Ridge Coal Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE STATED HE FELT PAIN IN HIS RIGHT WRIST WHEN INSERTING THE MALE PLUG FROM THE CHARGER CABLE INTO THE FEMALE PLUG OF THE BATTERY CABLE TOCHARGE BATTERIES. AFTER AN EXAMINATION UPON THE DOCTOR'S VISIT, THE CLINICAL IMPRESSION REVEALS TENDONITIS OF THE RIGHT WRIST.