Mining Incidents in Alabama

It was determined that the employee had previously mined the #3 entry on the 7S section. The employee had moved the CM outby 12 crosscut and had walked back to the last row of support in the #3 entry to adjust the tubing. A rock fell from just inby the last row of permanent support and struck the employee taking them to the ground. This fatality was investigated by MSHA.

Employee was fatally injured when a belt component malfunctioned (the bridal bar had a mechanical failure and broke) on the C1 Longwall take-up and struck employee in the chest causing blunt force trauma.

Victim was operating front-end loader in coal pit area, when a highwall failure occurred, covering the front-end loader completely.

The injured miner & the supervisor were attempting to light the #2 kiln's gas flame. While the miner was holding a flare attached to a metal pole at the end of the gas pipe, the supervisor turned on the gas. In the process of lighting, the gas ignited & blew back through the front of the kiln causing burns to the right side of the miner's body. On 5/28/18 the EE passed away.

Rope access technician was performing inspection of downcomer duct. Around 11:30a.m.the technician became unresponsive by radio. Upon rescue and removal from downcomer duct, technician was alert and responsive with apparent head and leg injuries. Technician was transported to the hospital where they passed away on 9/21/2017.

Injured employee sustained fatal injuries resulting from head trauma after jumping or being thrown from the lead locomotive of a supply trip at crosscut 16 on east mains track.

During Longwall setup procedures, two service representatives from shield manufacturer were installing yield valves on shields. The deceased was positioned behind leg jacks installing yield valves on tilt jack, while second representative began to install yield valves on leg jack. Plugs from both jacks were removed causing the shield canopy to collapse crushing the victim.

Employee was checking transmission fluid on dozer, and was found unconscious on ground, possibly related to medical emergency. *The miner never regained consciousness and succumbed to his injuries on October 5, 2015.

Bulldozer operator was preparing a drill bench on top of an approx. 50' highwall. Operator was pushing consolidated material over the edge of the highwall. The bulldozer traveled over the edge of the highwall and fell to the pit bottom. Operator was found unresponsive. 1st aid and CPR were performed until the coroner arrived and pronounced the victim dead at 1404 hours.

Employee walked up to the 7-2C header to inspect wipers. The victim was on an elevated catwalk at discharge of the 7-2B conveyor belt to examine the belt wiper. He fell off the end of catwalk on 7-2B belt. Employee was caught between the skirt and the top belt resulting in a fatal injury.

Employee was climbing up ladder onto Rock Truck when his feet slipped out from under him causing him to fall to the ground.*** Note added Employee died 12/28/12 from complications related to this injury per fatal ruling/notification on 6/27/13 from MSHA.

At approximately 10:15am an employee received fatal crushing injuries as he was helping move a Longwall power center. The fatal injuries occurred when the employee was crushed between the power center and rib as the power center was being moved into a cross cut.

Electrician was performing work on a shuttle car cable reel on the West Main Left section when his received a fatal electrical shock. The electrician came in contact with the exposed 995 volt energized cable leads in the cable reel compartment.

The victim was operating an excavator with a rock breaker attachment. He was scaling rock from the highwall face when the face fell onto the cab of excavator crushing him.

Truck haulage accident involving two 100 ton rear dump trucks. It appears the victim did not observe the stopped truck and struck it in the rear.

The Service Truck Operator was refueling a drill rig when an ignition from an unknown source resulted in fatal burns.

Drill operator was fatally injured by the drill rig he was operating. The likely scenario is that the drill rig began to roll forward while he was at the back of the rig operating the controls for the drill. The victim may have attempted to stop the drill rig and was caught up under the rig and suffered fatal injuries. There were no witnesses to the accident.

Employee was traveling #2 Longwall Bleeders and when he did not check in, we sent someone in to look for him. He was found unresponsive with no vital signs. The cause of death is still being investigated.

Employee had just gotten off work, he was driving out of the mine on the haul road and was trying to pass two other employees and got off the road and hit an old gate post.

Employee was standing on the left side catwalk of a 777F rock truck, near the rear of the cab, when the dump bed came down, crushing him between the bed and the catwalk handrail.