Mining Incidents

Blue Creek Mine No. 1Coal

Berry, Alabama, Tuscaloosa County, AL · Active
MSHA Mine ID: 0103448
Fatalities
0
Total incidents
26
Years on record
2022–2026
Latest incident
Feb 2026
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

26 on file

2026 · 2 incidents

Struck by falling object

Employee had just finished servicing a location and was moving to the next location. In between downtime employee went to drink and have a snack. During this time a piece of 1-inch-thick dry rock fell and hit the employee in the left wrist causing a laceration.

Over-exertion in lifting objects

***summarized from attached letter*** Employee was lifting rebar in conjunction with other employees. In lifting and/or moving the rebar, the employee either injured or re-injured their back. The employee sought medical treatment that day and after treatment was released to work, without restriction, by the doctor effective February 9, 2026. (letter attached to original filing)

2025 · 11 incidents

Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Employee was bolting in #2R and went to hang pink reflector on next to last row of bolts. Stepped up on the ATRS, as they were hanging the reflector, the bolting partner lowered the eye of the ATRS and pinched employees left foot resulting in a laceration to bottom of left foot.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was moving scoop and while moving was trying to push air line out of the way without exiting the scoop and during this was struck on EE's right hand middle finger between the canopy of the scoop and a sand prop that the scoop knocked

Fall to the walkway or working surface

EE was working at mine site, and the weather had been raining. EE was walking to their truck in the wet red clay when left foot slid forward causing them to fall backwards. During the fall, the EE's right knee buckled, and they felt a pop in right knee.

Fall from ladders

Approximately 11PM on October 16, 2025 worker was on a ladder about 2 feet off of the ground. EE was removing a 50-60lb chain fall. Had excess chain sitting on EE's upper back. Once the chain fall was removed the weight distribution made EE lose balance and EE fell off ladder and hit head on a piece of steel structure directly in front of EE.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was loosening a concrete pipe coupler to clear a plugged concrete pipe. When the IE pulled the latch on the concrete line coupler the pressure build up caused the coupler to unexpectedly blow off the line causing the flex line that was coupled to the hard line to strike the employee on top of the right foot causing a laceration and a fracture.

Struck by rolling or sliding object

Employee to restore suction to the left side of the roof bolter that was damaged. A loose piece of middleman (4'longX20""wideX10""thick) broke loose between the boom and last rib pin, hitting the drill then rolling towards the employee. The rock struck the employee in the upper groin area, rolling down right leg then pinning ankle to the mine floor. employee has broken foot bone.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was using a 3lb hammer to drive a grounding rod when they struck their left index finger after missing the grounding rod and striking their finger with the hammer. They received 2 stitches to close the wound.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was connecting a beam, one side was hung on a column. As employee started to bolt one end of the beam the other end freed up pinching employee's hand with the beam. The employee received a laceration on the middle finger. Employee was taken to Urgent Care where the laceration was cleaned. A finger splint was placed on the finger, no stitches.

Contact with electrical current

Employee is the continuous miner sections electrician and was called to the miner for an error code of ""MCT Top' code. When the employee arrived at the miner, employee knocked the breaker panel & the inner breaker panel. Began opening the left side panel box. Employee was looking around inside that location & then an arc flash occurred, & employee had received an electrical shock.

Rubbed or abraded

Employee slipped off ladder scraping upper thigh between the 2nd and 3rd step of the ladder. Came to work to be seen by initial doctor visit on scrape and was sent to ER due to picking at their skin and wife wrapping the area too tight cutting oxygen off to affected skin area.

Struck against stationary object

Was walking outby the section to de-trash the HG section. While walking person tripped on a rock in travelway and twisted their ankle. Continued working whole shift and asked to be taken to the doctor because it hurt to put pressure on ankle. Ankle was confirmed broken at doctor.

2024 · 7 incidents

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was working on installing a belt feeder. EE accidentally got their finger caught between the wear plate of the feeder and the scaffolding rail causing injury.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The employee was in the process of unstacking wall girts when the incident occurred. As EE was lifting one off the stack, EE rolled it over and the sharp edge of the girt lacerated EE's right arm, 4 inches below the wrist. The EE received first aid treatment and was taken to a local Urgent Care where EE was evaluated, treated, and released to return to work with no restrictions.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was bolting up a cyclone. Employee was prying with a bar, the bar slipped and employee stumbled causing knee to twist.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

An employee suffered an injury to left hand while replacing a damaged steel set along the slope. The walker was working with employees attempting to remove bolts from the steel set leg. The scoop operator was instructed to turn the scoop, and the Employee's left hand was caught between the scoop bucket and the leg of the steel set.

Fall from scaffolds, walkways, platforms

EE was working on a vertical wall hanging rebar in an elevated position. EE was using a full body harness, two self-retracting lifelines & a positioning chain for fall protection. When the EE needed to change work positions, EE disconnected the lifelines & positioning chain. Upon moving, EE lost footing & fell to ground level.

Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

employee was climbing off of roof bolter, when they placed their left hand on Boom mast. Bolter operator didn't realize their hand was there as they lowered the drill pot, which resulted in their hand being pinched between the mast and drill pot.

Contact with hot objects or substances

While backfilling a 500' deep ground well in a substation with grout, employee lit a cigarette and caused an ignition, burning their left hand.

2023 · 4 incidents

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Bolter helper was installing a 6' bolt in the mine roof. As the helper was raising the blot using the Cobra drill, the bolt slid off the chuck causing the chuck to shoot upwards towards the mine roof striking the right index finger of the bolter helper and pinching it between the chuck and mine roof.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was operating mucker, EE just sent full bucket out and was aligning other bucket, As EE was going around other bucket, EE went to turn left and pinched self against bucket.

Struck by falling object

Employee was on a ladder hanging wire on brow, when a rock fell and struck employee on their thumb, smashing against ladder.

Struck by falling object

An employee was injured when a hammer fell through the collar doors as they opened. The employee was on the work deck cleaning up after a concrete pour. The hammer struck the employee on the right shoulder causing a laceration and fracture.

2022 · 2 incidents

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was loading jackleg into drill basket and got finger in between jackleg and basket.

Fall from scaffolds, walkways, platforms

Employee was in the process of getting onto work deck, when EE slipped and fell onto floor grating, causing laceration to knee