Mining Incidents

La Plata MineCoal

La Plata Post Office, San Juan County, NM · Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 2901825
Fatalities
0
Total incidents
34
Years on record
2000–2008
Latest incident
May 2008
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

34 on file

2008 · 3 incidents

Fall from ladders

The condition that contributed to the accident is placing a ladder on the side of a fuel tank to get stick readings.ladder was placed in a bad location and was not stable.EE steped on the ladder to come down the tank it slipped out from under him and the employee fell. The employee fell on his shoulder and broke his clavical.

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

A mechanic was working underneath a service truck when the truck rolled backwards onto the mechanic; coming to rest on his upper right arm. A D-11 dozer was used to push the truck forward off of the mechanic. The mechanic was transported to San Juan Regional via Aircare 1 where he is undergoing observation. Preliminary indications are that he sustained no serious injury.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

An operator slipped and fell on ice after he had gotten out of their crew cab to head to his assigned equipment. The ice was hidden under the fresh snow that fell that morning. He was seen by company doctor and placed on restricted duty. The restriction did not allow him to return to his normal duty this date.

2007 · 1 incident

Struck by flying object

Employee was power washing an equipment. She stated her eyes became irritated at the end of the shift, so removed contact lenses and washed eye out. The next day while driving to work felt eye still sore. At the end of that day, employee went to Urgent Care facility after work. They referred her to a specialist, who gave her prescription med. On the third day, she told her supv.

2006 · 2 incidents

Struck by flying object

Employee was climbing on board her unit when a gust of wind kicked up and blew dust into her eye. As it did not bother her immediately, she did not have the eye irrigated until an hour later. She was taken to a clinic for extra precaution where the doctor found a scratched cornea. She was given prescription medication for the irritation.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Lowered air filter boxes from above head level. Felt some discomfort 30 minutes later. Next day, right shoulder sore, two days later, more sore. Monday (2/27) felt like small needles in fingers. Reported numbness in fingers to foreman on Tuesday 3/01, (5 days later). Send to clinic on 3/02. Diagnosed with minor AC separation in right shoulder (shoulder strain) .

2005 · 2 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The employee, a tire repair person, was assisting another employee replace a tire when a pry bar he was using to hold a lug nut slipped and pinched his left middle finger. Injury required 5 stitches.

Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee reported what seemed like an insect bite to foreman on 05/25/05. He thinks he may have gotten bit while attending annual refresher training away from the mine site on 05/23/05. He was taken to Clinic on 05/25/05, two days after alleged incident date. He was given oral and injected antibiotics, and place on restricted duty.

2004 · 2 incidents

Accident type, without injuries

Security patrol noticed smoke coming from a water pumping station. Found a fire water pump engine had small fire atop engine. Extinguished fire withing 28 minutes of noticing smoke. Fire may have started with a fuel leak.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Started experiencing mild pain in wrist and right forearm. Pain is more persistent when typing or writing. Doctors determined repetitive typing as root cause. The pain was caught early on where physical therapy will greatly help.

2003 · 6 incidents

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WAS LOADING SPARE BUCKET PARTS FROM ROW ONTO A PALLET. BUCKET SHROUD SLIPPED AND FINGERS GOT CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO SHROUDS. HAND WAS ICED PACKED BY MINE RESCUE. NEXT DATE, BRUISE INTENSIFIED, REQ UIRING BLOOD TO BE DRAINED.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

HE STRAINED HIS LEFT ELBOW WELDING.

Struck against stationary object

WHILE MOVING UNUSED VENTILATION HOSES, STEPPED ON SMALL ROCK AND SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

MECHANIC WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CRIBBING UP A REMOVED GEARBOX. AS HE WAS PLACING ONE CRIBB ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL TOSSED HIM ANOTHER PIECE. THIS PIECE BOUNCED ONTO HIS LEFT HAND, PINCHING HIS LEFT HAND BETWEEN THE TWO CRIBBING MATRERIAL. THE INJURY WAS DIAGNOSED AS A CRUSH INJURY WITH NON-DISPLACED FRACTURE OF THE MIDDLE PHALANGE OF THE LITTLE FINGER.

Struck against a moving object

END DUMP OPERATOR STATED THE SHOVEL OPERATOR HIT HER TRUCK BED WHICH JOLTED HER AROUND IN THE CAB. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED IF IT WAS THE SHOVEL BUCKET OR A LARGE ROCK THAT HIT THE BED. THE INJUR ED WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CERVICAL AND THORASIS MUSCLE STRAIN.

Struck against stationary object

EE WAS SHUTTING DOOR ON DOZER WHEN HE JAMMED ELBOW INTO THE DOOR. RESULTING IN BRUISE TO LEFTELBOW ULNER NERVE

2002 · 8 incidents

Struck against a moving object

EE WAS OPERATING A TRACK DOZER, PUSHING OVERBURDEN TO AN ELECTRIC SHOVEL, WHILE IN REVERSE MOTION, THE EE HIT A LARGE ROCK THAT JOLTED HIM AS HIS DOZER WENT OVER IT.

Contact with hot objects or substances

EMPLOYEE WAS PERFORMING THE PRE-PM TASK OF STEAM CLEANING WHEN HE ACCIDENTALLY BRUSHED THE STEAM CLEANING WAND ACROSS HIS LEFT FOOT RESULTING IN SECOND DEGREE BURN TO THE TOP OF LEFT FOOT.

Struck against a moving object

WHILE BACKING DOZER AND LOOKING OVER SHOULDER, DOZER BACKED INTO AN UNEVEN AREA, CAUSING MACHINE TO JERK. OPERATOR TWISTED AND FELT PAIN IN UPPER BACK.

Struck against stationary object

EE WAS BOARDING TRUCK ON LADDER, WHILE REACHING FOR RAIL ON CAB BELOW WINDOW, HAND HIT RAIL MOUNTED ON PLATFORM.

Over-exertion in lifting objects

EMPLOYEE WAS CHANGING TIRE; GOT RIGHT THUMB AND MIDDLE FINGER CAUGHT BETWEEN AXLE HOUSING AND METAL SHIM. INJURY: LACERATION TO RIGHT THUMB, TENDON REPAIR TO MIDDLE FINGER.

Struck against a moving object

EMPLOYEE WAS LOADING THE TRUCK WHEN LOADER BROKE APART. HE WAS JOLTED FORWARD AND BACKWARD. STRAIN RESULTED IN CHIROPRATIC TREATMENT.

Struck against a moving object

EE WAS IN THE TRUCK CAB, RECEIVED JOLT FROM THE FORCE OF LOAD BEING DROPPED INTO THE TRUCK.

Struck against a moving object

EMPLOYEE HIT A FAULT WHILE DRIVING, SHARP DROP CAUSING HIM TO GET BOUNCED IN THE AIR, SEAT BELT JERKED HIM BACK DOWN.

2001 · 4 incidents

Struck against stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS ADJUSTING SEAT, PULLED LEVER, SEAT SLID FORWARD CAUSING HIM TO STRIKE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WITH HIS HEAD.

Fall from ladders

EMPLOYEE WAS CLIMBING LADDER, HAND SLIPPED AND EMPLOYEE FELL.

Fall from machine

THE WRENCH SLIPPED OUT OF THE EE'S HAND AND HE FELLED OFF THE LOADER, RESULTING FRACTURING AND DISLOCATING LEFT INDEX FINGER.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE CRAWLED UNDER THE UNIT TO REPAIR THE MUFFLER AS HE TURNED TO GRAB THE EXAUST PIPE HE FELT A PAIN ON HIS LOWER BACK.

2000 · 6 incidents

Struck against a moving object

EMPLOYEE WAS PUSHING THE DOZER AND HIT THE SCRAPER HARD ON THE PUSH BLOCK JARRING THE OPERATOR SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE SHIFT.

Struck against a moving object

EMPLOYEE WAS PUSHING THE DOZER AND HIT THE SCRAPER HARD ON THE PUSH BLOCK JARRING THE OPERATOR SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE SHIFT.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING THE HYTORQUE WRENCH ON THE BOLT, THE WRENCH TWISTED PINCHING THE PALM OF THE LEFT HAND CAUSING A LACERATION, REQUIRING TWO STITCHES.

Bodily reaction, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING FROM READY LINE TO THE SHOP AND FELT A SHARP PAIN IN LOWER BACK. REQUIRING MORE THAN ONE TREATMENT.

Struck by falling object

MUD HAD COLLECTED ON THE FRAME OF THE HAULAGE TRUCK DURING THE PREVIOUS SHIFT AND DURING THE PRE-SHIFT INSPECTION MUD FELL OFF THE FRAME AND STRUCK THE EMPLOYEE ON THE HARD HAT.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WHILE MOVING A LIGHT PLANT FROM ONE DUMP LEVEL TO ANOTHER, EMPLOYEE PULLED OR STRAINED MUSCLE IN LOWER BACK. THE INJURY REQUIRED TWO CHIROPRACTOR VISITS.