Mining Incidents

Eckman Surface MineCoal

Controlled by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc
Eckman, Mcdowell County, WV · Active
MSHA Mine ID: 4608647
Fatalities
0
Total incidents
43
Years on record
2002–2025
Latest incident
Jan 2025
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

43 on file

2025 · 1 incident

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was walking around a service truck and slipped on ice, injuring EE's right shoulder. EE began missing on 5/16/2025, because of rotator cuff surgery.

2023 · 1 incident

Struck against a moving object

Employee was assigned to operate Caterpillar 777C #648 truck. EE was traveling down a haul road loaded, when EE stated that EE struck a hole in the road, jamming head and neck. EE suffered pain in neck and upper back.

2022 · 1 incident

Fall onto or against objects

Employee slipped and fell on saw, cutting EE's hand.

2021 · 1 incident

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE had removed right side of the cap and started loosening bolts on the left side. Was removing the 3rd of 4 bolts when the cap assembly shifted. EE instinctively raised right hand to block the cap assembly from hitting them. The cap assembly hit EE's hand and punctured glove taking hand with the cap assembly causing the cut to right thumb/palm.

2020 · 2 incidents

Struck by flying object

EE was part of a crew assigned to install a hard-bar pin in the D9T dozer on the mud dump parking area. The pin was aligned and placed to be driven in place with a sledgehammer. When the pin was struck with a hammer a fragment of the pin fractured off and struck EE in the face. EE received a laceration that required stitches.

Fall from machine

Employee was climbing up the access steps of the 777C rock truck to clean the mirrors. EE lost footing and fell backwards to the ground. Employee landed on back and began experiencing pain in the neck, back, and hips as a result of the fall.

2019 · 3 incidents

Fall from machine

EE was dismounting the D11T cat dozer when EE lost footing and step to the ground twisting the left knee.

Struck by falling object

Hydraulic tank cover was removed with crane. The cover was suspended with lifting brackets. The technician mistakenly removed the retainer bolts for the sight glass guard allowing the cover to fall onto EE's left. The cover impacted the employees foot just behind the steel toe of EE's boot.

Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Part 90 Miner per MSHA District 12. ""This miner has participated in a medical exam authorized by the MSHA of 1977 or the earlier 1969 Coal Act. This medical examination indicates that this miner has sufficient degree of Pneumoconiosis (black lung).""

2018 · 2 incidents

Fall from machine

Employee slipped and fell from a service truck as ee was unloading wear strips for a dozer blade. EE suffered a laceration to left hand that required stiches.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was changing a battery terminal on a 777 Water Truck. EE was removing the insulation from the conductor with a knife. The knife slipped and cut EE's hand.

2017 · 6 incidents

Struck by falling object

Employee was attempting to install a wear plate on a loader bucket, the wear plate fell striking the employees right thumb , causing a laceration.

Struck by falling object

Employee had cut the tree. The tree sat back on employee. Employee had gone down below to open up a path, the tree fell on employee.

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

Employee was installing a bearing while attempting to strike the bearing with a sledge hammer the employee missed the bearing smashing employee's finger between the hammer handle and the frame of the truck.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was ascending onto a dozer, once stepping upward the EE felt a pull in the calf (leg) muscle.

Over-exertion in wielding or throwing objects

Employee was installing bucket pins with a sledge hammer when felt a strain in right arm.

Struck against stationary object

Stepped on loose rock - rolling right ankle

2016 · 5 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Getting boosters out of the magazine, a band used to keep a case of boosters closed stretched and hit left eye

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was climbing down the ladder of the rock truck, when ee missed a step, causing the weight shift to right ankle on the following step.

Fall onto or against objects

Employee was walking towards mobile piece of equipment, with hard hat in hand, when employee tripped and fell forward striking forehead on the frame of the mobile equipment.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was removing a hydraulic hose from a threaded coupler joint, when the hose sprung back striking the employee in the right maxillary central incisor tooth, making the tooth loose.

Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Employee stated that while getting on the excavator ""on employee's first step"" while pulling self up, employee felt a pain in employee's left shoulder.

2015 · 4 incidents

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Loading holes on a shot, slipped in mud, hurt back.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was walking across the parking lot when he twisted his ankle. (No tripping hazards observed)

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

stemming holes, bent over & twisted around, felt pain in low back

Struck by powered moving object

EE was walking from pressure truck washing area across the road to the fuel barrels. As he was walking across the road, he was struck by a bulk truck that was traveling in reverse. The truck was owned /operated by contract powder company (Austin Powder Company)

2014 · 1 incident

Struck by falling object

Employees were attempting to break down a power screen for transport. Employee was helping to hold a cylinder up out of it's pocket and as he flagged the loader man to raise the screen, the screen slipped. It fell off of the bucket and smashed his hand between the cylinder and it's pin point.

2013 · 1 incident

Struck by falling object

EE was cutting tree as the tree began to fall a dead limb fell from the upper portion of the tree striking the employee.

2011 · 1 incident

Over-exertion in wielding or throwing objects

loading a bulk truck, swinging a sledge hammer to loosen prill in the bin, hurt back

2009 · 1 incident

(Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was operating a front-end loader on mine property at the coal stock pile area, when he went into cardiac arrest. EE was taken to Welch Emergency Hospital where he was pronounced dead from an apparent heart attack.

2008 · 2 incidents

Fall to the walkway or working surface

The employee stated he was cleaning the top floor (and floor) of the belt presses. He rashed down the steps to check the presses on the 1st floor when he lost three, point contact with the hand rails and fell at the bottom step. He stated that his right leg went under the step and twisted his ankle.

Struck against a moving object

Employee was dumping a load of rock when he backed through the berm causing the truck to flip on it's side.

2007 · 3 incidents

Struck by flying object

Technician was removing worn bucket adapter tips on a 992G wheel loader using a sledge hammer to strike the tips. A piece of metal broke free and struck the technician in the knee.

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

EE stated he was removing a pipe on the clean up pump. When putting it back together, he smashed his finger between the motor guard and the pipe.

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While moving grating to staging area, employee mashed his finger between two pieces.

2006 · 6 incidents

Struck against a moving object

Employee stated that while operating a Dozer, the dozer slid off a rock and jarred his back. Employee stated that he was wearing a seat belt.

Struck against a moving object

Employee backed a 785 rock truck through a berm and over the dump area.

Struck by flying object

Employee was straightening the step on the right side of the loader at the hydraulic tank. He had the boom from the mechanic truck hooked to the step and was pulling the step to straighten it when the step broke. It flew back and hit his chin.

Struck against a moving object

While operating a rock truck, the right side, front suspension cylinder broke where it was welded to the mounting support, this caused the truck to come to a stop causing EE to be thrown forward. He hit his chest on the steering wheel.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Wiring up a shot, stepping from one bench to another, a distance of about 3 feet, fell, hurt ankle.

Over-exertion in lifting objects

While using (lifting) wet bags, hurt back - reported on 1/19/06.

2002 · 2 incidents

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE STATED THAT WHILE USING A SET OF COMEALONGS THE BRAKE SLIPPED CAUSING THE HANDLE TO FALL AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUGHT HIS FINGERS IN BETWEEN THE HANDLE AND ROLLER FRAME OF THE DOZER HE WAS WORKI NG ON. HE SUSTAINED A FRACTURE BONE IN HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER. NOTE: CO. SAFETY DIRECTOR DID NOT RECEIVE INJURY REPORT UNTIL 3-18-2002.

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

WHILE CLOSING THE DOOR ON THE INGERSOL RAND DRILL HIS RIGHT HAND AND THUMB GOT CAUGHT IN THE DOOR JAM, MASHING HIS THUMB. HE SUSTAINED A FRACTURE AND THE THUMBNAIL HAD TO BE REMOVED.