HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) at West Ridge Resources Inc
The employee was in the process of retrieving 6"" plastic aqua pipe from the tailgate entry of the long wall (16th East). He hit the plastic couple with an ax in an effort to break the coupler when a small piece of the plastic coupler broke off and struck him in the forehead just above the left eye. 3 stitches were required to close the wound.
U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration