Apex Quarry and Plant Metal/Non-Metal

Employee was walking in the work area when EE tripped and fell over a pipe that was in EE's path of travel.

IE was raking scale from kiln #4 when EE felt a sharp pain in right elbow. When IE returned to control room, IE noticed numbness in right hand. IE was diagnosed with strained right elbow. IE was prescribed PT on 8/9/2024.

IE was carrying a steel plate on right shoulder when IE lost balance and slowly fell backwards. IE grabbed onto the edge of a frame with left arm and pulled left shoulder. IE was diagnosed with strain. IE was placed on restrictions and prescribed PT on 7/24/2024

At approximately 3:00AM EE was using the man elevator to take silo measurements on Silo 13. As EE was descending the elevator stopped approximately 20 feet (about 120ft above ground level) from the top of the silo. Fire dept was called to assist. EE was assisted out of elevator by FD at 6:50AM and was able to descend the ladder system to the ground. There were no injuries.

IE was getting out of loader and stepped onto the side of a berm. IE twisted EE's left knee. IE was diagnosed with strain. IE was prescribed PT on 04/17/2024.

IW was working on cleaning soft lime from under belt using vacuum hose. Vacuum hose pulled IW and IW felt pop from upper back. IW was initially diagnosed with thoracic strain on 8/1/23. Upon follow up on 8/17/23, IW was diagnosed and treated for rib subluxation.

IW was positioning drums on a pallet and smashed their right little finger between two drums resulting in a fracture.

Employee was moving a shim plate into place when it slipped out of employee's hand causing the approximately 300lbs plate to fall on employee's finger smashing the tip of it.

Around 5:40 on 2/3, EE was working in a skidsteer near the south system cage. While on the skidsteer they passed by the dust collector fan DC4030. While backing out of the area the DC fan started blowing out the lime in the skidsteer bucket which got in the EE left eye. EE did not report injury on shift. EE left work at 2:30pm and reported to supervisor at 6:23pm.

IE was raking the kiln and felt pain/soreness in rt elbow. IE reported the injury on 11/2/22. IE requested to see a doctor on 12/27/22. IE was released to full duty. IE was diagnosed with epicondylitis and given restrictions on 6/12/2023 after follow up appts.

Employee showed a potentially recordable hearing loss during annual audiogram. Hearing loss was confirmed by an audiologist on 8/24/20. Report received from doctor on 9/15/2020.

Employee was changing the battery on a loader when the lid of the battery box fell striking a finger. The tip of the ring finger sustained a fracture.

At around 8:20, a haul truck overturned on the main haul road. The employee was assisted in exiting the vehicle, taken to the first aid room where EE was evaluated/treated. The employee sustained lacerations/abrasions/contusions from the incident. The employee was taken to the hospital where EE received sutures and was released.

Employee was preparing to weld. When EE raised EE's face shield, lime that was on the brim of EE's hard hat fell behind EE's safety glasses and got into EE's eye. EE eyes were rinsed on site, but not all lime could be removed. EE was seen by a doctor to remove the remaining lime and given prescription eye drops.

Employee was lifting a rigging cable onto the storage hooks when EE felt pain in stomach and a small bulge. Employee was seen on by the Dr. on 8-29 and released without restrictions. During the followup appt on 9-18 employee released to modified duty.

Employee was cleaning the inside of the BC103 head pulley, from the top of the enclosure. After completing the task and climbing down, they reported feeling pain in the left knee. Employee was seen by a doctor on 10/16/18.

Employee was changing the light assembly on the loader when EE's drive ratchet slipped striking EE in the mouth. Employee's lip was bruised and one tooth was chipped.

The employee was cleaning out a plugged chute in the dolo crushing area. The employee opened an inspection door and hot material came out and contacted the right side of the employee's face causing first and second degree burns on the cheek and ear.

EE was called out to perform maintenance on 7/2/17. Upon arriving home, EE's eye was "itchy". When ee came to work the next day, the right eye was red and watering. When seen by the doctor on 7/3/17, the exam identified a metal fragment embedded in the right eye. Fragment was removed and EE was released to full duty. EE was wearing safety glasses at time of incident.

A maintenance mechanic got an infected eye from exposure to Calcium Oxide (Lime).

An electrician injured their wrist while lifting a motor.

Material fell from above EE's work area, the scaffold seal deck was unable to contain falling material from above. As the material hit the seal deck the deck and material fell on EE.

An Atmospheric Quicklime Hydrator-Baghouse caught fire when the flame system malfunctioned. MSHA was notified within one minute of discovery of the fire as fire responders are 30 minutes away. This is a follow up report to the telephone notification.

A driller injured right shoulder when transferring a drill bit into a metal reclaim dumpster. Note: injury has not been confirmed. Further diagnostics are scheduled for week of Nov 21-25th.

Employee was seated in his truck at the mine site. He was using a pocket knife to remove a new flashlight from it's package. He was cutting the package on his right thigh when the knife cut through the package and penetrated his skin.

An unplanned ignition of coal dust occurred internally in a coal mill. There were no injuries to people, nor was there damage to equipment. This incident was called into the MSHA Reporting Hotline on December 10, 2015. Confirmation was received by the MSHA Henderson Field Office Supervisor. This is a follow up written report.

Employee was walking through the plant when there was a gust of wind and dust got into the employee's eye. Employee went to a local clinic and was treated for a foreign object in their eye and medication was prescribed.

An employee injured his back while shoveling stone.

Employee was walking on what appeared to be level ground when he stepped into an approximately 18-inch deep depression obscured by limestone dust accumulation. Employee suffered immediate pain and some numbness in lower back and both thighs. Employee transported to hospital by EMS personnel.

Employee operating water truck when ABC fire suppressant system unexpectedly discharged exposing employee to small amount of dry chemical suppressant. Employee medically evaluated off-site and diagnosed with lung irritation, the returned to work with restrictions (i.e. no undue exertion and no exposure to "fumes". Note: There was no fire on the vehicle.

Employee was operating haul truck when top of bed was struck by loader bucket.

Employee was carrying object that partially obstructed forward view along walking path. Employee walked into a section of metal screw conveyor, resulting in serious contusion to front of right leg, between knee and ankle.

Employee was working under high wind condition when he felt something in his right eye. Supervisor flushed eye for 25 minutes, then transported employee to medical care facility for further evaluation. Medical facility diagnosed employee with conjunctivitis and prescribed an antibiotic for use in right eye. Employee returned to work w/ no lost time or restricted duty.

Employee was shoveling in the cooler and twisted and injured his back.

Employee and co worker were engaged in replacing sampler near building and large stone conveyor belt. Fork lift operator hit the start/stop button of the conveyor belt with fork lift shutting down the conveyor. Employee struggled with auto sampler when the conveyor belt stopped.

Injured employee was operating Haul Truck. Truck was stationary while being loaded with ore (limestone). Loader Operator accidentally struck bed of Haul Truck with Loader bucket during operations causing Haul Truck to shake violently. Haul Truck Operator reported lower back pain as a result of the incident.

The employee was changing the gate from silo 8 to silo 9 when he felt a sharp pain in his back.

The employee was tack welding two pieces of metal with a wire welder. The employee had a lapse in concentration and stabbed himself in the fire with the hot wire.

The employee was working on the north screen tower dust collection system when lime dust got into his eye.

He was traveling behind the Kiln 4 ID fan on what he thought was dry ground. There was mud underneath and his foot slipped. As he slipped he attempted to tense up to secure himself and injured his back.

The employee was sitting in the lunchroom eating. He had been grinding earlier in the day. He did wash his hands and blow off his body. While sitting in the lunchroom some material fell into his eye and he proceeded to rub it out. The material did not come out of his eye he then proceeded to wash it out. His eye was in pain and he was taken to medical treatment.

The employee was laying under the seasoning chamber of the hydrator vacuuming the area. As the hose was being moved around it whipped around hitting his left knee, leaving a bruise.

Automated control system shut down the coal mill as designed after detecting a high temp at the mill outlet. An error in the programming logic associated with the inlet air damper caused the damper to not fully open, stopping cool air from entering the mill. During the restart of the mill a loud noise was heard within it. There was no damage to the mill and there were no injuries.

The employee was using a sledge hammer on the kiln 4 chat bin to loosen material from the side of it. One of the blows of the hammer caused a pain in his right wrist.

There was a loss of feed to the coal mill because of wet frozen coal, which caused the mill temperature to increase. Also, because there was a loss of feed, there was an increase in dust as well, which then produced a pop inside the mill. No one was injured and there was no damaged equipment.

On 09/17/13 the employee was walking up a flight of stairs by kiln 3 (He was unladened and the stairs were not damaged.) As he approached the top of the stairs he felt a sharp pain in the front center of his left leg.

Employee fell off the steps of a service truck. Thought he was nearing the ground and missed the last step. He fell backwards and caught himself with his hand. Has a contusion on his left hand

Raking scale on K-2 when he felt a pull in his back.

Employee was removing a hot air spool piece from the #4 coal mill, there was tension on the crane supporting the piece during disassembly, and when the employee struck the piece to free it, it bounced up, and struck the person on the right hand.

Turned a truck on its side while descending into the central dump area, when brakes failed to slow the vehicle.

Lubrication Person sprained his ankle while exiting a drilling machine. No lost time. no restriction. Miner was prescribed Physical Therapy 03/16/2012.

Production laborer was shoveling some -5/8" lime stone - in the process he said he felt his lower back pop. The result was a Lumbar strain. No lost days. The Dr. restricted his work and prescribed medication.

Working on repairing overhead A/C unit, cut tip of R.H. finger on fan blade.

Utility Operator was turning back looking backwards when the loader he was operating jerked causing an injury to his upper back.

Employee stepped over handrail to catwalk, his right ankle rolled over when he put his weight on it. he finished his shift and then went to the doctor.

Assistant Kiln operator was raking scale from kiln #3. Kiln puffed blowing lime dust into his left eye. Corneal abrasion to the left eye.

Kiln 0perator was removing some built up scale from the kiln grates when a piece of scale contacted the rake. The rake bounced up and bumped his right ear, causing a laceration to the ear. No restriction, no impairment the doctor closed the wound with sutures and treated for infection.

Employee was walking up stairs when his foot caught on the top step, causing him to trip. He struck his right wrist on a beam.

Maintenance Mechanic strained his back while opening a large sliding door in the shop building.

Employee was using a jackhammer to clean scale from a kiln, got dust in his eyes resulting in burning.

Excavator Operator slipped and fell to ground while mounting machine. Causing a contusion to his back.

Maintenance Man was removing a cut bolt from the counterweight of a conveyor belt take up pulley with a punch. When the section of bolt came out, the couterweight relaxed, causing the punch to be deflected into the mechanics finger. Caused a fracture to the middle finger, left hand.

Rail car mover operator jarred his upper back when rail cars collided. Resulting in a strain to upper back.

Loader operator was dismounting a loader bumping his elbow on metal chassis on the way down. Caused a contusion to the right elbow.

Maintenance Man was removing an "I" beam from an elevated surface. The beam bumped his knee on the way down causing a contusion to the right knee.

Vacume truck operator was pulling a vacuum hose and felt pain in groin. Causing a strain to the right side of groin.

Laborer smashed his finger between a jackhammer and support structure. Causing contusion of the left index finger.

Miner was cleaning out a chute with a hammer when right hand index (3rd) finger came in contact with some metal support structure. Causing a fracture of his finger.

Maintenance Person was using a chain hoist and struck his right elbow on a steel wall.

Miner tripped catching himself with right hand causing laceration to hand.

Coal mill air lock kicked out, stopping coal feed, causing the mill to heat leading to the possible ignition. No damage noted.

Miner was closing a rail car lid and strained his back.

Miner was cleaning out Kiln 4 preheater with a jackhammer when he strained his right shoulder.

Miner was sampling #4 kiln when some lime blew into his eye causing a burn

Miner was patching a conveyor belt. Using a pry bar to pull the belt back together. The bar slipped off and came in contact with the right side of his lip.Laceration to the right side of the upper lip.

While assending stairs employee slipped catching himself with left hand. He caught the fall but heard a pop in his left shoulder.

Employee bumped hand while cleaning in kiln 4 preheater.

Employee was moving a rail switch, felt a sharp pain in his right side.

Using a jackhammer to remove build-up from preheater, pinched right thumb.

Using a jackhammer to clear a plugged chute, hammer slipped injuring his right index finger.

Walking in the plant yard, the employee stepped into a pothole, twisting his ankle.

Using a jackhammer to remove scale from preheater, employee strained his back.

arm pulled into vacuum hose

Employee was pulling a vacuum hose and felt a "pop" in his upper back.

Employee was working in the lab, contacted the outside of oven when reaching for something at a level below the counter top. Resulted in 2nd deg burn to shoulder. Degree of medical treatment was not realized until now because she was off due to an unrelated personal illness until 9-4-08.

Employee was stepping from a MAC dump truck, stepped down on a rock, turned ankle.

Employee was cutting hose for the vacuum truck, knife slipped and cut through his glove into the palm of his hand.

Employee was operating a vacuum truck, smacked his finger between vacuum hose and a hopper he was working near.

Employee was shoveling coal, twisted and strained his back

Trying to reset cable on pulley of DCL control, caught finger in cable and tore tip off.

Strained back while opening a rail switch.

Worker was climbing down a ladder when his foot slipped, causing him to fall.

Using a jackhammer to break-up scale in the kiln preheater, hammer body caught on the ram and lacerated two fingers of his right hand

Exiting the Trackmobile, fell and struck his hand on the corner of the ramp he was exiting to.

Jackhammer steel lock failed, allowing the steel to come out of the hammer noze, pinching operators finger between hammer noze and preheater wall.

Employee was setting the brake on a rail car, in stepping from the coupling, he turned his ankle, resulting in a sprain.

Employee was lifting a rail car vibrator into a pickup truck when he felt a pop or tear in his right shoulder.

Raking scale from Kiln 3 cooler grate, stepped off platform & rolled ankle on a piece of rock laying on the floor.

Going up stairs, slipped & hit knee on stair.

Raking scale from kiln 4 grate, a large piece fell on the rake, causing it to jump and strike the employee in the elbow.

Inspecting stone handling conveyor belts - felt something in his left eye, which got under his contact lense.

Using a jackhammer, the weight of the hammer contributed to back and neck soreness.

Cleaning/ vacuuming Hydrated lime spillage, dust went up his pant legs, combined with sweat to produce irration/ burning.

Employee went into the Kiln #3 cooler pit to inspect the south belt tail pulley. There was standing water in the cooler from a broken water pipe, which mixed with lime spilled from the cooler belt to produce a slick slurry. The employee slipped and fell into the slurry. He received burning from the lime to parts of his legs, groin & wist that were wetted by the slurry.

Employee was entering a kiln through the discharge end when he tripped and fell foreward, smashing his right ring finger with a sledge hammer he was carrying.

Stepped on a rock & sprained his left ankle.

Employee was walking out of conference room from safety meeting when she tripped on a carpet, resulting in fracture of left olecranon process of ulna.

Strained back picking rock from conveyor walkway.

Employee was dumping a hopper into a truck, the latch failed to catch when the hopper was lowered, so he attempted to latch by hand. On the second attempt to push the latch in he pinched his right pinkey finger in the mechanism.

Employee was moving hot scale at a kiln discharge end when he smashed his right little finger between the push bar and cooler leveler.

Employee was walking down a small slope between Kiln 1 and the truck loading area, when he stepped on a rock, causing him to twist his left ankle.

Foreign material blew into employee's right eye while he was operating a Bobcat, moving dirt from a berm between primary screen tower and old hoisting system.

Employee was unplugging sleeves in the #1 kiln cooler, felt weak & dizzy.

EE felt back pain while untying boots at end of the shift.

Employee was entering office misstepped and fell. with her leg going between the steps and office building. She has a bruise and a welt on her left knee.

Employee was cleaning a blockage from a stone feeder in the tunnel under the 2" stone pile. The blockage moved suddenly causing the employee to pinch his left fourth finger between the feeder and bar he was using.

Employee was working with a fellow electrician on the oxygen analyzer for the #1 preheater. The employee lifted the analyzer to hand to the electrician he was working with and felt his back pop. He then felt pain and could barely stand up.

EMPLOYEE WAS SETTING BRAKE ON A RAILCAR. HE STEPPED DOWN OFF THE RAILCAR AND LANDED ON SOME LOOSE ROCK, TWISTING HIS ANKLE.

EE WENT TO INSPECT THE OLD HOISTING SCREEN AREA CHUTES FOR HOLES. EMPLOYEE STEPPED UP THE STAIRS GOING TO THE BACK OF THE SCREEN AND SLIPPED ON A ROCK WHEN HE WAS COMING BACK DOWN THE STAIRS.

EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING DOWN THE STAIRWAY NEAR KILN I AND SLIPPED ON SOME ROCKS. THE STAIRWAY AND PLATFORMS WERE COVERED WITH ROCK SPILLAGE. THE EMPLOYEE COULD HAVE CHOSEN A DIFFERENT ROUTE, BUT DID NOT.

(2 EMPLOYEES WERE INJURED.) WHILE RACKING IN A CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE 4,160 V SWITCH GEAR, AN ARC FLASH OCCURRED, BURNING THE EMPLOYEE. THIS EMPLOYEE RECEIVED 2ND DEGREE BURNS TO HIS FACE.

(2 EMPLOYEES WERE INJURED.) WHILE RACKING IN A CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE 4,160 V SWITCH GEAR, AN ARC FLASH OCCURRED, BURNING THE EMPLOYEE. THIS EMPLOYEE RECEIVED 1ST & 2ND DEGREE BURNS TO HIS FACE AND BOTH ARMS.

EE WAS MOVING BUCKETS OF GREASE BY THE NORTH LIME SCREEN. HE STEPPED ONTO SOME SCREEN PARTS THAT WERE IN HIS WAY AND TWISTED HIS LEFT ANKLE. HE MADE HIS WAY DOWN THE STAIRS AND TWISTED IT AGAIN.

THE HYDRATOR WAS PLUGGED. EMPLOYEE WAS ASSISTING. OTHER EMPLOYEE BENT DOWN CLEANING OFF THE MAGNET ON HUMMER SCREEN WHEN HE STOOD UP CAUSING LIME TO STIR UP. WIND BLEW THE LIME PARTICLES TOWARD INJURED AND WENT INTO HIS LEFT EYE. HE WAS WEARING SAFETY GLASSES. HE WASHED EYES AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DR. HE HAS CONJUNCTIVITIS AND AN ABRASION OF THE EYE.

EMPLOYEE WAS IN THE WAREHOUSE YARD GETTING SOME NUMBER ID OFF OF THE CONVEYOR BELT. WHILE DOING THIS HE STEPPED WRONG OFF OF A RAILROAD TIE THAT WAS USED TO SEPARATE THE BELTS. THIS CAUSED HIM TO TWIST HIS RT. KNEE.

EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING BACK TO THE FIRE DECK. HE REACHED FOR THE HANDRAIL TO GO UP THE STAIRS AND BUMPED THE BACK OF HIS RT. HAND AGAINST THE HANDRAIL.

Employee was sliding a 1" screen cloth off the back of the maintenance 450 Ford flatbed truck. As he moved the screen, he smashed his middle finger, on his right hand, between the truck bed and the metal screen.

Employee was raking scale in the kiln and felt a slight pain on his left side in the groin area. He did not report right away - he had a personal dr. appointment. The doctor said he had a hernia. He went to the company dr. on 6/13/05.

Employee was opening doors on a railcar and saw an extension cord hanging down. He went to move the cord. When he was moving the cord he was looking up. Lime fell and covered the employee, lime got in his eye.

While loading rail cars the employee was climbing from the loading platform onto the top of the rail cars. He was opening the doors on top of the cars for loading. He twisted his back while performing his job.

Employee was lifting anfo bags for a blast. The anfo bags weigh 50 pounds each.

EE was removing an ash ring from inside kiln #3 using an air-hammer. The ash ring collapsed striking EE's right hand, both thighs, right knee & right hip. EE was inexperienced on this job and was not instructed about the dangers of this job by his supervisor.

Repairing GMC 5 ton dump truck he was installing drive to carrier bearing bracket when drive slipped and fell, striking his left knee. Original treatment was some physical therapy, no time lost and no limitations. Injury developed to a point where Dr recommends minor surgery.

AN EMPTY TRUCK RETURNING FROM THE DUMP AREA COLLIDED (SIDE /SIDE) WITH A LOADED TRUCK GOING TO THE DUMP AT A BEND IN THE ROAD. THE REAR OF THE EMPTY TRUCK HIT THE SIDE OF THE LOADED TRUCK.

EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING IN THE BAG HOUSE CLEANING THE FLOOR WHEN HE STEPPED DOWN & STEPPED THROUGH A HOLE.

TURNED ANKLE DESCENDING STAIRS - RESULTED IN SPRAIN.

Ee set up a come-a-long to pull out a slide gate, and applied slight tension to hold while he went to get help to finish. The gate suddenly popped out resulting in a flow of product and cloud of dust.

Ee was helping another ee unload material from a pallet. The ee accidentally dropped a piece of steel plate on the ee's foot due to slippery gloves he was wearing. The gloves were slippery due to previously coming in contact with lime. The steel plate landed just before his steel toe.

EE WAS HELPING ANOTHER EE UNLOAD MATERIAL FROM A PALLET. THE OTHER EE ACCIDENTLALLY DROPPED A PIECE OF STEEL PLATE ON THE EE'S FOOT DUE TO SLIPPERY GLOVES HE WAS WEARING. THE GLOVES WERE SLIPP ERY DUE TO PREVIOUSLY COMING IN CONTACT W/LIME. THE STEEL PLATE LANDED JUST BEFORE HIS STEEL TOE.

WHILE GRINDING SAMPLES, A PIECE OF LIME FLEW UP, THEN CAUGHT IN EE'S LEFT EYE.

DEBRIS FELL INTO MECHANICS EYE WHILE WORKING ON UNDER-CARRIAGE.

EE WAS GETTING OFF OF A SMALL HAUL TRUCK WHEN HESLIPPED ON THE STEP & FELL TO THE GROUND. HE LANDED ON HIS BACK, INJURING HIS LEFT HIP TO HIS SHOULDER.

EMPLOYEE WAS GOING INTO THE RESTROOM STALL AND SLIPPED ON WATER.

EE WAS CLEANING A TRANSFER CHUTE WHILE STANDING ON A PLATFORM. EE FELL FROM PLATFORM AND SUSTAINED A SCALP LACERATION./

A REPAIR TECH FOR A CONTRACTOR WAS TROUBLESHOOTING AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH A COMPRESSOR. W/O LOCKING OUT THE POWER SUPPLY, HE ATTEMPTED TO ROTATE THE PHASES OF POWER SUPPLY TO THE COMPRESSO R. TWO OF THE WIRES TOUCHED EACH OTHER, CAUSING FLASH. EE SUFFERED FLASH BURNS TO HIS EYES AND LEFT ARM.

THE HAUL TRUCK WAS BACKING UP TO THE LOADER. THE BUCKET ON THE LOADER WASN'T RAISED HIGH ENOUGH AND THE HAUL TRUCK AND THE LOADER HIT. THE ABRUPT STOP JARRED THE HAUL TRUCK DRIVERS BACK. HE FE LT PAIN IN HIS LOWER BACK AND LEGS IMMEDIATLY.

WHILE OPERATING EXCAVATOR W/ROCK BUCKET, A DUMP TRK OWNED BY H20 ENVIRONMENTAL WAS BACKING UO NEXT TO THE EXCAVATOR THE TAILGATE SWUNG OPEN ONTHE DUMP TRK PINNED EE'S LEG INSIDE THE CAB OF T HE EXCAVATOR. DURING THE CONTINUING BACK OF THE DUMP TRK EE'S LEG RECD A BIG GASH/WOUND HE WAS TAKEN TO MH VIEW HOSPITAL