Bonanza Mines Metal/Non-Metal

A miner was removing ice from a shaft wall when the miner slipped and fell catching self with their right arm. The miner was evaluated and given a full release with no restrictions. On Tuesday February 11, 2025, the miner was reevaluated and given a work release with restrictions pending an MRI. MRI results showed a partial tendon tear and small fracture in the right shoulder.

Miner tripped on slope with chipping hammer. When they fell the moil in the chipping hammer punctured their left hand, requiring stiches.

Miner was setting a timber with a floorboard. The timber was head height to the injured miner. The floorboard missed the timber coming out of the miners hand, striking the injured miners foot.

Not wearing gloves while changing fluorescent light bulb. Bulb exploded cutting right thumb at the knuckle. Required 6 stitches.

Employee placed ladder against unstable object while trying to hook up unstable object to a crane. The object fell over while employee was on the ladder. Ladder fell to the side and the employee fell on a concrete block injuring right side.

Miner stepped on board that was hidden under muck. This board had a nail in it and the miner stepped on this nail with EE's left foot causing a puncture wound.

Miners traveling down a shaft in a cage with timbers in it. Traveled to bottom working floor, checked mine phone and started traveling up to top working floor. Timber in cage tipped out catching a shaft timber and pushing timber in the cage against miners back. Miner had a check up on 4/25/2023 and was prescribed medication and prescription was filled.

Employee was installing a timber on the slope, with feet planted employee twisted upper body causing knee cap to pop out of place.

Employee stepped on the mining slope/face, a rock under employee's foot came loose causing employee to fall about 5 feet landing on employee's feet injuring back.

Miner got a foreign object in eye.

THE EMPLOYEE WAS AT THE FACE MEASURING ORE RESERVES, THERE WAS A MINER AT THE TOP OF THE SLOPE MINING. A GILSONITE CHUNK BROKE OFF, ROLLED DOWN THE SLOPE AND HIT THE EMPLOYEE IN THE CHEEK.

Employee was using Bustar to break rocks. The employee got some of this rock breaking agent on their thighs and wrists resulting in 2nd degree chemical burns.

Employee was using Bustar to break rocks in wet conditions. Bustar is a combination of limestone and dolomite and was still wet. The employee lifted a rock and Bustar ran down arms under coat. Employee noticed arms burning and flushed it off.

Employee was cutting a hitch in the rib with an air hammer. The moil broke and punctured the miners hand resulting in the miner receiving four stitches to close the wound.

Miner was pulling a slope board at the face, a chunk of Gilsonite hit the board and flipped it into the air causing it to contact the miner in the jaw.

Employee was placing a pulverizer wheel onto a shaft, the wheel slipped pinching employee's finger causing a laceration

Employee was removing a pump, wind blew a piece of metal in EE's eye. Doctor remover it with a needle and gave EE a prescription antibiotic

Employee was securing a section of the rib, a rock came loose striking the employee on the chin and chest.

Employee was at the slope, a rock 6 inches in diameter rolled down the slope, the employee blocked it with their hand

While moving density logging tool, employee slipped and tool fell from hand injury to tendon in arm.

Employee took annual hearing test and recorded a substantial shift. I sent employee to a doctor in town, once again a substantial shift, I put the employee through the MSHA part 62 training and went over available hearing protection

Miner cutting hitch for timber when a rock fell off the rib and struck him.

Employee was going to get ice melter when slipped on ice. Caught self from falling but pulled muscles in left knee and hip. Employee went to a doctor at a later date (2/15/2016) and was given a light duty release making this accident reportable.

Welder helping electrician reinstall fuses. Employee tripped and fell descending a berm in work area causing a fall which resulted in a fracture to right elbow area.

Truck driver missed bottom step while getting out of truck causing a moderate ankle sprain.

Hoistman passed out or fainted due to a medical condition.

Chipping rock in narrow area, moil glanced off of rock and struck miner in the foot.

Stepped on a loose board, causing it to teeter up and hit him in the face, causing a chipped tooth.

Employee tripped while climbing stairs, landed on his left knee causing a laceration that required stitches.

Employee states that he re-positioned a rotary valve on a pallet, as he stood up, felt a cramp in his abdomen. Went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with a bleeding aneurysm. This is a medical condition.

Employee states that he lifted his chipping hammer to mine ore when the moil glanced off of the wall and cut his left palm.

Piece of rock fell out of rib and struck miner in the left foot causing a fracture.

Miner was working with the airlift stinger pipe when the suction of the airlift pulled his right hand into the pipe, causing a laceration to his right hand between his index and middle finger.

Miners tested and determined they had some loose rock in the rib, as the injured miners helper went to get tools to remove the rock, a piece fell and struck him in the chin and on his left wrist causing lacerations that needed stitches.

Employee was walking to the portable toilet, slipped and fell, catching himself with his right arm, this aggravated a pre-existing condition in his right shoulder.

Miner was using a 1.5" fire hose to fill steam cleaner with water, his co-worker noticed a kink in the hose, as he straightened it out, it caused a sudden release of water that pushed the miner down and dislocation to his right ankle.

Employee states that prolonged use of chipping hammer and use of shovel caused tendonitis in both of his elbows.

Caught in lifting strap

Miners working to install airlift/ventilation system, lost grip on a board that they were using for landing material striking miner on his right shoulder. Causing a fractured bone in shoulder.

Employee claims that he was descending the ladder down the side of the ore haulage truck when his foot slipped off the rung, causing him to fall and strike his left elbow and tail bone on the steps of the truck.

Employee states that he was loading a rock into the skip, as he lifted the rock, he pinched his left middle finger between the rock and the cribbing causing a fracture at the tip of his finger.

Employee was driving a holdown wedge on a shaft timber when the axe that he was using glanced off the rock wall and struck him on his left pinky finger, causing a fracture.

Employee states that he was carrying supplies to the working face when he slipped and strained his back.

Individual was underground cutting drift and felt a sharp in his back. He then reported it. He came to the surface and reported to the hospital for an exam.

Miner was cutting a timber hitch in the rock wall when the moil bounced out of the rock surface and struck the miner in the palm of his left hand causing a laceration that needed stitches to close.

Employee was carrying a timber to the sawhorse when he tripped, causing the timber that he was carrying to strike him in the chin, causing a laceration that had to be closed with stitches.

As employee stepped from stairs to ground level, he stepped on a rock, causing him to lose his balance, as employee caught his balance he had a strain in his lower back. This accident was not reported until 03-09-2012.

Employee states that when he was carrying timber to the working area, he stepped on an uneven surface and rolled his ankle. This caused a sprain to his right ankle.

EE states that after punching a 2.5' set of drift in conglomerated Gilsonite and rock, that he tested a rock in the back for stability, after he determined it to be solid, he started cutting his hitch when a piece of the rock came off, striking him on his right leg, causing a fracture to his knee and ankle.

Miner was at the bottom of the slope trying to clear a plugged airlift pipe when a lump of Gilsonite rolled down the slope, pinning his right thumb between the lump and the airlift stinger pipe.

Electrician was reaching into a pickup mounted tool box and had a muscle spasm in his lower back.

While using the table saw, employees left thumb inadvertently came in contact with saw blade resulting in partial amputation.

As employee was enroute to work she turned from Uintah County Rd. 3460 onto State Rd. 45 and drove through the smoke from the ER Plant fire. She had her drivers side window down and inhaled some smoke causing her to have a COPD attack. We gave her Oxygen on site then she went to Ashley Regional Med. Center and received a one time treatment of Albuteral for this occurrence.

At approximately 12:25 AM an unplanned fire occurred at the ER Plant, no injuries occurred and all employees were accounted for. The damage is to the processing, flaking, sacking and warehouse areas. The accident investigation is still ongoing so the cause is still undetermined.

Installing a timber on the slope, slipped and caught his balance, but said that he felt a pull in his abdomen at his navel, hernia. This incident was not reported until 10/18/2011 by phone call from witness.

Miner was trimming a guide in the shaft when the cage moved upward pinching his left arm between the cage and a shaft timber causing contusion to his lower arm. The hoistman had received a call on the mine phone telling him that the cage was released, he made them repeat this three times, then he moved the cage up causing the accident. No one will admit to making the phone call.

Hoistman was descending the stairs from the hoisting platform when he slipped and twisted his left knee, aggravating a pre-existing condition (torn meniscus). A MRI was performed on 10/14/11 and employer was notified of condition 12/1/11 making this reportable.

Miner was sinking shaft when his partner knocked a timber down from the landing just above him, striking him in the head causing a mild concussion.

Miner was carrying a vent pipe that had a sharp edge that cut his finger.

Miner was cutting hitches, his partner was doing the same, when his partner was finished he went to put his chipping hammer down and stabbed miner in the ankle.

Miner was carrying timber back to the working face when he slipped and fell, tried to catch himself with his left hand and fractured his ring finger.

Lifting a box of pipe fittings felt pop on right lower abdomen. Employee thought that he was not injured at the time of accident, however the employee decided to go to the doctor on 5/10/11 and was diagnosed with a hernia, making this a reportable accident.

EE slipped on the tailgate and fell into the 2" receiver ball on the hitch of the truck. EE had a bruised kidney and a bruise on his back. Conditions were cold, snowy with icy conditions.

When reaching down to pickup lumber to load on cage, miner was bitten by a rattlesnake that was hidden under the shaft collar boards.

Checking condition of lumber on the shaft landing. When he walked out on the rotten lumber, it broke out from under him causing him to free fall approx 8'. The decelerator stretched out 3' for a total distance of 11'. His forehead made contact with the jagged boards as he went thru causing the laceration needing 7 stitches.

collapsed and bumped his head, causing a laceration above his left eye.

While repairing flaker belt, left middle finger was caught between dr. knife and belt. Caused a laceration requiring 8 stiches.

While mucking rock, employee injured his back.

While mining on a slope with a chipping hammer, the hammers slipped through the ore stabbing him in the left foot.

While cutting a hitch during mining a piece of ore hit him in the right eye.

While mining, was sliding down the slope and twisted left knee.

While bagging, a 2000 lb. bulk bag fell on his hand.

While mining, the moil broke on the chipping hammer, pinning the miners thumb between the wall and the chipping hammer.

Miner was being handed a timber and his finger got in the way and smashed. Index finger on right hand was broken and required stitches.

While mining, he slipped on a wet board and fell down the slope, breaking his ribs.

While mining, the airlift pipe came down on finger, smashing it between the airlift pipe and the timber.

While carrying airlift pipe, he slipped and fell. Causing injury to right shoulder and elbow.

While mining, he was trying to step up onto the bench by pulling himself up with a rope, he felt something in his shoulder pull. Had pain and could not lift his arm.

While using an angle grinder, his hand slipped. The angle grinder struck his left forearm, causing a 3" laceration requiring stitches.

While working in shaft, the shaft level fell from the ladder falling about 5 to 10 feet. Hit miner, smashing his hand between the level and the chipping hammer.

While timbering, miner stepped on a rock and twisted his knee. Causing him to fall.

While pulling up boards to lower mine floor, a board with a nail in it slipped from one miner's hand and hit another one in the hand. Punctured and broke index finger on left hand.

While mining with a chipping hammer, a rock rolled down the slope and hit him in the head. Received a bump on head, went to hospital. He reported that the hospital told him he had a concussion. Employer has not seen that report from the doctor.

While stacking bags on a pallet at the ER plant, his foot became stuck in the pallet. He fell down and sprained his ankle. Upon standing, he could not put weight on it.

While doing electrical work, he slipped and fell from a ladder, landing on his left hip and elbow.

While pulling wires from a electrical panel, an arc and/or explosion occured. The employee received burns on arms, neck and face.

While timbering in a mine, the mine axe in use bounced back striking employee in the head above the right eye, required stitches.

Struck head on low timber, injuring neck and back.

Operator was observing another operator swing a hammer sheering bolts with a wedge. The hammer struck the hood for the flaker belt and bounced back, striking him in the arm.

While putting a spool of electrical cable into back of truck. He dropped the spool and it tipped over and caught his finger between the spool and the tool box. Causing a laceration requiring stitches.

Traveling down the shaft, the skip got stuck. Hoistman pulled on the skip, it became unstuck quickly and jumped up the shaft causing left knee to hit the side of skip, resulting in dislocation and bruising.

While trying to remove a bearing with a pry bar a piece of it broke off, hitting him in the face. Imbedded in left cheek.

Timbering in B-48. Fell from a ladder, landing on right arm. Arm is fractured.

While timbering, employee was climbing down the ladder and fell from the ladder. Reported back pain.

While changing clothes to begin shift, something stung or bit him, causing swelling and inflammation. Three days later, on follow up appointment, hand is swollen and infected.

Breaking lumps of ore to put into the air lift, he reached down to pick one up when another one rolled down the slope smashing his right hand between two lumps of ore. Hand is bruised and swollen.

Chipping rock from wall, rock particals shot through safety glasses, into eye.

Chipping rock with a pneumatic chipping hammer, hammer slipped out of ore and hit left pinky finger. Laceration to finger, requiring stiches.

Chipping ore with a pneumatic chipping hammer. Hammer slipped from the ore and punctured left foot with the moil.

Electrician repairing light. Fell from ladder, landing on his back.

While sacking ore at the ER Plant, moving a bag from the sacker to the pallet, he pulled a muscle in his groin area.

Timbering in mine, rock rolled down the slope and hit him in the head.

Inspecting pockets on pocket feeder, as he was removing the cover, the cover fell. As he tried to catch it with his left hand, he lost his balance and his middle finger on right hand came in contact with the moving feeder. Cutting off bottom tip of finger.

Mining with pneumatic chipping hammer. Ran moil into left hand. Requiring stitches at emergency room.

Employee was walking, slipped on snow-packed and icy area injuring his left shoulder and left knee.

The employee's vehicle had become stuck in some snow on the side of the road. A non-employee was driving down the road and ran into the back of the employee's vehicle. The employee went in to an urgent care clinic because of low back and neck pain.

Putting TBCH pellets in water by hand with cloth gloves on, later rubbed eyes with bare hands and caused irritation.

Employee was being lifted in a man-basket by a crane to disassemble a metal bin. The crane wire rope wrapped incorrectly allowing the rope to become loose, dropping the basket a ways. Employee complained of pain and sprained muscles.

Employee was exiting the skip and stepped into the manway hole falling forward and twisting knee and ankle.

Was setting boards down across shaft to access airlift pipe that needed to be repaired. Board broke when he stepped on it and he fell a total of 80' and hit several landings on the way down. Has broken ribs, punctured lung, laceration on spleen and kidney, teeth knocked out, part of right ear torn off, multiple lacerations and contusions.

He was carrying a 20 gallon propane bottle down a small incline, he slipped and strained his hip muscle while catching himself from falling.

Was gathering tools in the bottom of the shaft, the individual working above dislodged a 2"x8"x6' board that fell about 5-10 feet and struck him on the right forearm. The board bruised the forearm.

Was climbing down a bench on the slope working area and turned or sprained ankle.

Employee was walking on a gilsonite pillar to retrieve air lift pipe, the pillar gave way and he fell approximately ten to twelve feet landing on the mining machine a level below.

Employee finished hanging a super sack, as he came down, he tripped on a newly installed guard for the scales and hit his knee against the guard.

Employee was holding a wire cable on a pulley to steady it. His glove caught on the cable and his thumb was pulled into the pulley injuring him.

Employee was cleaning the IR Flaker Tank Vent Lines. He was drilling a vent line when the shaft got caught on his glove and broke his thumb.

While scrapping the pan he bumped his finger.

Employee was shrinking plastic covers on palletized gilsonite goods.He was shaking the cover to open it, then he threw the cover up and over on the goods, while throwing the cover he twisted causing pain in his back.

Employee was opening a 1" oil valve to restart oil circulation, a second oil valve leaked, spraying hot oil onto the employee's arm and fingers.

Employee was removing insulation and putting insulation on hot oil lines. While doing so, he accidently leaned his right arm against a 580 degree hot oil line. Employee's right arm was burned.

Employee was shoveling ore. He was making a "crossing over his body" motion with the shovel full of ore and in the process twisted his lower back.

Employee was cutting timbers. As he pulled the board towards him, to make a cut, his hand slipped under the blade of the saw.

Miner was setting a stall. He was lifting an axe over head and strained his middle back while swinging an axe.

Employee was standing on a elevated step cleaning the IR weir pan. He lost his footing while stepping down. He fell aproximately 16"; landing with his right knee hitting the concrete floor. Intial reports indicate fractured knee cap and torn ligaments.

EE WAS TURNING AND FLIPPING 50# BAGS OF GILSONITE ON THE LOAD PLATES. HE PULLED A TENDON IN HIS WRIST/ARM WHILE DOING THIS PROCEDURE

A 50# BAG OF GILSONITE WAS LODGED IN THE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM. hE PULLED ON BAG IN ORDER TO DISLODGE IT. LATER HE COMPLAINED OF A SORE MUSCLE

MINER WAS USING AN AIR OPERATED CHIPPING HAMMER. HE WAS CUTTING A "TIMBER HITCH" IN A CERTICLE ROCK FACE. THE BIT BOUNCED FROM THE ROCK ONTO HIS HAND

EE OBSERVED A FORKLIFT OPERATOR MOVING A BAG OF GILSONITE. HE DESIRED TO CROSS THE WORKING PATH OF THE FORKLIFT. EE WAITED UNTIL THE OPERATOR STARTED TO SET THE LOAD DOWN, THEN WALKED BEHIND THE FORKLIFT. THE FORKLIFT BACKED INTO HIM.

DIVERTER NOT FULLY CLOSED, ALLOWING GILSONITE TO BUILD-UP ON BUTTERFLY GATE. EMPLOYEE FAILED TO TURN OFF & LOCKOUT BIN FEEDER. EE WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXPLORE/CLEAN OUT BUILD-UP WHEN HE PLACED HIS RT. HAND INTO THE OPERATING FEEDER. EE'S (3)MIDDLE FINGERS WERE AMPUTATED, DISTAL TO MIDDLE JOINT.

EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING A DRILLING RIG. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WAS GRINDING METAL USING A DISK GRINDER. GRINDING PARTICLES WERE PROJECTED INTO THE DRILLER'S RIGHT EYE.

ANOTHER EMPLOYEE KNOCKED A ROCK OFF A TIMBER WHILE INSTALLING A LADDER. INJURED LOOKED UP & THE ROCK HIT HIM IN THE NOSE.

EMPLOYEE WAS MOVING WOODEN PALLETS FROM STACK. PALLETS WERE FROZEN TOGETHER. EMPLOYEE INJURED HIS LEFT SHOULDER WHILE STRAINING AND SEPARATING PALLETS.

EE WAS REPAIRING SHAFT. HE WAS SWINGING AN AXE DOWNWARD DRIVING IN A TIMBER. ON THE WAY DOWN THE AXE STRUCK A SUPPORT, DEFLECTING THE AXE ONTO THIS RIGHT FOOT.

EE WALKED INTO THE FIRE WATER SHED TO OPERATE A SMALL WATER VALVE. HE FELT A BUG CRAWLING ON HIS LEG. HE SWATTED IT. HE FELT A SING. HE REMOVED THE DEAD BUG AND FOUND IT TO BE A BLACK WIDOW SP IDER. HE HAD LEFT HIS PANTS ON SITE OVER THE WEEKEND AND SUSPECT THE SPIDER HAD CRAWLED IN THEN.

EE WAS GRINDING STEEL AGAINST A BENCH GRINDER WHEEL. HE LOST CONTROL, THE METAL BOUND AGAINST THE WHEEL, AND WAS MOVED BY THE WHEEL. DURING THIS TIME HIS LEFT THUMB GOT AGAINST THE GRINDING WH EEL.

EMPLOYEE WALKED ACROSS FILLED AREA. THE 15'HIGH FILLED AREA WAS SUPPORTED FROM THE BOTTOM WITH TIMBER & PLANK. AS HE WALKED ACROSS THE 2-3'WIDE FILLED SECTION IT GAVE WAY. EMPLOYEE FELL APX 15 ' & STRUCK A LANDING, FELL ANOTHER 20' & STRUCK ANOTHER LANDING, THEN FELL 20'.

WHEN EMPLOYEE WAS LIFTING AND PLACING CONCRETE FORMS HE LOST HIS FOOTING AND STRAINED HIS LOWER BACK.

WHEN LIFTING A BUCKET OF ORE SAMPLES (ABOUT 40#) NOTICED AND ACHE IN LEFT WRIST AT 0530. AT 0600 COULD NOT ROTATE WRIST OR GRIP WITH LEFT HAND. ALSO NOTCIED BRUISING OF WRIST.

EMPLOYEE WHILE USING 1/2" ELECTRIC DRILL, THE BIT BOUND UP AND THE DRILL MOTOR ROTATED, PINCHINGTHE SMALL FINGER AGAINST THE MATERIAL.

EMPLOYEE WAS USING A 3/4" WRENCH TO TURN NUT ON A PUMP PACKING GLAND. THE MAJORITY OF THE STRAIN OF THE WRENCH WAS ON HIS FINGER.

EE WAS BAGGING 55 POUND BAGS. HE WAS TAKING A FULL BAG OFF OF BAGGING MACHINE TO PLACE IT ON THE BAG SCALE WHEN HE STRAINED A MUSCLE IN HIS BACK.

EE WAS WORKING WITH A CREW TO COVER MINE OPENINGS INSTALLING CHANNEL IRON SUPPORTS WHILE LIFTING& MOVING THE CHANNEL IRON EE STRAINED HIS LOWER BACK. EE FINISHED THIS SHIFT & WORKED HIS REGULA R SCHEDULE UNTIL 1/25/02 ON 1/28/02 EE CALLED & SAID HE WAS GOING TO DR FOR BACK PAIN

EE WAS WORKING HIS NORMAL JOB. WHILE MOVING AIRLIFT PIPE A CHUNK OF GILSONITE ROLLED DOWN THE SLOPE AND STRUCK HIS LEFT HAND. HE FINISHED HIS WORK SHIFT AND WENT FOR A HOSPITAL EXAM AFTER WORK . IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LEFT INDEX FINGER BONE WAS FRACTURED.

EE WAS CLIMBING ABOARD THE FORKLIFT, USING THE HAND HOLD TO PULL HIMSELF UP. HIS HAND SLIPPED AND THE EE FELL ABOUT 3' TO THE CONCRETE FLOOR, LANDING ON HIS RIGHT SHOULDER.

EMPLOYEE WENT IN FOR CARPAL TUNNEL SURGERY ON THIS DAY. NO SPECIFIC ACCIDENT.

THE EMPLOYEE STEPPED OFF AN 8" PLATFORM ONTO THE GROUND AND TWISTED BACK.

EMPLOYEE STATES THAT THE BACKHOE AND HIMSELF WERE JERKED AROUND AS LARGE ROCKS WERE BEING REMOVED. HE SAID HIS BACK WAS SORE FROM THIS ACTIVITY.

WATER BROKE OUT OF AREA EAST OF MINE FLOODING INTO THE SHAFT.

EE WENT IN FOR CAPRAL TUNNEL SURGERY ON THIS DAY. NO SPECIFIC ACCIDENT.

PULLED MSUCLE IN RT FOREARM WHILE CLOSING VISE GRIP PLIERS DIAGNOSED AS MUSCLE STRAIN BUT LATERREQUIRED SURGERY ON 1/16/01

EE HAS CARPAL TUNNEL AND HAD SURGERY THIS DAY.

BREAKING OUT DRILL PIPE WITH PIPE WRENCH. WHEN PIPE WRENCH BROKE LOOSE WRENCH SMASHED FINGER AGAINST STACKED OUT PIPE.

EE WAS INSTALLING FIN-FAN SYSTEM. DURING COURSE OF PROJECT HE NOTICED HIS ARM WAS SORE. NOW WHEN HE DOES SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES THE SORENESS REOCCURS. THE EE SAID THAT HIS ARM WAS HURTING ON 12-8 -2000, HE WENT TO THE DOCTOR ON 2-19-2001.

FAN IMPELLER FAILED SENDING SPARKS INTO WOOD PILE CATCHING IT ON FIRE.

TWISTED LEFT & RIGHT ANKLES WHILE WORKING ON METAL ROOF. BONE CHIP MAY HAVE TO BE REMOVED AT A LATER DATE.

EE WAS BANDING 2 X 4'S WHEN THE BAND BROKE DUE TO OVER TIGHTENING. THE BANDER HIS HIM IN THE LIP.

TIGHTENING PIPE WITH WRENCH, THE WRENCH SLIPPED PINCHING FINGER BETWEEN WRENCH AND STRUCTURE.