BPM Colony Mill Metal/Non-Metal

While working outdoors, wind-blown dust contributed to small corneal abrasion for which preventative antibiotics were prescribed.

While getting in to position to perform work, an awkward body movement led to a lower back strain.

Employee was engaged in cleanout activities on production machinery during a product line changeover. During these activities, 2 fingertips contacted moving machine parts, resulting in tissue loss and sutures given.

IP (injured party) and another maintenance personnel were lifting a chute into place on an empty trough while replacing the #3 screw. IP brought chute to chest level when IP felt a pop in their lower right forearm. First aid recommendations followed. On 6/21/23 went to medical facility for follow-up due to little improvement. IP placed on restrictions and PT.

EE was changing out a caulk tube in the caulk gun. EE went to puncture tube with the metal puncture rod (which was unusually sharpened) slipped and poked their left hand (between thumb and index finger).

Employee released brake of rail car and when pulling the brake felt a pain in right arm/shoulder.

Shift was ending soon and EE was returning to the bulk shack to collect their things. Noticed a camlock dust cap lying in the walkway. EE was handling camlock when they cut their middle finger. EE went to the lunchroom for 1st aid. Recommendation made for EE to be seen at medical facility for further evaluation. After evaluation it was deemed that seven stitches were required.

EE replacing shaft in an auger, wore proper PPE (face shield, safety glasses etc.). After completed task EE felt irritation in left eye. EE flushed eye multiple times throughout the day but irritation persisted. Towards the end of the day examined eye better & noticed a foreign object in eye. Recommendation for medical evaluation. Medical facility removed sliver of metal from eye.

Bulk truck arrived for load & bulk operator began procedures. EE went up the stairway to open the hatch, placed in spout to begin loading. While descending the last step onto the ground EE rolled their ankle. EE felt popping sensation from their ankle up their leg, unable to apply pressure to leg, thought they broke ankle. Taken to ER for eval. Diagnosed with sprain & no work.

Heavy rains created slick environment causing loader operator's equipment to slide hitting the back wheels off a hole. This jolted EE inside the cab causing them to hit head off window causing small laceration (EE was wearing seatbelt), 9/20/18 first aid case. 10/22/18 EE went to chiropractor after medical evaluation, referred them to, indicating they had a neck sprain.

Employee was having a hard time closing the bottom door on a railcar. They grabbed a hammer to hit the door, the hammer handle ricocheted and hit the EE in the mouth chipping front right tooth.

EE went on break, noticed dusting in main packer. Went to MCC panel check that dust fan was on (seen that the dust vane & #6 screw were off like they're supposed to be). EE went to dust vane visual inspection port, removed the inspection cap to see if product was flowing, stuck hand in port, while pulling their hand back out caught their fingers tips on the vane fins.

EE caught toe in pallet lost balance and used right arm to catch themselves from falling to ground on 01/27/18, incident was first aid case. 04/02/18 Workers Comp was contacted (#201802962) due to limited progress on shoulder. Upon further review from medical advisers this became a Recordable/Lost Time as of 06/19/18.

Operating Mills Beater. The belt took employee's glove off and took off the tip of employee's finger.

No contributing factor; employee suffered a stroke.

An employee was not maintaining an awareness of their surroundings while walking in a laboratory when their shoulder came into contact with a handle which was protruding from a laboratory oven door. The case was treated with first aid initially but after several weeks it required medical treatment.

The employee was taking a shortcut by walking across a rail yard in wet and muddy conditions. The employee slipped and fell to the same level resulting in an injury which required medical treatment.

Employee was clearing mud from a piece of equipment with a shovel and began to experience lower back pain.

Employee slipped on an icy walkway (following an ice storm) and fell to the same level resulting in injuries which required medical treatment. The employee suffered a broken hip.

An employee was manually lifting 100 pound packages of material from one stack to another when discomfort was noticed in the right arm.

Employee used his right hand to pull a pallet down some free rollers and another pallet came down rollers and pinched the tip of his 3rd finger on right hand between the two pallets. He received a hair line crack on tip and also received stitches.

Employee was climbing up a 7 foot vertical ladder and strained his lower left back. Employee is on light duty.

Employee was working on a piece of equipment and dropped a tool. He went under equipment and retrieved the tool. When he went to get up from floor he hit the back of his neck where the hard hat tightener is against equipment. He went down to his knees for a minute and then got up. He felt okay that day, but started feeling soreness in shoulder next day.

Operator was on mixing plattform in specialty plant when he heard a couple of pops in the corner of building. He went out of building and seen 5-6 foot flames coming from exaust fan in compressor room. Called foreman which made assessment imediately to call 911 to get fire department on its way. There was moderate damage to compressor room and batch room of specialty plant.

Employee was hand stacking bags of Bentonite on pallets. Employee experienced a strain or hernia to groin/buttocks area.

Employee was stacking and throwing 50# and 100# bags on bentonite on pallets. Employee experienced ulnartendonitis on his left wrist. We have been trying to manage this case as a first aid as it was first reported to the employer. The employee requested to seek medical attention and at that time he was placed on restricted duty 8-27-2008.

Truck driver suffered a heart attack or stroke. Transported to Rapid City SD hospital.

The concrete, non-enclosed walkway from the bulk shack was slick and sloped down hill. The employee slipped on the clay-coated surface and fell hurting his right elbow.

Employee was lifting lever on rail car coupler to decouple rail cars. Employee felt a pop in his right shoulder.

Employee was stepping from the warehouse floor onto the deck of a flatbed trailer. The deck of the trailer was aprox. 12" above the floor. Employee's shin came in contact with the side/edge of trailer just above his boot causing a laceration that required 6 stitches.

Employee was under trailer, cleaning the axles of bentonite, started to crawl out and hit her shoulder on a bolt.

Employee slipped on ice/snow and fell onto his back. Diagonsed with lumbar sprain. Employee continues to report discomfort to his back from injury of 11/13/06. Employee was given a full release back to duty from 11/13/06 injury on 12/29/06.

Employee was sitting down at main plant packer operating packer. Employee turned to reach behind him for empty bag to place on packer spout, as he turned, he pulled a muscle in his back. Employee went to ER in Spearfish 11-19-06 where he was treated for low thoracic sprain.

Employee attempting to convert main plant packer saddles 100 lb. to 50 lb. bags. Placed both hands underneath the saddle, rather than on top. When he bent over, helmet activated switch causing the saddle to drop, his thumbs were caught between saddle and saddle mount. Received approx. 8 sutures to right thumb. Employee received Vicodin and Keflex and was released for full duty.

Attempting to put bottom gate of railcar onto track.Using a steel bar, pound gate back onto track.Holding steel bar as a rammer to knock the gate into track.Steel bar slipped off gate causing finger to be pinched between the bar & railcar causing a laceration to left index finger.Received 6 sutures, given prescription for antibiotics & painkiller, restricted duty 10 days

A piece of iron had gotten wedged in crude ore slicer plate. Employee was standing inside slicer hole attempting to dislodge the piece of iron using sledgehammer. On one of the downward swings his left forearm struck against a metal plate, used as an ore deflector plate, sticking out into the slicer hole approximately one to two inches. Employee received 8 to 9 stitches.

Employee was up on top of bulk granular rail car closing top doors because it was beginning to rain. In the process of closing top doors, employee removed chunk basket from opening and closed door. As he was moving back to get off car, he slipped or tripped. When he fell, he caught left hand on chunk basket, cutting his left thumb pad requiring 6 stitches.

Employee uncoupling rail cars, slipped on ice/ mud, hit elbow on car. Cleaned, bandaged back to work. 1-6-05 redness discomfort, none prior to this. 1-7-06, X-ray negative, bony abnormality, aspirated fluid off elbow. Diagnosed traumatic bursitis & tissue cellulitis, restricted duty 7-10 days. 1-12-06, x-ray shows fracture. Lt duty 1-14-06, no use of elbow significant activity.

Employee was stacking 50# Bore-Gel bags onto turn table at Bore-Gel plant. Employee was reaching for a bag coming off tail roller and when he went to lift the bag, heard something pop. Diagnosed with sprain to right wrist. Employee was given a wrist splint and placed on restricted duty.

Employee was attempting to close metal sliding railcar load door under palletizer incline. Employee was behind door edge pushing. Door stuck due to dirty rollers. When employee leaned in on door to push harder, door broke loose suddenly causing his feet to slip out behind him. Employee fell onto concrete floor landing on left side. X-Ray diagnosed with broken left hip bone.

Local volunteer fire department responded for coal silo fire. One of the fire department personnel was on top of silo working to extinguish fire. Another person removed a tube from dust collector so more water could be run into silo. Tube was removed, smoke and fumes engulfed the individual. Personnel had breathing apparatus, but was not being worn. Fire damage to silo.

Main plant 4 spout packer. Removing empty bags from pallet and stacking them next to packer station getting ready to operate packer. Employee was bending over to lay bags down and suddenly experienced a sharp pain in his back. Employee was diagnosed with lumbar strain and prescribed pain medication and an anti-inflammatory.

Employee was walking by #2 mill when a pallet of empty superbags slid from the top on another pallet knocking employee to the ground. Left foot was pinned under the empty bags. Diagnosed with pulled back muscle.

EE reported he bumped right elbow on the railroad track while working on the bottom of a railcar. EE advised that he now has a cyst about the size & shape of an egg on right elbow. EE had an incident similar to this in January 2005 in which he treated with his personal physician on his own. He stated that he had no problems with his elbow prior to 5/25/05.

Handling empty wooden pallets at bore-gel plant. Diagnosed with lateral epicondyitis. Employee tried home self tretment options before seeking professional medical treatment. Thus the delay in reporting. Diagosed with lateral epicondyitis and restricted to 48 hours of light duty.

Employee stated he developed discomfort in right shoulder while operating scraper the week of April 18, 2005. Employee did not complete an incident report, do not know exact date or time of incident. Diagnosed May 25, 2005.

After belt replacement on #2 granular screw, #1 screw became inoperative. Maintenance determined the screw was plugged and would have to be cleaned and belts replaced. The mill operator reached behind the front guard to grab belts to try to rotate the pulley. The pressure on the pulley suddenly started the drive pulley turning, pinching his fingers between belt and pulley.

EMPLOYEE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME TO RIGHT/LEFT HANDS ON DEC 24, 2003. EMPLOYEE HAD CORRECTIVE SURGERY ON RIGHT HAND ON MARCH 2, 2004. SCHEDULED TO HAVE CORRECTIVE SURGERY ON LEFT HAND MARCH 9, 2004. ESTIMATED TIME AWAY FROM WORK IS 4 WEEKS.

EE CLIMBED UP ON DOZER TO TALK TO OPERATOR AND SLIPPED OFF LANDING ON DOZER AND FELL TO THE GROUND.

EE WAS DRAGGING ASH CLEANING #1 FURNACE. HE SMASHED HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER BETWEEN THE PULL RAKE AND THE ASH BIN WHEN HE TOSSED RAKE INTO THE FURNACE TO PULL OUT MORE ASH. EE WAS TAKEN TO ER A T HOSPITAL WHERE HE RECEIVED TREATMENT INCLUDING STITCHES. EE RETURNED TO WORK AND FINISHED SHIFT. EE DID NOT COME INTO WORK THE FOLLOWING DAY DUE TO PAIN.

EE STRAINED BACK WHILE ANOTHER EE WAS HELPING HIM LIFT A GEAR BOX. GEAR BOX WEIGHED APPROX. 40LBS. THIS WAS A RE-INJURY FROM A PREVIOUS INCIDENT(2/28/02). EE HAD 3 APPOINTMENTS WITH CHIROPRACT OR.

EE WAS INSTRUCTING ANOTHER EE ON PROCEDURE FOR CLEANING OUT COAL MILLS. EE STEPPED OFF MILL PEDESTAL APPROX. 12" ONTO A CLUMP OF BENTONITE, CAUSING HIS ANKLE TO ROLL SIDEWAYS. EE WAS TAKEN TO EMERGENCY ROOM WHERE HE WAS TREATED FOR A SPRAIN & RELEASED.

EE WAS REPLACING BAG CODER ON PALLETIZER AND PUT LITTLE FINGER OF RIGHT HAND ON FRAME OF CODER. A 100LB BAG PASSED UNDER CODER PUSHING CODER AND FRAME PINCHING IT BETWEEN FRAM AND CROSSBAR. FI NGER WAS RELEASED AFTER BAG PASSED THROUGH. TAKEN TO E.R. - FINGER WAS STITCHED AND BANDAGED AND EMPLOYEE RELEASED. EMPLOYEE DID NOT LOCK OUT.

ACTY HOSE BURST AND CAUGHT SLEAVE ON FIRE AND BURNED WRIST.

EE WAS PREPARING ADMIS AT QUIK-GELPLANT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL A 50 LB. BAG FROM PALLET, HE FELT SOMETHING POP ON LEFT HAND RING FINGER. DOCTOR DIAGNOSED INJURED TENDON TO FINGER.

EE WAS LOADING PALLETS OF PACKAGED BENTONITE, VIAL FORKLIFT, INTO A TRUCK VAN WHEN HE BEGAN TO COMPLAIN OF AN IRRITANT ODOR WHICH MADE HIS HEAD ITCH AND UNABLE TO FOCUS HIS EYES. AFTER LOADING 3 PALLETS, A FELLOW EE RELIEVED HIM AND LOADED 2 PALLETS. HE STATED HE FELT BETTER AND FINISHED LOADING THE REMAINING 6 PALLETS. APPROX. 5 MIN. LATER, HE FELT DIZZY & LIGHTHEADED. EES ASSISTE

AFTER SPRINTING APPROX 300 YARDS TO RETRIEVE AN OXYGEN BOTTLE TO ASSIST A FELLOW EMPLOYEE THAT WAS FEELING SICK AND DIZZY. UPON SEVERAL MINUTES OF OBSERVING THE ILL EMPLOYEE, HE LOST CONSCIOUS NESS. AN AMBULANCE WAS SUMMONED AND HE WAS TAKENTO HOSPITAL.

EE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF LAYING OUT EMPTY BAGS AROUND PACKER STATION. WHILE REMOVING EMPTY BAGS FROM BOXED CONTAINER, HE STOOPED OVER, GRABBED SOME BAGS, LIFTED AND ROTATED FROM THE WAIST (WIT HOUT MOVING HIS FEET). WITH THE ROTATION FROM WAIST, HE REPORTED FEELING A SHARP PAIN IN HIS HIP.

EMPLOYEE WAS STANDING UP ON FRONT SIDE OF AUTOMATIC PALLETIZER WHILE RESTACKING A PALLET THAT HAD JAMMED. HE WAS RESTACKING ONTO ANOTHER PALLET THAT WAS RAISED UP ON A FORKLIFT NEXT TO HIM. HE STARTED TO LOSE HIS BALANCE AND HOPPED DOWN TO THE FLOOR (APPROX 34"). HIS FOOT LANDED ON THE EDGE OF A BAG LAYING ON THE FLOOR, TWISTING HIS ANKLE SIDEWAYS.

EMPLOYEE FELT TWINGE IN BACK ON 3-21-01 WHILE WALKING FROM WORK AREA. THE NEXT MORNING, HE WAS STANDING IN LUNCHROOM WHEN HE COUGHED AND HIS BACK SPASMED. EE WENT TO DR WHO GAVE HIM SOME MUSCL E MEDICATION AND ADVISED HIM HE COULD RETURN TO WORK WHEN HE FELT BETTER. HE WENT BACK TO WORK ON THE NEXT SCHEDULED SHIFT.

EE WAS MOVING A BULKHEAD DOOR IN A BOXCAR WHEN HE SLIPPED ON FLOOR AND BULKHEAD DOOR SLID OVER FOOT.

EE STRAINED THUMB WHILE REMOVING METAL PLUG FROM MILL SAMPLING PORTAL. HAS SMALL UNIDENTIFIED INTERNAL NODULE AT BASE OF RIGHT THUMB. EE REPORTED INJURY TO SUPERVISOR 3-2-01 DIDNT REPORT TO MA

EE WAS WALKING INTO THE LAB WHEN HE COLLAPSED TO THE FLOOR. CPR WAS DONE UNTIL THE AMBULANCE ARRIVED.

DECOUPLING RAIL LOAD CARS TO MOVE CARS TO LOAD. WHILE UNCOUPLING CAR THE AIR HOSE LINE DECOUPLED AND STRUCK EE ON RIGHT ELBOW CUTTING AND BRUISEING ELBOW.