Outside Foreman fatality at MN Portable Wash 086 (A5567 Wash Plant) (Cemstone Products Company), MN, August 24, 2023

at 7:48 AM

On August 24, 2023, an outside foreman was fatally injured in a machinery accident at MN Portable Wash 086 (A5567 Wash Plant) (Cemstone Products Company), MN.

MN Portable Wash 086 (A5567 Wash Plant) · Surface · Metal/Non-Metal

Operator: Cemstone Products Company (Hammond T Becken; Tim L Becken)

Mille Lacs County, MN

Classification MACHINERY

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

Investigator narrative

While attempting to lower feed box on wash plant employee was trapped between feed box and hand railing causing fatal injuries to employee.

Final MSHA investigation

On August 24, 2023, at 7:48 a.m., Chad Minenko, a 45 year-old lead with over 17 years of mining experience, died when a wash plant feed box struck and pinned him between the feed box and a handrail.The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) block the feed box against hazardous motion, and 2) correct the hazards of the low oil level in the feed box hydraulic lift system.

Read the full report (PDF)

Findings from MSHA's final investigation report, which supersedes the preliminary narrative above.

Record details

Activity at time of incident: Machine Maintenance
Subunit / location: STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT
Accident type: Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Source of injury: MACHINE-MILL,CLEANING PLT
Nature of injury: CRUSHING
Body part affected: CHEST (RIBS/BREAST BONE/CHEST ORGNS)
Total mining experience: 17 years
Experience at this mine: 9 years
Experience in this job: 17 years
Degree of injury: FATALITY

Related fatalities

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October 4, 2006 · Crane Operator · Cemstone Products Co, MN

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Verify on MSHA

Every record on this page mirrors what MSHA publishes under its Open Government Data program, refreshed weekly. MSHA does not publish per-accident URLs (the Accidents data is distributed as a single bulk file), so this is how to retrieve the source for the specific record below:

Final investigation report: Read MSHA's final report
Accident record: Download MSHA Accidents.zip then search for Document number 220232420027 (the unique key per MSHA Form 7000-1)
Mine record: MSHA Mine Data Retrieval System and search by Mine ID 2103205
All MSHA datasets: Open Government Data program directory covering Accident, Mines, Inspections, Violations, etc.

Source: US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) · Document 220232420027 · Mine ID 2103205 Trainer view →