Mining Incidents

Mesabi Metallics Company LLCMetal/Nonmetal

Nashwauk, Itasca County, MN · Active
MSHA Mine ID: 2103751
Fatalities
0
Total incidents
26
Years on record
2017–2026
Latest incident
Apr 2026
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

26 on file

2026 · 10 incidents

Contact with hot objects or substances

Employee was using an oxygen/acetylene torch to heat and shape rebar material. The worker inadvertently tripped over the torch hose, which resulted in a loss of balance. As a result of the trip, the worker unintentionally made contact with the active torch flame, causing a burn to the left wrist, just above the cuff of the glove.

Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Cable pull, picking up cable for refeeding into vault. Cable was being fed into vault and pulled out by hand to get it prepped for next pull into building from this vault.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was holding a bull pin with their right/dominant hand and missed, hitting it with a hammer with their left hand and instead hit their right hand with the hammer.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE first said EE had been experiencing soreness for sometime but no specific event occurred, then EE changed EE's story and now claims EE lost EE's footing a bit while climbing a column, and noticed soreness later that day. However, EE failed to inform anyone until Sunday, March 29th.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE hit EE's left index finger with a hammer while aligning a piece of steel.

Struck by falling object

EE was positioned beneath the outlet duct assisting coworker with placement of a stiffener ring onto duct. Two manual chain falls were used to maneuver the ring. Ring weighed about 1000 lbs. Each chain fall was rated for 2200 lbs. A chain fall load chain broke, causing the ring to drop. EE states they felt the stiffener ring brush their forearm before landing on their thumb.

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

EE preparing to remove rigging from pad eye. EE was lowering hook using overhead crane. EE was detaching the shackle from the pad eye with gloved hands. The chain from the hoist had accumulated above the shackle and became caught on structure above pad eye. The hook from hoist rotated downward, EE's L thumb caught between the hook/housing and shackle. Contusion to thumb pad.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

EE was moving a pallet jack loaded with iron when EE encountered a piece of 1/2 inch by 4 inch plywood covering an expansion joint on the floor. The pallet jack became stuck and as EE pulled hard to get it over the plywood, EE slipped and fell to the floor. EE also noted that there was salt and sand in the area where EE was maneuvering the iron.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The injured worker states that EE has right elbow pain. Today, while adjusting the pipe bender with a coworker, EE felt/heard a ""pop"" in EE's right elbow. There is no appreciable bruising at this time. There is no numbness/tingling into EE's hand or fingers. There are no open wounds

Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

EE in a seated position had completed grinding and set grinder down. They then placed a hand on the duct next to the grinder that had not completely stopped spinning. As they applied weight to their hand to assist in standing up. The weight caused the grinder to slide toward their hand. The spinning wheel contacted the back of left hand resulting in a burn and laceration.

2025 · 15 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Two ironworkers were working inside a cylindrical hopper at the rail pellet loading area. The task involved welding steel plate sections together as part of the hopper construction. A come along was being used to align steel plates. The come a long was attached to a welded lug. The lug broke and the come along struck the apprentice in the elbow fracturing their arm.

Fall from machine

Snowing & cold day while outside installing a fire suppression system on a Hydraulic excavator. Employee was wearing insulated bib overalls, as EE was descending the stairs off excavator EE's bibs caught the stairwell causing EE to trip and miss the last 2 stairs landing on the ground on EE's right shoulder, elbow and hand.

Bodily reaction, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Was bending over and twisting when serving a telehandler to install a plastic cover that allows access to the HVAC box as EE had just finished servicing the blower motor. Felt pain in EE's lower back, very similar to a back injury a year or so ago. called triage, ice and ibuprofen. but EE elected to see doc. EE went to Do con 11-12-25 and was taken off work through 11-19-25.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee tripped and impact caused cut bleeding on little finger on right hand. After employee left for the day the employee decided to go in to get finger looked at and it was found that little finger was fractured. Return to Work report brough back by employee next morning stated to avoid heavy lifting with right hand which will not be an issue with their assigned work tasks.

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

EE cutting off a stiffener inside a piece of ductwork on the fab table with a 6"" cut off wheel/grinder. As the cut was getting complete the piece had some stored energy and sprung in toward the cut, causing their right thumb to get pinched between the sheet and the stiffener.

Struck by falling object

Removing bolts from larger bolt, 45# bolt slid down onto EE's left thumb/hand.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee jumped up on a 3' platform, missed, landing back on ground.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee tripped while walking on path, knee made contact with ground causing laceration.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee tripped while walking on steel. Chin made contact with steel during fall.

Struck by falling object

Doubler plate became dislodged from it's rigging and dropped, pinching the workers fingers between the doubler plate and the steel under it.

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Forklift brought in a piece of 3'x15'x1' rubber, 3 people lifting together, EE bent down to lift it up and felt pain in back while starting to lift.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE states EE was lifting a 3""x3""x8' piece of dunnage that wasn't heavy. EE twisted wrong and felt immediate pain.

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

While worker was flying in a section of steel into place, the steel slipped down catching the workers right thumb between another piece of steel.

Struck by falling object

Employee was holding a large wrench while assisting coworker tightening a nut. When coworker tapped the end of wrench with hammer, wrench fell off the ring and landed on EE's right pointer finger.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Carrying a 1' X 1' X 3/4"" piece of steel when the employee tripped and fell, landing on the right hand that the employee was carrying the piece of steel with.

2017 · 1 incident

Unclassified, insufficient data

11/1/17 of a deceased person on proper of the mine. The deceased person was a trespasser on the property, and had no connection to any mining activity.