Battle Mountain Grinding Plant Metal/Non-Metal

Clear, dry, noise from the forklift and semi trucks. Transverse fracture on middle finger right hand.

EE was cleaning a chute that is part of a Crusher with Trommel screen. EE did not Lockout/Tagout/Try before removing the guard to the chute. While cleaning the chute the bar EE used bounced back at EE, causing EE to let go with EE's right hand. Hand came in contact with rotating trommel, taking off EE's impact glove and causing a laceration of EE's right-hand middle fingertip

Employee was using a pocket knife to cut a zip tie holding wires employee needed to loosen to adjust sensor. When zip tie was cut knife continued and cut left arm above wrist.

Employee was returning from a production check when he twisted his knee on 9/1/15. He finished his shift and worked his next shift on 9/2/15 but continued to experience pain in his knee. He sought a medical examination after his shift on 9/2/15.

Employee was retrieving a product sample from a cyclone sample port. The port was plugged, so he reached his right hand into the port to attempt to unplug it when the tip of his middle finger was severed by making contact with the rotary valve above the opening.

Employee was performing maintenance on the palletizer feed chain when he stepped down on a nail protruding from a piece of broken pallet in the work area. Nail penetrated through his work boot into his left foot which necessitated medical treatment.

Employee was installing wear parts in a roller mill when the angle iron supporting the come-a-long slipped, striking the employee in the upper lip and causing a laceration. No other facial or dental damage was indicated by the treating physician.

Employee was drilling through metal using a power drill when the bit got caught in the metal and the drill torqued out of the employee's hand, striking and fracturing the small finger on his right hand.

Employee was in the process of loading a bulk truck - he was attempting to climb the ladder on the back side of the truck trailer when his left knee gave out on the first step. He was able to catch himself on the ladder and was lowered to the ground with the assistance of two co-workers. Employee advised to remain off work until recheck with treating physician.

Employee was hand stacking product bags when he jammed the fingers on his right hand while in the downward motions of placing a bag onto the pallet. Incident was reported at the end of the shift; employee did not seek medical treatment for the injury until September 5, 2012.

Employee was walking on flat ground when he tripped and twisted his right knee in the wrong direction. He reported the incident and declined medical treatment at that time. On July 9, 2012 he employee notified the employer that he was seeking medical treatment. Employee was released to work on modified duty until recheck with his treating physician in approx 2 weeks.

Employee was changing vacuum cleaner bag when bag broke, spilling dirt and debris up into her face, causing irritation to her left eye. Employee sought medical treatment the following day when first aid methods were unsuccessful in removing irritant from eye.

Employee experienced torso discomfort the day after material handling on this shift. Condition deteriorated until he sought doctor's treatment for a possible inguinal hernia on 6/28/11, he is working restricted duty and has been referred to a medical specialist for a surgery consultation.

Employee was hand stacking 88# product bags. He reached up around the upper edge of the bag inside the rubber curtain guard of the conveyor and his hand was caught between the conveyor belt and the first guide roller. Employee was wearing gloves. He sustained a soft tissue injury of his right hand, released back to work modified duty for 7-10 days by the treating physician.

Employee was exiting front-end loader using the permanent ladder stairway and handrails on the equipment when his foot slipped on the second step. Employee fell to the ground backwards, using his right arm to control the fall. Employee suffered a compound fracture of his lower right arm upon landing on the ground.

Employee was cutting steel strap with shears and it sprang back, striking him on the left thumb and cutting through his glove, causing a laceration.

Employee was working around the product bagging area when he felt like he had gotten something in his eye. He finished his shift, but his eye was still irritating him on Monday August 2 so he sought doctor's treatment. No foreign object was found by the doctor. Employee was given an opthamalic prescription and released back to full duty.

Employee was assisting maintenance personnel in gathering tools for a project. He was pulling a welding cable to the walkway next to the work area when he felt a pain in his lower back. Employee reported the incident to his supervisor but declined medical treatment until 4/23/10.

Employee was hand stacking 100# product bags on pallets with another employee, when he felt pain in his lower back, which inhibited his ability to stand up completely straight.

Employee was hand stacking 50# bags of product when he felt a pain in his right elbow and bicep. He reported the incident but continued to work through the following week. He sought doctor's treatment on January 21, 2009 - first aid only but employee is duty restricted for ~2 weeks as a result of the examination.

Employee began to experience pain and swellng in her left hand/thumb area in mid-August. Wore a brace during work hours for approx 1 month - when condition did not improve, she sought doctor's treatment on October 6, 2008.

Employee was pulling a filled product bag off the conveyor to stack and had to try and stop in mid-air to keep from hitting another employee who was in the way. He felt a pain in his back, but finished his shift and reported and worked the next scheduled shift before deciding to seek medical treatment the afternoon of Feb 21st.

Employee was sweeping the floor inside the mill building when another employee approached his area with a forklift while carrying a pallet of packaged product. The employee driving the forklift set the ~4000# pallet down on the left foot of the employee who was sweeping, causing a crush injury.

Employee was operating product bagging machine - when he pulled the bag dislodge handle with his right hand, he felt a pain in his right shoulder/neck area. He continued to work until the pain worsened and he sought doctor's care at 2:30 pm.

Employee was attempting to slide one of the bulkhead doors inside a rail boxcar with the aid of two other employees - when the top of the door stuck, the bottom part swung out, and when they let loose of the door, the bottom of it pinched the employee's foot to the deck of the railcar. Employee was wearing steel toed safety boots at the time of the incident.

Employee was operating bagging machine; when he pulled the handle that removes filled bag he felt his shoulder pop. Employee declined medical treatment until the following day, Saturday, 9/22/07.

Employee was manipulating filled product bags on the semi-automatic palletizer machine when he felt his upper back pop. Employee completed his shift and decided to seek medical attention the following day on 8/28/07.

Employee was descending a fixed ladder between mills #1 & #2 after unplugging the feeder. Upon stepping down onto one of the runds, his foot slipped and he struck his left knee on part of the ladder, causing a small laceration just below the kneecap (required sutures).

Employee was working at the semi-automatic palletizer, handling 100# product bags, when he felt a pop in his left shoulder. Employee sought medical treatment the following day, was advised by the treating physician to remain off work the remainder of the week, and he returned to work full-duty effective Monday, July 23, 2007.

EE was improperly using a 100 lb set weight on the bagging machine cradle while in operation. When the weight set fell down onto the bag converyor, the EE bent over to retrieve it and felt a pop in his lower back. Incident was not reported until EE sought medical treatment on 11/21/06.

Employee states he was pushing bags on the semi-automatic palletizer when he felt a pain in his right shoulder. He sought medical treatment on November 9, 2006 and reported the incident to his supervisor on November 10, 2006

EE was carrying a bucket of water from the lab outside to dispose of it when she slipped on a muddy spot on the ground outside. Employee regained her balance before falling. Sought medical treatment on 4/26/06.

EE was operating semi-auto palletizer when he experienced a pop in his right hip resulting in minor pain. He could not continue full duty work so was sent home. EE sought medical treatment the following day, 4/19. EE was moving product bags on air table when insident occured.

Employee was working at the semi-automatic palletizer table positioning bags onto pallets when his right arm began to hurt. He switched positions and operated the forklift for 1-1/2 hours, then went back to the palletizer but his arm was still sore. He went home at 8:00 pm in the middle of his shift. Employee sought medical treatment the next day, April 11, 2006.

EE was stacking product bags on the palletizer when he experienced pain in his right wrist.

Employee was operating semi-automatic palletizer when he started to feel pain in his right armpit area. Pain was tolerable; finished his shift and denied medical treatment until the following day.

EMPLOYEE WAS ON BAGGING CREW STACKING 50# BAGS OF PRODUCT WHEN ONE BAG SLIPPED OFF PALLET & HE TRIED TO CATCH IT WITH HIS LEFT HAND BEFORE IT HIT THE FLOOR. EE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE ANY DISCOMFORT UNTIL LATER IN HIS SHIFT & SOUGHT MEDICAL TREATMENT THE FOLLOWING DAY, 10/25/05.

Ee was attempting to dislodge by hand a 50# bag of product that had gotten stuck at the corner of the palletizer belt system: he caught his glove between the belt tail pulley and thr guide that keeps the bags on the belt, lacerating the middle finger of his left hand.

Employee was dismounting forklift when he caught the sole of his workboot on a rough spot on the ground while in motion. He rolled his left ankle, causing a sprain.

EE WAS POSITIONING BAGS OF PRODUCT ON A SEMIAUTOMATIC PALLETIZER VIA USE OF AN AIR TABLE. WHILE PUSHING ONE OF THESE BAGS, HE FELT A PAIN IN HIS LOWER BACK.

Ee was unplugging spout on glue box attached to semi-automatic palletizer while belt & roller assembly under box was still running. A product bag came through while he had his hand under box & caught his left hand & wrist between bag & roller on glue box. Ee finished his shift & sought medical treatment that evening for swelling of left wrist.

EE WAS OPERATING FILL HANDLE ON BAGGING MACHINE WHEN HE FELT A PAIN IN HIS RIGHT WRIST.

EE WAS WALKING ALONG OUTSIDE OF MILL BUILDING WHILE CARRYING A WIRE CABLE BY THE CABLE HOOK. EE SLIPPED AND FELL IN AN ICY AREA AND THE CABLE HOOK SMASHED HIS FINGER BETWEEN THE HOOK AND THE G ROUND.

EMPLOYEE FELT PAIN IN HIS LEFT FOREARM AS HE WAS OPERATING THE FILL HANDLE ON THE BAGGING MACHINE. HE INITIALLY DECLINED MEDICAL TREATMENT, AND SOUGHT SUCH THE FOLLOWING DAY WHILE ON A PAID HO LIDAY. DIAGNOSTIC X-RAY AND FIRST AID PERFORMED AT HOSPITAL; TREATING PHYSICIAN PRESCRIBED PAIN MEDICATION.

EE WAS SECURING A PRODUCT LOAD IN AN UNEQUIPPED RAILCAR USING OLD PALLETS AND STRAPPING. HE STOOD THE FIRST PALLET ON END AGAINST THE LOAD, TURNED TO REACH AND PLACE A SECOND PALLET WHEN THE F IRST ONE TIPPED OVER, STRIKING HIM THE LOWER MIDDLE PART OF HIS BACK. EE DECLINE INTIAL MEDICAL TREATMENT; SOUGHT TREATMENT THE FOLLOWING DAY ON 1-16-03.

EMPLOYEE WAS ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN A PRODUCT SAMPLE FROM A SAMPLE PORT (2" PIPE EXTENDING FROM SCREW CONVEYOR AT #3 TANK). HE FOUND THE PIPE WAS PLUGGED, THEREFORE HE ATTEMPTED TO CLEAN OUT THE END OF IT BY INSERTING HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER INTO THE PIPE. THE SCREW CAUGHT HIS FINGER, CAUSING A DEEP LACERATION AND FRACTURE.

EE WAS STACKING 100# SACKS OF PRODUCT ONTO PALLETS. AFTER FINISHING A SERIES, THE CREW TOOK A 10 MINUTE BREAK, AT WHICH TIME THE EE STARTED FEELING TIGHTNESS IN HIS LOWER BACK ON THE RT SIDE A BOVE HIS HIP. HE FINISHED HIS SHIFT, SYMPTOMS WORSENED BY MORNING, SO HE THEN SOUGHT MEDICAL TREATMENT THE FOLLOWING DAY--3/8/02.

EMPLOYEE INSTALLED A STARTER ON A BOBCAT. HE STARTED ENGINE AND AS HE INSPECTED THE NEW STARTER WHILE RUNNING, THE ALTERNATOR FAN CAUGHT THE SLEEVE OF HIS SHIRT, PULLING HIS ARM INTO THE BELT AND CAUSING A LACERATION ON HIS LEFT ARM.

EE WAS WORKING IN THE PROCESS LAB, FEEDING A GROUND BARITE SAMPLE INTO A GRAVITY BOTTLE IN PREPARATION FOR TESTING. THE NECK OF THE BOTTLE BROKE, CUTTING HER RIGHT HAND BETWEEN THE THUMB AND F IRST FINGER.

EE WAS HANDLING 50LBS BAGS OF PRODUCT FROM THE PACKING MACHINE TO A WOODEN PALLET. WHEN REACHING TO DISLODGE A BAG THAT HAD STOPPED BETWEEN THE END OF THE OCNVEYOR AND THE ROLLERS, HIS GLOVE G OT CAUGHT BY THE CONVEYOR WHICH PARTIALLY DREW THE FINGERS ON HIS LEFT HAND DOWN BETWEEN THE CONVEYOR AND THE ROLLER, CAUSING A LACERATION AND CRUSH INJURY TO TWO OF HIS FINGERS.

EE WAS WORKING WITH 2 OTHER EE'S PERFORMING CRUSHER REPAIRS IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE TOGGLE PLATE, IT STARTED TO SLIP OUT OF EE'S HANDS THE TOGGLE PLATE FELL & STUCK AGAINST ANOTHER PA RT OF THE CRUSHER, PINCHING EE'S SMALL FINGER ON HIS RIGHT HAND REMOVING THE TIP\

EMPLOYEE WAS PALLETIZING 100# BAGS OF PRODUCT WITH A NEWLY-HIRED EMPLOYEE. ONE BAG CAME OFF THE BELT OUT OF POSITION. WHEN NEW EE ATTEMPTED TO CATCH IT, INJURED ALSO TRIED TO CATCH IT. OUT OF POSITION MOVEMENT CAUSED MUSCLE STRAIN IN HIS BACK.