Mining Incidents

Vanderbilt Minerals, LLC-Dixie Clay Div.Metal/Nonmetal

Aiken, Aiken County, SC · Active
MSHA Mine ID: 3800041
Fatalities
0
Total incidents
32
Years on record
2000–2026
Latest incident
Jan 2026
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

32 on file

2026 · 1 incident

Fall from ladders

Based on employee's account of this, employee was stepping off the step ladder when EE's right foot slipped off the bottom step. This caused EE's right toes to bend and when the right foot / toes hit the ground, all EE's weight was on EE's right foot / toes. Employee did not mention it to EE's supervisor until the afternoon of 1/26/2026.

2024 · 1 incident

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was walking to the work area, when EE twisted and sprained their right ankle. EE was walking on dry concrete coming down an incline.

2023 · 2 incidents

Fall onto or against objects

Employee was walking from the dryer to the mill. They slipped on the floor and hit their right knee on a metal post, causing it to swell. The employee was shutting everything down because of lightening in the close proximity of the plant.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was walking out of the plant to put jacket and lunchbox in vehicle before clocking out. The grass and crush & run were wet between the plant and the employee parking lot. The employee slipped in that area and was falling backwards. Employee extended right arm to catch fall. As a result, the employee's right elbow was dislocated.

2017 · 1 incident

Struck against a moving object

Employee was driving a front-end load. EE was driving backwards in work area, the clay shed. While turning around to see where EE was going, hard hat fell off. The employee reached down to retrieve the hard hat and hit the back wall of the clay shed. EE's head struck the back glass of the loader.

2014 · 1 incident

(Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was tested for audio and had a 31dB loss in hearing

2011 · 2 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The employee was cleaning out a suction line from a 6"" water pump because it was full of sand. He was lifting the line to attempt to shake out the sand when it slipped and dropped on his shoulder, bruising his shoulder.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee tripped and fell on a welding lead, bruising his right shoulder

2009 · 1 incident

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was doing clean-up and lifted an 80 pound piece of refractory to dispose of it when he strained his lower abdominal area causing a hernia.

2008 · 4 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employees was pulling a dust collector bag cage down from the collector, when it slipped and struck him on his hard hat and then grazed his mouth.

Struck against stationary object

Accident 9/25/08, but didn't receive medical attention until 9/30/08. Employee was unplugging wet clay conveyor for Mill 1 with an iron bar. The clay loosened, causing his left hand to hit the side of the bin, leaving a contusion.

Struck by flying object

Employee was welding on the Mill 1 dryer, wearing safety glasses and a splinter piece of slag entered his eye.

Fall from machine

Employee was on top of a bulk truck, properly harnessed with a belt-type harness, but slipped off truck and was suspended by his harness. The employee overfilled truck and kaolin clay was on top of truck on and around walkway. Conditions were dry.

2007 · 2 incidents

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee did not report any incident until 2/20/07 from doctor's office. He stated that he had experienced shoulder pain for ~ 1 month prior and it was work related. This employee lifts and stacks 50# bags of clay.

(Not Elsewhere Classified)

A bulk tanker truck arrived on site to have his trk loaded. When the driver did not get out of the truck, our bulkloader went to trk and saw driver slumped over. 911 was called & CPR performed. The driver (working for list trk) died from natural causes on mine property.

2006 · 3 incidents

Struck by falling object

Employee was climbing a ladder and was at the top of the ladder when the hammer fell out of his pouch, striking another employee in the face / nose while he was at the bottom of the ladder. The employee broke his nose in 2 places.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was coming down a ladder, slipped and twisted his left ankle.

Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee was working in a hot area. He removed his safety glasses to get a better look at an ink line. When he reversed the line, pressure was on the line and ink splattered in his eyes, causing irritation to the eyes.

2005 · 1 incident

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE BENT DOWN TO PLACE MORE BAGS ON #2 BAGGER. AS HE TURNED TO PLACE THE BAGS, HE GOT A CATCH IN HIS LOWER BACK.

2003 · 5 incidents

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS PULLING A BAG OFF THE FILLING SPOUT ON #1 BAGGER. HE WAS RECALLED TO WORK THE DAY BEFORE THE INJURY ON A 10 WEEK LAY-OFF.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE STATED HE WAS DUMPING THE TRASH BIN WITH THE FORKLIFT. HE TILTED THE TRASH BIN TO DUMP AND REACHED TO PULL BIN BACK DOWN LIKE USUAL & PULLED SOMETHING IN HIS BACK. WHEN ASKED IF HE NEEDED TO GO HOME OR HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, HE REPLIED "" NO"". HE WORKED THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT WITH NO COMPLAINT & WORKED 2 HOURS THE NEXT DAY BEFORE HE LEFT CLAIMING BACK PAIN. WAS GIVEN MEDS.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS GETTING OFF A FORKLIFT WHEN HE STEPPED ONUNEVEN PAVEMENT AND SPRAINED HIS RIGHT ANKLE.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS STEPPING DOWN FROM A HAUL TRUCK WHEN HE STEPPED ON UNEVEN GROUND AND TWISTED HIS RIGHT ANKLE.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK NEAR THE PACKING OFFICE. HE DIDN'T REALIZE IT, BUT HE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE SIDEWALK. HIS LEFT FOOT SLID OFF THE SIDEWALK AND HIS ANKLE TWISTED.

2002 · 2 incidents

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

A DUST COLLECTOR CAGE SLIPPED FROM CO-WORKER'S HANDS AND EE JERKED HIS HEAD AROUND VERY QUICKLY AND OUT OF PATH OF CAGE TO AVOID BEING HIT, CAUSING HIM TO SUFFER A CERVICAL STRAIN.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

THE EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING DOWN THE RAMP IN THE PACKING AREA WHEN HIS FOOT/ANKLE TWISTED CAUSING HIS RIGHT ANKLE TO SWELL.

2001 · 5 incidents

Struck by falling object

EE WAS PREPARING TO LOAD A TRUCK. HE HAD THE FORKS TOO HIGH, WHICH CAUSED THE PORTABLE LOADING PLANK TO TIP OVER. HE WAS STRUCK BY THE PLANK ON THE LEFT. HE GOT OFF OF THE FORK TO TRY TO LINE UP THE PLANT BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE TRUCK. THAT IS WHEN IT TIPPED OVER AND STRUCK HIS RIGHT LEG CAUSING A CONTUSION AND A CUT.

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS TAPPING AN AUGER ON A PUMP WHEN HIS FINGER WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE HOUSING AND PIPE.

Fall onto or against objects

IT WAS RAINING THAT NIGHT. THE EE WAS WALKING BETW3EEN THE MILL AND THE DRYER. CONDITIONS WERE WET AND THE EE SLIPPED AND FELL. HE INJURED HIS BACK. HE BRUISED MUSCLES SURROUNDING THE SCAR TIS SUE FROM A PREVIOUS SURGERY.

Caught in, under or between two or more moving objects

EMPLOYEE WAS ADJUSTING CODE WHEEL ON THE POLYBAGGER WITH HIS LEFT HAND. HE PLACED HIS RIGHT HAND ON THE STATIONARY ROLLER. HIS HAND SLIPPED AND BECAME WEDGED IN A MOVING CONVEYOR BRUISING HIS HAND. HE DID NOT HAVE ANY BROKEN BONES. HE DID RECEIVE MEDICATION TO ELIMINATE THE PAIN.

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE PUT HIS HAND ON A BAG ON THE DECK TO ADJUST A BAG. HIS HAND SLIPPED OFF BAG ONTO THE ROLLERS, CUTTING HIS MIDDLE FINGER ON HIS RIGHT HAND. HE RECEIVED 8 STITCHES.

2000 · 1 incident

Struck against stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS OPENING A CRATE WRAPPED BY A METAL BAR. EMPLOYEE CUT THE METAL BAR AND WAS REMOVINGIT WHEN HIS HAND STRUCK ONE OF THE SHARP EDGES. THIS REQUIRED EMPLOYEE TO RECEIVE TWO STITCHES ON HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER.