EAST RIDGE PLANT & GIESEKE PLANT Metal/Non-Metal

Injured employee & another employee were handling a piece of metal. While turning it to the other side, the metal struck the other employee in the side (no injury), causing the employee to drop their side. This made the metal fall and bounce. When it bounced, it caught IE's left middle finger between the table & the metal. The finger was smashed & had a small cut.

Employee was attempting to get off excavator when EE's foot slipped, causing EE to reach for something to grab a hold of quickly. This caused EE's body and shoulder to twist. EE heard a pop and felt stinging and burning with pressure afterwards.

EE was at the East Ridge shop helping take teeth off the 990 CAT loader with fellow employee and witness. Co-worker took a sledgehammer to beat the last tooth off the bucket that needed to be replaced. While beating the metal tooth with the sledgehammer, a piece of metal flew off and hit EE in the sternum area. EE received stitches.

Employee was cutting straps on a pallet of bulk bags when either the box cutter or the plastic strap cut the tip of the employee's finger.

Employee was lowering hydraulic cylinder to deck of dredge using cable tension & hinged bottom of cylinder. EE planned to install a grease line extension so the cylinder wouldn't need to be lowered again. As the cylinder descended, EE realized the cable was not tensioned as the cylinder came down quickly. EE moved to side as the cylinder struck their right leg.

Employee was replacing a hose on top of the silos. EE stepped onto the toe plate to be able to reach the cable winch to attach it to the hose to put onto the transfer line. While EE was doing this, EE felt a pop in EE's left knee.

Employee was replacing a motor on coarse screen feeder. The winch holding motor slipped slightly, and the motor hit the employee's arm.

Employee was walking down steps at the float. On the last step, employee was turning left and twisted/injured right ankle while stepping on the concrete floor.

EE was lifting Right-hand dog bone into place by hand when it slipped free of control. As it fell EE tried to push it against the stick to keep it from falling to the ground and smashing EE's foot. Customer added a guard to the stick. Employees finger was smashed between the dog bone and the guard. The additional guard is not a Caterpillar part.

While working on a lime machine, the employee was repairing an auger. While putting it back together, the auger slipped, and then the employee's right hand slipped into the auger.

Employee was installing a new light in a tunnel, and EE was tapping the existing light with a drill and carbide bit to get power to the new light when a piece of aluminum was extracted out of the old light base, which hit employee in cheek, and then bounced into EE's left eye under EE's safety glasses.

While seeding, the dozer blade caught the ground throwing the employee into the rollover protection structure, resulting in a head laceration.

Employee was lifting & bagging 100# bags when EE noticed EE's back started to hurt. EE took medication and continued working. It was still sore on Sunday, so EE went to the ER. The injury was not reported to management until Monday.

Employee was using a stick welder to put a guard back in place. While tacking the weld, EE lifted the shield several times to check work.

Employee picked up a starter for the #365 excavator to put it in the back of the service truck. EE misjudged the bed and mashed right index finger under the starter requiring several stitches in EE's finger. I was not made aware of this accident until 3/30/2020.

Employee was walking in the #6 tunnel at the East Ridge Plant, when EE had what has now been determined to be a massive stroke. EE was found lying on the ground at approx 2:40 PM, and emergency services were called.

Employee was prying gate/valve out of the cooler box with a pry bar. The twisting action caused a sharp pain in EE's mid back.

Employee was cleaning the inside of a tanker with a coworker when the employee scraped right knee. On 2/22/19 the scrape had become infected and employee went for treatment.

Employee was bagging product, bag over-filled and blew open. Employee turned to shut machine down and felt a strain in right hip.

Employee was climbing onto an excavator. EE got to the top of the track and grabbed the handle and felt a sharp pain in neck/back.

Employee was assessing maintenance work being performed on the dredge. Employee stepped on a piece of unsecured expanded metal, which was covering a hole in the dredge normally covered by the pump. The expanded metal shifted under the weight and employee fell, causing lacerations to the arm, back and leg. The laceration in the leg required stitches.

Employee was attempting to run a sample in the lab at Upper Gieseke. The disk that sits on top of a heavy ceramic bowl was situated incorrectly in the bowl. Employee tried to adjust disk by tapping bowl against ground. Bowl slipped and mashed employee's index and third finger on left hand, resulting in laceration of finger.

Employee did not report accident until 3/20/2018. While cleaning kyanite particles from under grating, employee picked up grating to place it on top of a platform. Two to three days later EE noticed pain in the left side of neck.

While pressure washing a radiator in a Volvo A40F, the employee stepped down onto a piece of pipe that was lying in front of the truck and twisted ankle.

Employee was pulling and pushing a heavy wheelbarrow, when they began to have sharp pain in their left shoulder.

Employee was cutting an old hose off the refractory sprayer with a razor knife, the knife slipped and caused a laceration on employee's left index finger, requiring 6 stitches.

Employee stepped off an air compressor platform and twisted his left knee on landing, causing pain. He did not seek treatment for the injury until 11/30/15; attending physician placed injured worker on light-duty, pending further diagnostics.

Employee was swinging a 20lb sledge hammer almost horizontally to drive a pin out of an excavator when he felt a sharp pain in his left upper arm/shoulder: was diagnosed in the ER as a bicep tendon tear.

Employee was loosening a nut with the torque wrench, he tapped it with a 10 lb sledge hammer and the nut and wrench came loose, striking left middle finger which caused a less than 1 inch laceration, requiring 4 stitches.

Employee attached a hydraulic line in a D-5N Dozer, when he stood up after being in a cramped position, he experienced numbness and weakness in his right leg that did not resolve. He sought treatment, the diagnosis was a pinched nerve in his knee. He was placed on light-duty pending resolution through physical therapy.

Employee was prying on mill bearing to get the mill to seat, the pry bar slipped and he felt his right hip pop: Resulted in sprained hip.

Employee was deconstructing scaffolding, while lowering a section to the ground, he felt pain and burning in his abdomen. Resulted in muscle strain with work restrictions on lifting.

While putting a 100lb bag on the pallet, the employee's foot caught on the edge of the pallet causing him to fall forward . He felt a pop in his mid-lower back. Physician diagnosis: haematoma on thoracic and lumbar spine, muscle spasms and he was placed on light-duty.

Employee was lifting an area guard door to adjust the crusher when he felt and heard a pop in his lower back, causing pain which was diagnosed at the ER as: Sciatica

Employee was replacing filters in the Gieseke dust house, dust fell from overhead behind safety glasses and into both eyes causing redness and irritation which required treatment with a prescription medication.

Employee was moving incoming plate metal to storage racks, when he set the metal against the roll machine to re-position the plate clamp, the clamp had apparently not fully released and had just enough grab to tip the metal over as it released when raised by the bridge crane. Two metal plates fell over onto the employee causing pain and bruising

Employee opened a metal door into his left knee, causing a contusion which required 5 days off work for recovery.

Employee was working in the #6 tunnel at East Ridge. While standing on a 4 ft. step ladder, using a piece of 10 ft. pencil rod to un-choke the #2 hopper, he felt a pop in his left shoulder. Physician diagnosis is shoulder pain; to-date, the employee has been given two weeks of light-duty.

Employee was welding on a pipe in the East Ridge Floatation. He was unaware his automatic welding shield had been adjusted by another employee prior to his use; he sustained a flash burn to both eyes which required prescription eye drops.

Employee was crawling under the six-wheeler to check a rear tire when his flashlight fell striking him in the right eye. The contusion resulted in blood pooling in the eye causing temporarily impaired vision which required prescription drops and monitoring.

The employee was working in the #16 East Ridge Tunnel, a skirt from the belt frame fell off and struck the employee on his hard hat, causing pain in his neck and upper back, requiring physical therapy treatment.

Employee was drilling into a metal bracket with 5/16" drill bit when the bracket rolled over. The drill bit hit the left index finger. Four stitches were required to close the wound

Employee was placing a jackhammer into the service truck when it slipped and fell onto his left pinky finger, causing a contusion. Employee was placed on restricted duty by the treating Emergency Room physician.

Employee was unbolting the 1500 cone from the cyclone, the cone body dropped pulling his hand open, causing a 1 inch laceration at the base of thumb and forefinger. No stitches were required. Employee was treated for infection related to the injury on 10/01/2013.

Employee was cutting a transmission brake out of an International Tractor Trailer when metal debris flew into his eye, causing irritation.

Employee was tightening the East Ridge dryer door with a wrench, he pulled back on the wrench and felt a pain in the left side of neck.

Employee felt pain in lower back after climbing into a boat to retie a rope while working on the dredge. (Note: Employee did not miss work until 5/07/13)

Employee reached past a guard on the # 5 belt at the crusher, when he pulled his arm back, the underside of the metal cut him, causing a 1 1/2 inch laceration on the left forearm, requiring 5 stitches.

Employee was cutting 3/8 conveyor belt when his hand slipped causing laceration to the back of his left hand between thumb and wrist that required five (5) stitches.

Employee was unclogging a hopper and slipped on the snow bank while descending, causing left knee sprain.

Employee was running the impeller packer (robotic bagging machine) when a piece of tin dislodged from the storage tank and fell, striking employee on right shoulder causing pain and numbness down right arm and in the last three fingers of right hand.

Employee was lowering a water hose from the upper level of the cooler scrubber, the hose wrapped around his right hand and the hose clamp sliced the back of his hand between the thumb and forefinger which required 9 stitches.

IW is contracted by KMC as a Mining Engineering Consultant. As he was catching a sample from the bottom of the ball mill discharge, the sample container collided with the discharge screen, the sample cup was pulled into the rotating screen causing injury to his left hand: laceration to pinky requiring 12 stitches; fracture to middle finger, requiring splint.

Employee was walking down an embankment outside the East Ridge Dryer; the LID from a 55 gallon metal drum fell from the landing outside the control room and hit the employee on the nose causing a minor laceration (needed stitches) and a nose fracture.

EE was assembling bulldozer blade for a D10T. Used chains to form rigging for the pusharm. Chain slipped and caught ee's hand on chain hook, causing laceration to middle finger. Required 3 stitches to close.

Employee was using the bobcat to clean up feed around the sawdust blower. He scooped up a bucket of feed, then tilted the bucket back, causing hot feed to flip back into his boots, causing first and second degree burns on his legs and ankles.

Employee was fueling dozer in wet bin. When he finished, fuel hose was retracted, dislodging debris which fell, striking employee on the head, causing laceration.

Employee was carrying two 5 gallon buckets of lime through the woods, he took a step and left ankle popped and pain started. Subsequent medical visit showed the left ankle was broken in two places.

Employee was totting a Flat Bar up the steps. When he made the turn at the top of the steps he felt pain in his lower back.

Employee was walking over floor grate, the grate fell through and the employee reached out to catch himself causing dislocation of left ring finger.

Employee was putting firewood into woodburning stove; he jammed left middle finger, causing a fracture in the fingertip.

When exiting Volvo Loader, employee misjudged handrail, missed hand-hold and fell. Left shoulder hit concrete pier, right leg got hung up in ladder and right knee was twisted.

Employee was carrying ladder and tool bag, stepped off a set of stairs and slipped in mud, twisting right knee

Employee was climbing a small set of stairs and fell, striking his forehead on the concrete floor resulting in a concussion. It was later determined the fall was due to a medical condition.

Employee was crushed under a magnet hopper chute. Chute had been set upright on one end and toppled over after lifting hook was removed. Chute is 10" wide and 114" tall.

Employee was brushing dirt off a stainless steel plate to weld a cover over a hole. His hand caught a corner of the hole and the edge of the stainless steel plate cut through his glove into his finger. He sustained a minor laceration to his right index finger.

Employee was changing electric cable on the Erize Drum Magnet, dust from wind in the building blew into his face. A piece of debris lodged in his left eye. He thought it would resolve on its own so did not seek treatment until 8-05-09. He had a blade of Kyanite material removed from left eye. No further treatment is expected.

Employee had safety glasses on hat, and forgot to replace them over eyes before resuming portable grinding operation inside ball mill, resulting in airborne particulate in eyes.

While operating Eclid R50 haulage truck, steering tightened causing vehicle to veer into right-side roadway drainage ditch. As employee attempted to correct vehicle direction, steering wheel snapped to the right catching right arm in steering wheel resulting in pain in right hand/arm area.

While employee was adjusting welder governor on service truck, he accidentally got energized welding rod stinger close to aerosol can on truck bed causing electrical arc to the can which then ignited from small inside of can.

While Straightening bag on moving conveyor, got right arm caught in conveyor intake chute. (robotic bagging plant under construction)

EE stooped down behind manlift to put object in box, when manlift, being operated by another EE, moved less than one foot in reverse. Struck rear left foot of injured EE, resulting in bone fracture. Manlift travel alarms were working at the time of the accident.

While steam cleaning a truck accidently sprayed left foot with high pressure hot water. Was wearing steel toe boots.

WHILE SETTING UP OVERHEAD CRANE AND CONNECTING HOOK, THE HOOK SLIPPED AND CAUGHT INDEX FINGER ON LEFT HAND BETWEEN THE HOOK AND SHACKLE.

COMING DOWN VERTICAL LADDER IN MILL AT LOWER GIESEKE PLANT, CARRYING 2 SCREWDRIVERS, AND FELT A POP IN RIGHT KNEE. DID NOT HURT AT THE TIME. LEFT WORK AND KNEE BEGAN TO HURT. WENT TO LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM.

Reached in chute hole to pull out a shaft to release gate - the gate dropped down and caught right index finger between chute and shaft.

While placing door on cooler discharge elevator caught little finger on right hand betwen door and opening.

WHILE DRIVING THE 450E DOZER OUT OF THE GIESEKE 35 RAW SLOT - WHEN HE NEARED THE RIM OF THE BUILDING THE DOZER BUCKED FORWARD CAUSING THE BLADE TO DIG INTO THE GROUND CAUSING HIM TO CONTACT THE DOZER WINDSHIELD AREA WITH HIS FOREHEAD.

While using a hammer to knock off a bearing, either a piece of the bearing or a piece of the hammer struck him in the left forearm just above the wrist.

WHEN RELEASING A C-CLAMP, EMPLOYEE PUSHED THE HANDLE WITH HIS RT. THUMB. THE HANDLE DID NOT MOVE & JAMMED HIS THUMB. DID NOT SEE A DR. AT THAT TIME. 5/11/05, EE WENT TO THE DR. BECAUSE HIS THUMB WAS STILL BOTHERING HIM. NO LOST TIME OR RESTICTED DUTY. GIVEN A SPLINT TO IMMOBILIZE HIS THUMB.

WHILE GREASING EUCLID ON THE UNDER SIDE, REACHED TO CLIMB OUT AND FELT A STRAIN IN LEFT SIDE OF BACK JUST BELOW THE SHOULDER BLADE

While cleaning up excess material at the East Ridge dryer - went to pick up a piece of tin - the tin was frozen to the ground and cut index and middle fingers on right hand - was wearing leather gloves at time of accident

While using a pry bar to pry a mill liner back in place - the liner moved pinching thumb on left hand.

Pinched finger while removing parking brake assembly from loader causing fracture to index finger on right hand.

While checking fluids in 50T Euclid - was squatting over - twisted to get to cockpit to check transmission fluid and felt a twinge in lower right back. Did not feel it was necessary to go to the doctor at the time of the accident, however, the pain did not get better and saw a doctor on 11/17/04

While moving 2 pieces of steel H-beams, one flipped over and caught ring finger and middle finger on left hand causing a tuft fracture on the ring finger.

While lining up screen frame to put bolt in place for center hold - hit the down control on the overhead crane rather that the up control. Laceration on index finger on left hand requiring 2 stitches.

TWISTED RIGHT ANKLE ON UNEVEN DECK OF LOADER WHEN GETTING INTO THE LOADER TO OPERATE.

TRIPPED OVER AIR HOSE ON FLOOR, FALLING ON LEFT ELBOW.

WHILE USING A FORKLIFT TO SET A FOAM INSULATION TANK UPRIGHT - THE TANK SLIPPED AND CAUGHT HIS RIGHT HAND BETWEEN THE TANK HANDLE AND THE FORKLIFT FORK.

WHILE WELDING ON AN EUCLID BODY, OUTSIDE THE REBAR BUILDING DOING TRACK WELDING, USING A WIRE WELDER.

WHEN EXITING THE FLUID BED DRYER, TWISTED LEFT KNEE WHEN COMING THROUGH DOOR.

WHILE GOING UP STAIRS TO GET FEED SAMPLE, EE SLIPPED AND GRABBED THE HAND RAIL, HE FELT PAIN IN HIS LEFT ARM.

WHILE PICKING UP POCLAIN SWING MOTOR GEAR FELT A TINGLE AND HOT SPOT IN LOWER RIGHT BACK.

WHILE FILLING BAGS FROM BAG MACHINE, PAIN IN FINGER THEN NUMBNESS IN LEFT HAND.

WHILE REPAIRING A WATER LEAK IN THE FLOAT, TWISTED A PIPE THAT WAS CONECTED TO A HOSE, WITH A PIPE WRENCH. WHEN THE HOSE BROKE LOOSE, THE EXCESS OF AN OVERSIZED CLAMP CUT LEFT THUMB.

HE CAUGHT HIS FINGER BETWEEN ROLLER & BAG DURING BAGGING OPERATION.

EE WAS USING A C-CLAMP TO PRESS A WEAR PLATE AGAINST THE BLADE OF A D9 DOZER. THE CLAMP HAD A LOT OF PRESSURE ON IT - WHEN HE REACHED UP TO RELEASE THE CLAMP IT POPPED OFF. THEN HE JERKED HIS HEAD OUT OF THE WAY, HIS HARD HAT CAME OFF & THECLAMP HIT HIM ON TOP OF THE HEAD.

WHILE BLOWING DOZER BLADE OFF, PREPARING IT FOR WELDING JOB AND AIRBORNE PARTICULATE GOT IN HIS RIGHT EYE.

EE WAS REPLACING HOSE ON SHAKER- WHILE PUSHING HOSE FELT PAIN IN LOWER BACK AREA.

KNIFE SLIPPED AFTER CUTTING SPLICE IN CONVEYOR BELT.

WHILE MAKING REPAIRS TO CRUSHER, BURNER RING DROPPED DOWN WHEN EE WAS LINING UP WEDGES, PINCHING LEFT FOREFINGER.

WHILE WELDING, STARTED SWEATING AND THE SWEAT WAS RUNNING INTO HIS EYES, SO HE STOPPED AND PIKCED UP WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A CLEAN RAG AND WIPED HIS FACE, LATER HIS LEFT EYE BECAME IRRITATED.

STRAINED GROIN AREA ON LEFT SIDE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON EXTRACTOR CLOTH.

BENT OVER TO PICK UP A PIECE OF PAPER ON SHIP FLOOR AND FELT A SHARP PAIN IN LOWER RIGHT SIDE OVER GROIN.

TOOK SAFETY GLASSES OFF TO WIPE PERSPIRATION OFFOF FACE, SMALL PARTICULATE GOT INTO EYE.

HOOKING UP AN AIRLINE AND ACCIDENTALLY PRESSED THE TRIGGER AND THE GRINDER CAME ON.

FAN IN TRUCK BLEW DUST IN SIDE GLASS OF TRUCK BLOWING AN AIR BORNE PARTICULATE IN HIS RIGHT EYE.

EMPLOYEE WAS TURNING CRANK TO LOWER WHEEL ON CONVEYER FRAME TO MOVE FRAME WHEN HE FELT PAIN IN HIS LOWER BACK.

DUST BLEW INTO HIS EYE WHILE CLEANING MAGENT CHUTE IN AIR SEPARATOR BUILDING.

UNSCREWING CAP ON TOP OF MILL RETURN SCREW HOUSING, CAP WAS CROSS THREADED, TAPPING BOLT WITH HAMMER ON CAP FLANGE, HAMMR SLIPPED AND STRUCK LITTLE FINGR ON RIGHT HAND.

PIECE OF KYANITE BLEW INTO EYE WHILE CHECKING ON MAINTENANCE WORKER.

WHILE TAKING ROOTS OFF CONVEYER BELT, ROCK CAUGHT RIGHT RING FINGER UNDER SMALL HOLD DOWN WHEEL.