Mining Incidents

Tolsa Wyoming Bentonite Plant Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Tolsa S A
Casper, Natrona County, WY  ·  Temporarily Idled
MSHA Mine ID: 4801751

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
23
Years on record
2011–2024
Latest incident
Mar 2024
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2011
153
citations
53
significant & substantial
$101,800
proposed penalties
$92,387
paid to date
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Quarterly safety rates
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2025 Q3 1,712 4 0 2336.4
2025 Q2 2,987 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 2,712 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 3,107 7 2 2253.0
2024 Q3 2,766 23 3 8315.3
2024 Q2 3,462 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 3,554 9 6 2532.4
2023 Q4 3,544 0 0 0.0
Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

23 on file

2024 · 1 incident

March 18, 2024 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Tolsa Wyoming Bentonite · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was climbing down from a CAT Loader and slipped on excessive mud. The employee broke/fractured left ankle.

2019 · 1 incident

August 28, 2019 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Tolsa Wyoming Bentonite · Fall from machine

The operator had informed me that while starting the stoker/furnace it had flashed on EE. EE suffered burns on face as well as right forearm. Due to the flash EE had jumped from the upper deck of the stoker and injured foot, deck is approx. 5' off ground. EE had the loader operator who was on shift drive EE to the E.R.

2016 · 1 incident

May 13, 2016 WY · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HOISTING
Tolsa Wyoming Bentonite · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Elevator 310 locked/tagged out due to blockage, pulled front and back plates to clean blockage. EE was using a bar to remove a rock when the buckets broke loose and pulled the bar and EE's left hand and arm into the machine. EE jerked hand back, realized hand and arm were injured. Went to the office to get help.

2013 · 9 incidents

October 30, 2013 WY · Metal/Non-Metal pumper HANDLING OF MATERIALS
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

When switching propane tanks he turned shutoff valve closed and disconnected hose, broke the seal. propane squirted out causing freezer burn on R hand (1st and middle fingers)

September 27, 2013 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was adjusting forks on the extendable forklift when his hand holding up fork slipped and the left hand (ring finger) pushing fork was smashed.

September 20, 2013 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator STRIKING OR BUMPING
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Struck against stationary object

Employee ducked down to go below the conveyor belt that feeds the powder elevator between B&C silos. When passing under the belt, his hard hat hit the bottom of the conveyor and fell off. He continued below the belt until he thought he was clear of the belt. He stood up, hit his head on a water trap which cut his scalp.

August 30, 2013 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was walking on the stock piles at night, tripped and fell on his left knee

August 9, 2013 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator FIRE
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Contact with hot objects or substances

Emp. was shrinking a bag over a pallet of bentonite. The plastic caught on fire. Emp. said he shed the fire off of the seed burner & was trying to put the fire out with the end of the weed burner when a piece of plastic lodged on his hand. Emp isn't sure how the plastic got on his hand. He may have swatted at the plastic with it. He doesn't remember

June 5, 2013 WY · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Struck by falling object

Adjusting conveyor and a 4" PVC dust line(full of dust) broke from overhead from a distance of 3'. He was hit initially on the hardhat, then in the back of the neck and on the side of the rib cage (letf side)

April 2, 2013 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EE is not sure of the exact incident. There are a couple of possibilities of when it happened 1)helping another EE move glue barrels 2)re-stacking a pallet or 3)closing a stubborn door on a box car. EE believes it was moving the barrels because he was bent, extended over them and applying force. EE didn't feel pain till he was in car after work/reported next day.

March 4, 2013 WY · Metal/Non-Metal pumper NONPOWERED HAULAGE
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Employee states that while cleaning up, he was wheeling a wheel barrow full of bentonite to the front end loader to empty it into the bucket. He set it down and re-adjusted his grip on the handles. He lifted it up and as he went to push it over to dump, he heard a pop in the left shoulder area. Took to Urgent Care.

2012 · 6 incidents

December 27, 2012 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Slipped off the step on grader and twisted back @ 11a; slipped when cleaning our crude elevator with a bar @ 2p, twisted back again.

December 12, 2012 WY · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech OTHER
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Unknown debris on eye.

October 4, 2012 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was installing an auger-screw & pulled a muscle when lifting the motor into the man basket.

September 26, 2012 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE trying to seal a railcar door, handle wouldn't move. EE opened door again tried closing, couldn't move handle. EE placed all weight on handle to move. Felt hot sharp pain the lower back part of neck and top of back. Tried turn head felt constant sharp pain. It hurts to lift arms, tried stretching and using Advil/Aleve to no avail. Went to Ugent Care

January 9, 2012 WY · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Party and co-worker were cutting angle iron off a high beam supporting the blower in the mill building. When the last supporting bolt was cut free the angle iron was lacking support and came falling down. As it fell it caught ee right hand and injured his thumb.

January 4, 2012 WY · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) MACHINERY
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Party was grinding on medal in the fabrication shop when tiny particles blew under his face shield and eye glasses. They got stuck in his left eye.

2011 · 5 incidents

December 28, 2011 WY · Metal/Non-Metal electrician, lineman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Party was walking into the Pilot Plant from the east door. He didn't see the forks from the forklift flesh with the concrete, at which time he tripped over them. He stumbled several times but was unable to catch himself. When he fell to the ground he landed on his Left side. An act that resulted in an injury to his Left arm, shoulder, hand, elbow and middle back.

November 30, 2011 WY · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

He was opening a garage door that is difficult to open when he felt pain in his right shoulder. He then proceeded to work on un-clogging the mill feed with a pry bar. While prying the particles apart with a pry bar. While prying downwards the pry bar slipped and put extra strain the his right arm. This slip caused his right shoulder to begin aching. He notified his supervisor.

October 28, 2011 WY · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Struck by flying object

The employee was cleaning the bag house inside & out when doing so debris made of either coal dust, bentonite or metal came in contact with his R. eye. Employee flushed his eye after the incident happened. over the weekend he states it got worse. Due to irritation he was taken into to where objects was removed.

October 6, 2011 WY · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Over-exertion in wielding or throwing objects

Stacking 50# bags manually. Employee stated he twisted his back while throwing bags.

September 28, 2011 WY · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
US Bentonite Processing, Inc · Struck by flying object

While EE was removing his safety glasses something fell into his eye. He was unable to remove it with eye wash. We sent him into an instant care facility. They removed it and he was able to come back to work.