Houston Plant: 1 recorded fatality Metal/Non-Metal

While installing the drive belts on mill, they were turning the sheaves & rolling the belts over the grooves. During the 4th belt, the injured EE had left hand on the belt near the sheave. The belts were pulled toward the EE resulting in left little finger getting caught between the belt & the sheave. EE's finger was pinched between the belt & sheave as it made the rotation.

Employee was wrapping the pallets when one of them got stuck in the stretch hooder on the chain conveyor, employee tried to manually pull it out and strained back. Employee did not complain at that time and was off two days. Upon EE's return on 8/29, EE requested to have back checked out.

EE was teaching a temp to run the robot, as EE began down the stairs EE started coughing and missed the last step which led to a fall on EE's right side, in which EE rolled/twisted EE's left ankle. EE refused medical treatment initially. One Dec 28th 2023, EE called and stated EE's ankle was hurting and requested medical treatment.

Employee was attempting to close the ears on a hose camlock with a 5 lb. steel hammer when EE struck right thumb with the hammer causing the injury.

Employee was sitting in a chair at the 100lb. bagging machine when employee swung to the left to catch a new bag that was falling off of the stand, causing employee to strike left elbow.

EE was overhauling Mill #5. EEs were adjusting the flanged ring that sits on top of high side by hand to line up bolt holes when the flanged ring slipped off of high side crushing EE's left index & middle fingers. The end of the left index finger had to be amputated by doctors from 1st finger knuckle to the end (approximately 1").

EE was cleaning out the wind box for Mill #3. The wind box is a tight area. The EE got a cramp in left inner thigh. The EE exited the wind box and started walking off the cramp. The EE decided to shake left leg and caused a muscle strain to left inner thigh. The EE wanted to be transported by ambulance to ER because EE said it hurt too much to walk.

Loader operator in training injured shoulder when hitting it against the cab wall when loader turned onto its side.

Injured person was cleaning glass beaker in the lab with the incorrect size wire brush when the top of the beaker broke causing employee to cut right index finger.

Temporary employee was assisting with mill overall using an air impact tool and bent over to loosen the nuts on the plow. As temporary employee began to straighten up EE felt pain in EE's lower back. Temporary employee is being treated for lower back pain by medical professional.

Temp employee removed a safeguard to clean out a clogged valve. EE proceeded to clean out the valve with finger. EE did not shut off or lock out the machine. EE right index finger was cut off at the first knuckle.

Employee was moving parts on a pallet by hand and pinched right hand middle finger between two metal parts causing laceration to right middle finger bottom knuckle.

Employee finished unloading material. He went to rack his hoses on his truck. As he was racking them, he slipped on mud and lost his footing causing him to twist his body to try and catch himself from falling. He ended spraining a muscle in his lower back.

Employee was trying to turn a shaft with a pipe wrench above his head. It broke loose and struck the employee in the head with the handle in the head.

Employee was working on a bagging system that had sprung a leak. Employee reach behind the machine to find out where the leak was. A clamp came down on his hand and caught his index and ring fingers in a pinch point. Employee needed stitches to close the wound on his ring finger.

Employee was walking and tripped on a curb at a local convenience store after refueling his company vehicle. He fell on his elbows and knees bruising them and injuring his right shoulder in the process.

Employee was rodding out mill #5 feed tank with a bar and hammer. He next went to mill #3. While climbing down mill #3 ladder he felt numbness from his left fingers and his left shoulder.

Employee was dumping a hopper full of material, wasn't paying attention to his footing when he pushed the lever, he didn't realize his foot was underneath the hopper and when he pushed it downward the hopper fell forward and smashed his foot.

Employee was cleaning up oil near some line blinds. He slipped and banged his shin into a product line.

Conditions contributing to the accident involved a combination of inexperience and incorrect usage of tools.

An employee, in an attempt to re-adjust the photo eye of a palletizing machine, had his right hand crushed by a bag wiper.

Employee was transferred from warehouse location to mine site. Employee was loading 50 lb. sacks of material on to pallets from 7:15 a.m. to time of injury. When the employee stood straight after being bent over, stated experiencing a pull in lower back. 03/08/2010 employee sought a physician and diagnosis was a lumbar strain, next visit, 03/15/2010.

While attempting to clear the right hand fill spout employee hit his right hand on the end of the spout cutting the inside of his right index finger.

Twisted knee when he stepped off of bagging unit.

Employee was replacing packing and thought the piece of equipment was turned off, the equipment cycled and pulled his left hand, pinching it between the inside casing and the actuator. The equipment had been locked out, but the employee unlocked the equipment to test it, then failed to relock.

Employee was cleaning out a tank and while bent over the clamp from an air hose broke and the hose fell hitting him on his right ear causing his hard hat to come off and the plug in his right ear to fall out.

Employee used an unprotected razor bladde to cut a plastic tie wrap. The blade slipped and cut his finger.

While "rodding" mill 3 feed tank, employee strained right shoulder.

Victim staes the injury occurred on 11/23/07 just before leaving work at 5:00PM (CST). She said she was loading a truck and was poked with a wire in her left little finger. Reported to management on 11/28/2007. Employee was wearing leather gloves.

While cleaning out a bagging machine, EE caught his left middle finger on the impeller blade (the bagger was locked out, the blade did not move). He sustained a laceration and avulsion to his middle finger.

Employee was filling 100 lb. bags of barite when a bag burst and product sprayed into both eyes.

Reported that he was pushing product, which is thick and gummy in consistency, through a feeder when he exerted a pushing type force with a twisting motion in the completing the activity. Discomfort to his left low back and left hip & some discomfort to his neck between his shoulder blades. Denies numbness to his arms or legs. Able to walk without difficulty.

Employee slipped on mud while walking and sprained his wrist when he braced his fall.

Employee stumbled on stairs in the mill room as he was servicing the mill.

Employee injured back while stacking 100 lb. bags.

Employee injured his wrist while swinging a hammer.

Employee struck his hand against a bagging machine.

Employee tried to step over a ladder that was laying on its edge. He tripped and fell to the concrete surface. Strained and bruised left shoulder and arm.

Employee missed placement of bag and cut hand on spout. This was initially determined to be a first aid case. Upon audit for 7000-2 preparation it was discovered that the wound was sutured.

Employee was bagging and stacking 100 lb. bags when he experienced a sharp pain in his chest.

During packing, a bag burst and sprayed powder on the side of employee's head. Employee reported incident and pain on 01/24/2005.

Employee had bagged 21 pallets of 50 LB. bags. After taking a break at 10:00 p.m. he experienced pain in his back.

UNKNOWN PARTICLE LODGED IN EYE WHILE WELDING.