Sumterville Cement Plant: 389 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Miner was appx. 30' away from a capacitor that failed resulting in an ARC flash. Miner denied any injury and refused medical evaluation. On July 8, 2025 miner reported ringing in left ear and shortness of breath from event that occurred on June 12, 2025 and was sent for eval. At no time was a workplace injury reported until July 8,2025. Injury is under compensability investigation.

At time of injury employee was operating an electric winch. Employee was operating pendant controller guiding the winch cable onto the cable drum with right hand as the grinding cylinder was being hoisted into position, when right glove got caught on the cable and it pulled right index finger into the cable and drum. Employee has not missed anytime from work.

During training, Miner was at top of training scaffolding stairway. Miner's L foot slipped while egressing stairway, R foot stayed in place. Miner's L hand was on handrail & kept Miner from falling to ground. Initially was 1st aid, but pain continued. Miner didn't go to clinic till 11/02/24, was diagnosed w/Rt fibula fracture. Miner is on restrictions, has missed no scheduled work

A maintenance technician was working in the Raw Mill replacing the chain on the chain feeder. Employee and a co-worker were utilizing a chain come along to release tension on the tension spring of the chain. The chain slipped releasing the stored energy of the spring pinching the tip EE's right index finger between the nut and the spring plate. Employee was wearing gloves.

Miner was working on a lime feed hopper when the lime powder unexpectedly blew out of a port getting under safety glasses into miner's left eye. First aid provided on site. Miner was transported to clinic for further treatment. Miner suffered chemical burn and eye scratch. Miner missed no work time.

Removing tires from reject cage, entered the cage to remove reject when tire fell striking right shoulder/neck. Miner reported to the supervisor. Clinic contacted; EE was put on self-care. Miner stated did not feel better and wanted to go to clinic. EE did not appear to be injured and there were no witnesses. No signs of injury. Put on light duty. Claim is being contested.

Employee lifted a GCT lance into place from floor level. Felt a pop in L bicep with pain. Pain subsided. Employee did not report injury until 01/25/2024. On this date Employee was seen at clinic for injury and Diagnosed with L bicep strain with left arm lifting restrictions. Employee has missed no scheduled work as a result of injury.

Miner was wearing a welding hood and safety glasses. While chipping welding slag with hammer the slag went up underneath safety glasses hitting left eye. First aid in form of flushing occurred at facility. Miner went to a local clinic for evaluation was diagnosed with left cornea scratch and was prescribed antibiotic eye drops. Miner returned to work and has not missed any time.

Miner was troubleshooting reclaimer in preparation for maintenance work. As miner was egressing from reclaimer miner rolled left ankle. Miner was driven to clinic where miner was Dx with a ligament sprain. Miner was given a prescription dose for Ibuprofen. Miner returned to work and has not missed any days at work.

EE's hand was pinched and lacerated during a task in which a barrel tipper was being used to straighten a barrel. The barrel slipped and pinched EE's hand.

Miner was using a fixed blade knife to cut rubber T pieces to place in gaps on loadout scale. EE was cutting the rubber when the knife went through the rubber and lacerated L hand/index finger. First aid was administered. Miner was driven to a local clinic where they received 8 stitches, Ibuprofen and antibiotic Rx. Miner has remained on full duties.

Miner was working above a welding operation. Miner believes they received welding burns to eyes from reflection off of steel. Reported next day that eyes were light sensitive, they went to clinic and received antibiotic drops. Miner informed clinic that this was not a workplace injury, but after investigating further it is determined that this could be a work related injury.

Miner was using an air lance when material came back at EE. Miner got cement dust in EE's left eye. First aid was provided by flushing EE's eye. Miner went home, EE arrived back at work the next day with redness to EE's left eye, EE went to local clinic for eval. EE had EE's eye flushed and received an antibiotic ointment. Miner has remained on full duties with no restrictions.

On 4/25 employee reported that during the previous scheduled shift, while working with other employees to move trailing cable for drag line, EE felt a sharp pain on left side of EE's lower back. Employee reported the injury on 4/25 & requested to be evaluated at the clinic on 4/26 when EE received a diagnosis of acute left-sided low back pain with work restrictions.

Employee was descending from top of cement silos elevator when elevator stopped approximately 70 feet in the air. Local fire department was contacted and assisted worker out of elevator and down ladder. Worker was not injured.

On Saturday February 6, 2021 the foreman on duty noticed emissions from the coal mill venting system and in communication with control it was decided to inert the system with CO2. Out of due caution, the MSHA reporting center was contacted and notified of possible unplanned dust ignition in coal mill system. An MSHA inspector attended the site to conduct an investigation.

Miner was connecting a 2" air hose from the finish mill air system to a portable compressor. Miner was in the process of connecting the cable whip check when a second employee turned on the air valve at the receiver tank blasting the miner in the face with pressurized air.

Employees were lowering a piece of metal which was attached to a come-along and the employee was guiding the metal when the edge caused a laceration to glove and hand.

No injuries. 5 contractor employees were using the elevator when it by-passed it limit switch for the foor and stopped about 4 - 6 inches above the floor. We directed the contractors to slowly release the brake and descend the 4 - 6" to the floor allowing the elevator doors to open and the contractors to walk out of the elevator.

Maintenance Technician was assigned the task of connecting hydraulic hoses to a cylinder underneath the coal grinding mill. Tech was in a squatting position underneath the mill connecting hose fittings when they twisted their body and felt a pain in the lower back.

Employee was transferring gear oil from a 330 gallon tote to a 5 gallon container using a manual lever style hand pump. EE was stretching across the top of the tote operating the lever on the pump and after a few minutes, EE felt discomfort in EE's lower back. EE completed the activity and reported the incident to EE's supervisor and then consulted the nurse.

Employee was drilling a hole through a newly installed CARDOX port in a dust cyclone when the drill bit caught and twisted the drill out of the employees hands.

Employee was removing dust from the Gas Conditioning Tower through the GCT discharge screw. The GCT had been clogged to the point of overloading the reversing and discharge screws. The employee reached in to operate the screw to the truck, when hot material from the GCT and reversing screw directly above employee rained down on lower right arm, wrist and hand.

Employee was coming down from preheater tower. As EE approached the first platform where the stairs change direction, EE mis-stepped on the tread and twisted left ankle. The employee reported that EE was descending the steps with right hand holding the right stair rail which helped EE to avoid losing balance and falling down the stairs.

Employee was entering an emptied compartment of a cement ball grinding mill via a ladder and asked for additional portable lighting. A battery operated rated LED light was "dropped" down to them, striking the employee on the tip of the left hand ring finger, causing a fracture to the finger tip.

Employee was grinding. Face shield fogged. Stopped grinding. Lifted Face Shield. Accumulated dust on shield fell into eyes of employee.

Loosen a back motor base nuts, employee did not brace it, when the motor moved forward and pinched employee's left index and hart fingers, causing an open wounds on both. It needs stitches.

An employee walked around the front of EE's mower to take a tool to get the trash at the other side. In order to prevent trip with the mower part, and not hit a road sign, the employee lower self to cross between then. EE did not being able to calculate the distance, and when EE stand hit the lower right corner of the sign, with EE's left earlobe.

An employee was cleaning the 2nd compartment of a ball mill, when it began to turn. The employee turned, and slipped and fell, while getting out of the mill.

Employee was driving a pin out of the cooler moving grate with an impact socket when hammer struck an adjacent piece of metal and glanced off and struck left hand

Employee was inspecting a conveyor and stepped on uneven ground and felt knee twist

Installing an air cannon when the safety cable pulled out of the clevis and the air cannon tank dropped hitting employee's right hand, cutting the palm and finger.

Employee was removing the door of a baghouse compartment; states that while on knees removing the hold downs nuts an keepers, injured back

Employee lost footing while unloading tires from a box trailer. EE caught self with right hand injuring the palm and thumb.

Employee was walking on un-level ground and sprained right knee.

Employee was climbing down from front end loader and on the last step of the ladder EE heard EE's knee pop.

Lifting water pump in place, pump not secured properly on forklift. Operator of forklift stopped and pump rolled off pallet/forks striking employee on left shin.

Working gypsum hopper. Reported of sore back. Sent to clinic. Employee given muscle to take at bedtime. Came back to work placed on light duty.

Angle iron was handed up to another employee, angle iron slipped out of one's hand striking right wrist of injured employee

Sprained right ankle when working. Did not show up for work or report incident. Called employee at home twice and got employee out of bed. Sent employee to clinic for evaluation.

Employee reported to safety department on May 2, 2016 at 0830: Left hand swollen. X-ray showed fracture of 5th metacarpal. Employee did not lose time from work.

Maintenance Tech was cleaning out all the built up material inside the spillage conveyor when a rock got dislodged, fell and hit ee below on the top left shoulder.

Employee was trying to put a cable onto back of loader, lifted up a pin to hook cable and dropped pin on first finger of left hand.

Employee just started work on finish mill first compartment partition, when a steel ball dislodged from above striking employee on the head and employee lost consciousness. Two fellow maintenance techs removed employee from the mill. Employee was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Employee returned back to work the next day.

Pallet broke with metal on it. EE got another pallet & placed metal back on pallet. EE called the next day said ee pulled something & ee was at the clinic. Incident was not reported the day of the injury. EE said it happened 2 weeks prior. We questioned the validity, investigated the incident & legally. Took several weeks. Thus the reason for the delay in reporting.

The constant rain around the state made the plant very slippery at the time of the incident. Employee walking across yard slipped on wet ground and hurt his ankle.

Employee slipped on wet material causing him to fall on his back.

QC TECH GETTING SAMPLE FROM PORT THAT WAS COATED OVER WITH MATERIAL. HE THEN PUSHED A ROD THROUGH THE HARD MATERIAL CAUSING HIS HAND TO SLIP CAUSING A LACERATION TO HIS RING FINGER.

employee walking through grass tripped over shovel.

Employee moving a 55 gallon drum strained his back.

employee making a lift from an awkward position

process attendant was using an air lance in a feed chute when the lance was stuck by some material pushing the lance backward toward the person

Employee stepped on uneven ground and rolled his ankle.

Working on bag house of blend silo.

Employee walking up stairs stumbled and smacked his knee on metal grating.

Employee walking across yard tripped on his on feet and twisted his knee.

Working with jackhammer to clean out pump when tip of jackhammer jammed causing hand to be pinched then causing a laceration to palm of hand.

Employee was lifting a piece of steel with a partner and strained lower back.

Employee was running away from snake and fell down causing him to get injured.

employee missed step and caught himself before hitting ground causing pain to groin area.

Employee just finished cleaning feed shelf at that point he removed his hot hood and went to put safety glasses on when some material was blown in his face.

Employee slipped off of excavator when exiting the machine.

Employee was trying to get a gate to move and was tapping it with a hammer and struck the top of his rt index finger.

Employee was clearing a clog on the cement dust collector buy banging it with a hammer and striking a his finger.

employee was carrying a piece of angle iron on a dirt surface when he rolled his ankle on a rock.

employee cleaning up spillage of sand pile

Employee was tightening bolts using a 2 7/8" wrench. The wrench slipped off of the bolt striking the employee above the left temple. Employee had a laceration that was about one inch long.

The employee was pulling an air slide back to gain access between the flanges. Employee was pulling old silicone out before adding new silicone. The chain that was being used to hold the flange slipped, causing the flange to come together on his left index finger.

Employee was wearing an arc flash protection suit, he was racking out a 12470V breaker to be locked out. After the employee racked out the breaker he removed his glove to open the door to put a lock in place. At that time employee claims that he was zapped by something.

Employee was squatting down working on a motor, his leg fell asleep. When he tried to stand up his right ankle rolled and he felt a pop.