Tunnel City: 166 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Employee was walking on slightly uneven ground and felt a slight pop in left knee. Physical therapy on 11/20/25 made it become a reportable incident.

While employee was trimming belt edges on BC-1004, they had another employee switch out the blade on their utility knife because it was getting dull. Once they resumed cutting, the new blade cut better than anticipated resulting in contact with their other hand, which resulted in 12 stitches. Employee was wearing gloves while performing this task.

Scope of the job was to utilize scrapers to transport overburden soil to fill in washouts along a slope within the mine with assistance from a dozer. In this process a scraper operator was braking then started to lose traction and began to slide sideways until the left front tire of the scraper dropped into a washout, thus jackknifing the scraper, causing the cab to overturn.

The employee reported feeling pains in abdomen on 9/2/24 after replacing two (2) 40x48 diester screens on VS1001. Employee believed it was from the work the employee did on 9/1/2024.

Employee stated that had tweaked back while operating the loader during the shift. There was no specific incident that caused the back pain, just normal operation.

Two employees were moving a tote of coag using a pallet jack. One employee was pulling on the pallet jack handle while the other was pushing the tote. The employee pushing on the tote felt a pop in their left calf muscle.

While employee was cleaning up a trench with a hose and their left foot slipped into the trench while the right foot stayed on the surface and strained their lower back.

While walking into the warehouse prior to start of shift, employee had hands full with employee's personal items and didn't see a rock on the ground. Employee tripped and fell, twisting left ankle and right knee. Employee then landed on right knee, wrist and shoulder.

Employee got out of EE's haul truck in Tailings loadout to clean off EE's camera and something got into EE's eye. Unsure if it was sand or clay.

Maint Supervisor noticed the S & H /Env Supervisor face down on the ground next to MCC E5. 911 was called immediately.  CPR was administered to the employee until emergency personnel arrived on the scene and took over all lifesaving measures.  The employee was transferred to hospital. It was confirmed that the cause of EE's medical event was a heart attack.

At the end of the shift the Employee parked the end loader and descended down the steps, using three points of contact, and missed the last step. This caused the employee to fall and roll ankle.

While adjusting position on a welding job, employee stated EE felt a pop and EE's back immediately tightened up.

Employee was attempting to loosen an adjuster on a bearing and felt a minor strain in right forearm. This resulted in a cramping sensation and minor swelling.

Loadout employee was loading railcars. While stepping between two railcars, EE's retractable fall protection device locked causing EE to lose balance and fall. While falling employee attempted to catch self and injured EE's left hand.

Wet Plant Operator noticed an issue with PU-2203 and called Maintenance. Maintenance employee was walking by the pump, smelled it overheating, radioed to shut down. After employee called, melted rubber sprayed out of pump casing coming in contact with employee's left thumb and right forearm causing a burn.

Employees were tasked to replace a bearing. The outer housing was removed and the race was scored, but not enough to release it from the shaft. Employee 1 went to get a wedge to help remove the race. Employee 2 began hitting the inner race with a hammer. A piece of the hammer head broke off and lodged in EE's chest, requiring stitches when removed.

2 Haul trucks were traveling in opposite directions down and up a ramp in the dump. As they met on the ramp the driver immediately pulled off to the side to avoid contact. One truck started to slide when the brakes were applied causing a collision. Employees were wearing seat belts, however, driver of truck #2 received a laceration above the eye requiring three stitches.

Employee was taking a pallet of culligan water jugs to the main plant using a forklift. EE pulled up to the overhead door, climbed off the forklift to open the door. As EE walked back to the forklift, EE tripped over the corner of the pallet falling into the forklift mast. EE used their hands to brace the fall but jammed the right ring finger in the process.

Employee tripped over a water hose EE was using and fell on same level. Employee was taken to the hospital where it was determined EE sustained a concussion. EE was treated and released the same day.

Employee was working from the filter press maintenance platform when ee fell. The employee was taken to hospital, where it was determined ee sustained a lower leg and back injury. The employee was treated and released the same day.

Employee was removing a guard on the tail pulley of a belt conveyor. The last bolt on the guard became wedged so the employee tried to free the bolt using a maul and another bolt as a punch. When EE swung the maul to free the bolt, EE missed and struck finger resulting in a fracture.

The last 2 sections of the dryer bed were being removed when they became wedged in the framework during the hoisting process. The employee entered the dryer using the ladder on the inside wall to try and use foot to free the piece. As EE was using foot to try and free the plate it moved and ee struck ee, ee lost balance and fell to the dryer floor.

Employee was pounding a wooden stake into a hay bale and struck hand with a hammer. The employee received a cut on right index finger which required six stitches.

Employee was driving scraper in overburden cut and when front left tire spun out on a large rock it resulted in jarring the machine and employee strained neck. Employee reported incident to supervisor at end of shift but refused medical treatment at that time. Employee sought medical attention (chiropractor) on 5/22/18 at which time ee was given restrictions.

Non-Employee, Non-Contractor, Railroad Employee Injury Canadian Pacific Employee tripped and fell when deboarding the engine of the train as it entered the rail yard. Employee suffered back injuries and was taken to local hospital for examination.

Employee was walking alongside the conveyor beltline and stepped on uneven ground/rock that was frozen and rolled an ankle resulting in pain, swelling and bruising. Employee was taken to the Emergency Room for further examination where an X ray determined that they had suffered a fracture to the lower tibia (ankle). Employee will need surgery to repair the broken bone.

Employee was performing quality control sampling and noticed something irritating employee's right eye. Employee was taken to the local clinic to irrigate employee's eye and nothing was found to be in employee's eye. Physician prescribed eye drops as a preventative measure for possible infection.

Employee had a previous injury and is now exhibiting the same symptoms as before.

Employee strained neck when the haul truck ee was operating slid into a rut on the road.

Employee was operating the scraper when ee hit a pot hole and felt a sharp pain in back. Employee called the supervisor and notified ee of the incident. The employee was taken to the clinic where ee was diagnosed with acute lower back pain. Employee was given prescription medication and restrictions.

Employee was working on the brakes of a company pickup and while EE had head under the fender, some ice and mud came loose from the wheel well striking EE in the back of the head. EE's mouth hit the brake caliper causing EE to chip tooth.

After performing cleaning operations the employee slipped on and fell onto a horizontal pipe striking mid-section on the pipe. Employee reported the injury to management on the 10th of February. Employee was taken to clinic and diagnosed with bruised ribs. Employee was placed on light duty for a week and given prescription medication to aid in the recovery.

Employee was climbing into the cab of a haul truck and hyper extended knee when the bottom rung of the cable step ladder swung forward. Employee reported the incident immediately and refused medical treatment. After no improvement in condition employee was taken to clinic on November 7th where EE was diagnosed with a knee sprain and referred to therapy for the injury.

Employee was on the load out spout platform changing and rebuilding a motor for the spout chain and when he attempted to lift a motor and shaft out of its mounting bracket he felt a pain in his back. Employee went to see a chiropractor on 7/8/15.

While cooping rail cars employee felt a slight strain their back causing a sharp pain. Follow up was conducted on 6-12-15 with employee to determine if follow up care was needed and at that time employee stated they would be fine. On the night of 6-15 employee stated that they felt tightness in thier back again. Employee was referred to a chiropractor for care on 6-22-15.

Employee was carrying a floor jack down the stairs of screen house, as he was coming to the last landing the heel of his boot caught on the last step causing him to twist awkwardly and he fell on his left knee which struck the grating. Employee reported that he felt a pull in the left knee. Employee had MRI on 4/27/15 and surgery on 5/15/15 to remove loose cartilage from knee.

Employee was pulling cloth off of filter press plate and sand got into employee's eye. Employee was wearing safety glasses but still managed to get sand in his left eye. Employee was taken to emergency room for examination to assure there was no other material in his eye. Employee was diagnosed with a corneal abrasion and given a prescription for his eye.

Employee was going to perform housekeeping in the area and as he was walking the employee stated he turned around to pick up a piece of trash and slipped, during which he attempted to break the fall using his left hand resulting in the injury to his wrist. Soft Splint applied to wrist.

Employee while fueling Dozer was climbing off the piece of equipment when hand grab rail failed causing him to fall to the ground.

Employee was in an awkward position leaning over a pump to loosen a seal and strained his back.

EE initially reported shoulder pain after slipping while exiting skid steer loader on 11/15/14. The pain was attributed to a mild shoulder strain. Due to persistent pain, EE was taken for further medical review which included MRI revealing a Class 1 shoulder separation. The injury resulted in application of physical therapy and modified duty days.

EE had sand blown into his eye at some point in his shift, without his knowledge. Sand got under his contact lens and continued to scratch the employee's eye through the course of his shift until contact lens was removed.

Haul Truck driver was parked at tailings area waiting to be loaded with material. Loader operator did not see the haul truck and backed into the side of the haul truck. The haul truck driver sustained whiplash from resulting collision.

Employee was carrying an impeller to his maintenance truck. As he was placing it onto the truck it slipped out of his hand when he tried to catch it his right thumb was caught between the impeller and the truck tailgate causing a laceration to the right thumb.