Alcoa World Alumina LLCMining Incidents in 2008

EE's (L) middle finger was amputated between the nail bed and 1st joint due to the impact from a ""T"" handle while a valve was being worked on. The last time he engaged the air gun, the pressure from liquid entering the line caused the ""T"" handle to swing down contacting his finger.

General Mechanic was using a 24 inch line-up bar to align the bolt holes in a flange on the loop of a low temperature digester loop. During the task the employee felt some slight discomfort while applying force to the bar, but no pain. The doctor diagnosed the employee with an inguinal hernia. He returned to his regular job until his scheduled surgery which is November 4th.

While negotiating a turn on an electric fork truck the operator removed one hand from the controls to swat at a flying insect. The turn was not properly completed and the operators hand was pinched between the fork truck and a pallet rack support. The operator lacerated and broke his ring and pinky fingers. The collision did not result in equipment damage.

Area Operator was walking across a work platform on 12/19 and slipped on the top walking surface. He tried to catch himself by grabbing the handrail and felt pain in his right elbow. He reported to medical and was treated conservatively. He was referred to another physician on December 29th and diagnosed with a fractured coronoid process of the right elbow.

Employee had been working with valves after washing press and started having numbness in fingers.

Employee was swinging a sledgehammer trying to close a valve stem and felt a slipping and grinding in his right shoulder.

Employee was opening a circulating valve on a pump tank when he felt a pop in his right shoulder.

Employee was walking to break room and as he was preparing to descend two steps to the break room he unexpectedly feel backward falling on his shoulder. The employee cannot determine why he fell.

Employee got on tricycle and stood on pedals to start pedaling and right foot slipped off pedal and struck ground. Impact to ground jammed right knee. Employee was treated conservatively initially and effective November 4th was placed on work restrictions to assist the healing process.

Employee was using an 8 lb. hammer to open a valve. As he was hitting the locking handle his left hand contacted the valve handle causing a fracture.

An employee in the Calcination department was swapping screen boxes. Before opening screen box to clean, employee went to assist another operator. When he returned to the screen box station he opened the screen box that was in service instead of the one that was out of service. Employee was contacted by liquor and hydrate on both legs.

Employee was pulling on a com-a-long to take the impeller out of a pump. Employee strained muscles in his upper back while pulling on the com-a-long.

Operator was loosening the valve it started to leak at the nipple. The operator reached to tighten the nipple to stop the leak and was contacted on his right hand and lip by hot caustic causing 1st and 2nd degree chemical burns. Initial treatment involved first aid, but due to potential for infection the treatment was changed to include Silvadene on 8/28/08

Employee tagged out and changed out the acid fluids for heater, then he opened the valves, then he filled the water tanks. He began to feel tension in his back. He then picked up the inhibitor pump and put it into a barrel and felt a twitch. After resting, he pulled the pump out of the barrel and felt another twitch followed by a sharp pain in his lower back.

Employee rolled left ankle on last step in R-35 after putting #6 Press Feed pump on caustic resulting in a severe sprain.

EE suffered a laceration to his right elbow which required sutures. EE was descending a ladder and fell backwards when he stepped off the second rung of the ladder. He fell onto the plywood deck landing on his back and struck his right elbow. The impact caused the laceration.

Employee was opening a drain valve and was strung twice by yellow jackets.

Employee was moving a wheel barrow and hit grating. This caused employee to loose control of the wheel barrow. Employees left hand contacted sharp edge causing a laceration on the back of the hand that required stitches.

Employee was washing down a press when sodium oxalate splashed back into her face causing possible inhalation through her nose.

Hearing loss associated with exposure to excessive noise that was diagnosed during routine medical surveillance.

Exposure to noise resulting in a 10dB STS with a 25dB hearing loss.

Employee has a 10dB age corrected hearing loss of of 25dB in his left ear.

Exposure to noise, resulting in a 10dB STS with 25dB hearing loss in left ear.

As a result of routine audiometric testing a General Mechanic in the Clarification Department was recorded as having a confirmed threshold shift with a 25 dB loss in his left ear.

Injured employee and three other employees were exchanging processing tanks in the Precipitation Dept. Injured employee began to feel weak and dizzy.