CalPortland, Co.Mining Incidents in 2023

Transport elevator had a faulty relay switch. Tech replaced relay and retrieved elevator.

PCS team recognized a temperature rise in the CM1 system. Rupture disks were then displaced.

Carbon monoxide and dust infiltrated the D-27 mill while miners were inside the mill performing regular preventative maintenance. A 4gas meter near the opening of the mill detected the CO and alarmed. All miners evacuated safely.

EE states that during normal tower cleaning operations EE heard a pop in right shoulder and began to experience pain.

EMPLOYEE WAS CLIMBING UP THE STAIRS, WHEN LEFT FOOT WAS CAUGHT UNDER THE STAIR STEP. EMPLOYEE SLIPPED DOWN TO THE NEXT STAIR STEP AND LANDED ON LEFT ANKLE. EMPLOYEE BROKE LEFT ANKLE ON IMPACT AND MANAGED TO WALK DOWN THE STAIR ONTO LEVEL GROUND FLOOR AND CONTINUE TO WALK 20' TO A PARKED PICKUP TRUCK, WHEN EMPLOYEE COLLAPSED ONTO BACK.

EE received a laceration and tearing injury to the right index fingertip during a hoisting operation.

Lack of communication between assigned plant employee and UWCI employee about equipment lockout and rushing to complete the task of aligning conveyor belt with chain come along. UWCI employee right hand, caught between the chain and conveyor belt roller. laceration to right thumb/palm and commuted fracture of thumb.

Operator was changing screens on the shaker deck in the morning and felt their back becoming inflamed from their body positioning. Employee was working through the pain operating the haul truck the remainder of the day when they noticed that the pain had become much worse. Was seen at clinic with a lower right back strain and right lumbar radiculopathy.

EE states that EE has had pain in EE's back and arms since august. EE has refused medical care on multiple occasions. EE contacted EE's supervisor on 2/3/2023, and requested to be seen for the pain. EE was seen at the urgent care facility on 2/6/2023. Work status report on file - regular work status approved by physician. EE returned to urgent care for follow up 2/16/2023.

A miner fell while climbing into a haul truck when EE lost EE's grip on the grab rail

Employee was exiting off the locomotive steps EE planted right foot onto ground and felt a pop in right hip. Employee still had 3 points of contact including holding onto hand rail. Employee did not report injury / incident until 12/28/2023

The employee was driving the quarry pick-up truck and stopped to speak with the luber. As the conversation continued, the employee began to walk backward to the pick-up and lost EE's footing. The employee stumbled backward, and EE's left leg hit the bottom corner of the driver's door, causing a laceration. The employee caught self on the door and did not fall.

EE informed supervisor that they were experiencing pain and discomfort in upper back and arms. EE states that they attributes the pain to repetitive impact from operating all heavy equipment.

Loader Operator reported that they jammed their right shoulder and had limited movement and pain in the right shoulder when raising their arm. They stated in the incident report that they were not sure how it happened and that it could have been from driving the loader and hitting bumps and potholes.

Employee after shutting down compressor on lube truck was exiting off the back of truck when EE stepped onto the ground that appeared to have material on the ground causing EE to roll left ankle.

Employee was walking in rock storage first floor. The employee slipped and fell onto EE's left knee. The first floor at the time was wet causing a slippery surface.

EE twisted their knee while walking down the stairs in the D3 Mill building. EE states they planted their right foot to turn and felt a pop and pain in right knee. EE thought the pain would dissipate but it did not.

Employee was installing seals on a metal door when a draft pulled it inward closing it on EE's left thumb

The employee was removing material from a conveyor belt. As EE cleared it, a rock fell on the employee's hard hat, causing a neck sprain.

While cutting porta-vac hose with EE's pocket-knife, EE cut through the hose and cut left palm.

The employee was working on pump #331PP102, rotating coupling. The employee pinched their left index finger between the locking collar and bearing housing.

Incident occurred while employee was using rotary hammer from man-basket to remove build up on crane way wall and pipes. Employee was hammering build up on pipes when it became lodged in build up. Employee let off the trigger was a few seconds then engaged trigger to try and pull out hammer. While pulling on hammer employee felt pull/ strain in middle/ center of back.

Employee lifted an elevator bucket from the ground to the back of a truck.

the worker's wrist was pinned when they unbolted a plant part, causing a sprain

Employee was cleaning the hydrated lime system. They pulled the rubber hose connected to the inductor, and the fitting broke off. The employee fell backward and hurt their lower back. The incident occurred on February 8, 2023; the employee refused medical treatment. Employee decided they wanted to see a physician on February 13, 2023, where modified duties were placed.

Two employees were working on the blending limestone way-feeder, removing pins. One of the employees was pulling pins when the other employee swung a four-pound sledgehammer and smashed left index finger, causing a fracture.

The employee stepped out of the excavator, to check the ditch and stepped into a hole, and pulled their back.

Employee was performing a king pin installation, had a shim get stuck and when they pulled on shim to remove, the shim broke and cut their left index finger which required 3 stitches.

The employee was attempting to cut off a repair tag from EE's assigned loader that was attached with a nylon zip tie. The EE placed EE's left hand on the handle and made a motion down with EE's utility knife to cut the tag, and the blade slipped over to EE's exposed hand causing the laceration.

EE was putting new drive belts on the tail pull. As EE rolled it over EE's finger became caught between the pully and the belt causing a pinch.

Our equipment operator was opening the front window of EE's CAT 375 excavator, when it abruptly fell onto EE's left index finger causing a laceration requiring medical attention.

EE states that while changing a hose on a piece of equipment, EE began to experience pain and discomfort in the neck and back.

clear sunny day. Employee wearing all required PPE and welding equipment.

Employee states that while grinding steel plate EE received metal shards in EE's right knee.

Employee found the loader operator unresponsive and called the plant foreman. The plant foreman entered the loader cab and placed the equipment in park and shut the motor off. EE was unable to get any vital signs from the operator and immediately dialed 911. The local fire department responded, and the loader operator was pronounced dead at approximately 12:35 pm.