All MSHA-reportable accidents at CEMEX INC. operations in 2006. Fatalities appear first.
EE had placed his right index finger into the opening of a 3/4"" air operated ball valve to check its position. He manually operated the cylonoide valve allowing air to change the ball valve position with his left hand. His left index finger was amputated just behind the fingernail.
Employee was on callout to repair GBC4. Employee was on slope of tunnel walkway when clinker rolled under left foot causing him to twist left knee. Employee was taken off work October 16, 2006 due to allergic reaction to injection that caused left leg to swell.
Employee was standing to one side of 48"" belt. While shoveling material employee was twisting in an awkward position when he felt something pull in the middle of his abdomen.
Employee was tightening bolts on motor to clinker breaker, when he strained right shoulder. Employee was placed on light duty.
Dump trailer raised to discharge load. Load partially adhered to dump bed causing a weight imbalance. This shifted the center of gravity to the right causing the vehicle to roll over onto its side. Driver removed seat belt & attempted to exit the vehicle at the beginning of the roll. Attempt failed causing him to fall back into the vehicle striking the door fracturing his clavicle.
EE fell through handrail opening that was created to input materials into ball mill.
Employee was using a step ladder to access the #5 Synthetic Gypsum Screw. The portion of the screw where the work was being performed is below a catwalk. The catwalk limits the worker from standing up fully. The employee was lifting and pulling on a bearing hanger.
Employee was crossing railroad tracks when he twisted his right knee.
EE was shoveling cement dust to clean under a belt. He states he started having back pain from the bending and twisting.
EE reported that she returned from her bathroom break & attempted to re-enter the articulated truck. She reported that she doesn't remember every detail, but reported that she remembers climbing the ladder to re-enter the truck, & somehow lost her grip with hands & fell. The reported fall distance was approx 65-74.5"". She reported that she fell & landed on buttocks & tailbone.
Employee was jack hammering concrete, jack hammer slipped and hit right foot and bent the steel toe boot down.
Employee was helping install new hammer on crusher. The pin was being lowered & shackle got lodged. When employee dislodged, due to slack in hoist cable, the pin slid down against metal step. Employee's right hand was caught between pin and the step, causing broken little finger and laceration and fracture to ring finger.
While at the top of the Alkali Fan Motor, the step down is slightly higher than the other steps going down. Employee started down the first step and twisting his right knee.
Employee was lifting a 48"" long shaft with one bearing still attached. Employee suffered a back strain as a result.
EE assisting with off-load of concrete from ready-mix truck. Discharge chute was inadvertently lowered into place pinching his hand.
The employee was putting dust collector bags in a dust collector. While inserting the bag over the ventura, dust fell from the top of the dust collector into his eyes.
The employee mashed the end of his little finger of his left hand while punching out an obstruction on the #2 mill feed belt below #7 weighfeeder. The finger was caught between the punch bar and the chute housing.
While collecting samples slipped on clinker balls in area of 529-29 belt. Did not appear serious at that time. On 03/23/2007 employee was working on spray tower and twisted ankle again - he went to Medical Facilitly on 03/26/2007 and was put on light duty for achilles tendon strain.
EE was installing lids on withdraw screw with the assistance of another employee. He felt something pull in his groin area.
Employee was climbing step ladder to get on scaffold to clean lumps. When stepping off of ladder and onto scaffold, he fell backwards approximately 4 feet and hit elbow, right wrist, right shoulder and head. Employee returned to work; went to doctor later in the week and was diagnosed with a fractured lower lumbar vertebrae.
Employee was moving a 500 lb reducer in place with a chain hoist. While positioning the reducer employee strain groin
Employee slipped on rung of step ladder and struck knee on ladder rung.
employee was picking up a lid to a screw conveyor when he strained his back
Employee and co-worker were carrying a 7.5hp motor (approx 125 lbs) up some stairs when employee heard and felt right knee pop. Employee has continued working but knee did not improve and surgery was performed on February 9, 2007. Employee returned to work on February 12th with restrictions.
The need arose to switch from synthetic gypsum to additives. The gate failed to open so the injured employee attempted to open the gate manually. He used a piece of angle iron approximately 3 feet long (weighing approximately 4 pounds) to pry the gate open. The angle iron slipped from the gate suddenly. The employee immediately began to feel pain in his back and right shoulder.
Employee was removing a pipe cap with a large pipe wrench when his hand slipped from the wrench. This caused him to stumble and fall, subsequently twising his ankle. The fracture to the ankle required surgery.
Employee was attempting to secure a barge. He did not have enough rope and the rope pulled through a cavel and the rope struck the employee in the hand.
Employee was assisting in an electric motor change. He attempted to lift the motor and caught his finger on a protruding bolt on the bottom of the motor, resulting in a laceration to his finger.
EE was closing a valve on cement line and felt a pull in his chest.
Injured employee was assisting a maintenance employee at the tire system when the singulator moved suddenly sliding him down an angle iron frame trapping his right leg between two pieces of angle iron.
Two employees were removing clinker build-up between two storage bins. The material was shoveled onto 4"" square opening grating and a 20 lb jack hammer was being used to force the material through the grating openings. The injured worker had picked up the jack hammer and stepped backwards, twisting his left ankle.
Employee was working on valve that withdraws cement from silo 9. When employee stepped back, his left foot stepped on guard covering opening in floor. His foot twisted causing his ankle to twist.
The employee was working on a section of drag chain. He was hooking the chain hoist up when he bent down and his left knee popped.
While lifting a ladder, employee's left knee gave way, strain, sprain.
Employee was adjusting reject plow on conveyor belt. The plow needed more adjustment and fellow employee activated the plow to determine adjustment needed. Injured employee put his left hand in a pinch point of linkage.
Employee slipped while getting into/out of Fuel Truck. He slipped off the step, striking his left shoulder against the truck. He was not on light duty until after a surgery on 09/22/2006. He returned to work on 09/25/2006 on transitional duty.
While the employee was removing rocks of approximately 20lbs from a hopper, his right thumb was caught between the hopper edge and the rock.
Employee was picking up a pipe at the screen over 137 conveyor. In doing so he strained his lower back.
On May 18 the employee complained of pain around his right elbow and forearm. He had been shooting an 8 gauge shotgun in the Cooler the previous day to remove a chunck of material.
Employee and co-worker were working on the #7A & 7B Syngyp Screws. As they removed the cover for the screw, EE felt a pain in his lower back. EE was pulling and lifting the cover at the upper end with his right hand. Co-worker was lifting and pushing the cover from the lower end. The cover hung so EE tugged on it to loosen it from the screw trough.
Employee slipped from dozer, tried to catch his balance with left hand and strained left thumb. Employee placed on light duty
While attaching a screw to a coupling, employee got his hand caught between the two injuring his little finger. Employee placed on light duty.
The injured employee was assisting in removing material from a plugged chute. He and two other employees were using a punch bar and sledge hammer to dislodge material. Suddenly a large piece of material fell onto the bar. The employee's hand was caught between the bar and the frame of the chute.
Employee reached to tie a wire on a thermal couple when he felt a catch in his left shoulder. He reported this to the employer on 5/1/06. He went to the Dr. on 5/9/06 at which time he was place on light duty. The Dr. released him to work with with no use of left shoulder.
On Feb. 7, 2006 the employee turned in a first aid report that he had struck his elbow when the wrench he was using slipped. On April 3, 2006 the employee was moving a roll of skirting when his left elbow ""popped"".
EE felt strain in right knee on 3/4/06. Knee felt better; attempting to kneel down he felt strain as he knelt. Got an X-ray; came back negative but still felt discomfort. EE went to have an MRI on the 24th of March and diagnosis was a torn medial meniscus in his right knee.
Injured went to bottom drag area to retrieve some air hose. Injured reached up into drag, which was being worked on, and a piece of iron that had previously been cut fell on his left arm.
Employee slipped on catwalk. In trying to grab the handrail and regain his balance, he strained his right shoulder.
Splicing 629-2 belt. When pulling on the belt felt pain in left shoulder.
The injured employee was working with the vacuum truck when he noticed a damaged section of hose. The employee broke off the damaged section while the truck was in operation and his left arm was pulled into the hose.
The witness was using the vacuum truck to conduct cleanup around the VIC Tower. He needed to cut a section of hose and did not have a knife. The injured employee walked by and the witness asked for his assistance. The injured employee proceeded to cut a portion of hose with a pocket knife. His hand slipped while cutting and he cut his left forearm.
Employee tripped over a pallet on the floor of the maintenance shop. Placed his hand out to catch his fall, and injured right wrist.
The employee was cleaning a swivel chute on the chalk reclaimer when his foot slipped, causing his knee to strike against a metal beam. This caused pain and swelling in the knee area.
Employee fell off of ladder while patching a scurry line hitting left elbow on angle support structure.
The employee was helping to remove a grease bearing. As the bearing was being removed from the housing, water struck the oil and hot oil splashed on employee.
Employee got cement dust around his wrists & received irritation to the area. He was placed on light duty.
actually two dates 08/02/06 and 12.18.06 - 1st event - when standing from a crouching position employee noticed pain in knee. 2nd event - employee was getting off a platform holding a kiln trunnion when stepped down had a stabbing pain in the same knee (right).
Employee was meeting Quality Control Manager to collect raw material substitute samples. As she was climbing the stairway leading to the plant, employee tripped upward onto the stairs. She was carrying a glass sample bottle in her right hand. When she fell forward, the glass broke and her hand went into the glass as she tried to catch herself.
David was clearing a bag jam at the flapper. This is at the transition of the packer discharge conveyor and the incline spring conveyor. He pulled the flapper up by grasping the lower edge and cut his left middle finger.
While working on a dust feeder (528-20) employees wrench slipped off the bolt and his hand landed in a pile of dust on a weigh feeder. Dust splashed up under safety glasses and into right eye.
Try to empty silo, opened port to remove lumps and material flushed out into face. Jack hammering lumps materal disoldged and flushed into face.
Employee was moving an electric motor when his finger was caught between the motor and the push cart the motor was sitting on. The employee was wearing gloves at the time. This resulted in a laceration requiring stitches on the right hand ring finger.
Employee & co-worker had gone to the 7th floor of the preheater to close access door, to the gas inlet duct to stage III cyclone. The door hinges were stiff & hard to operate. They had to force the door closed. The door let loose pinching the EE's right ring finger.
The employee was opening the door on the discharge chute of the 54? belt. The hinges broke and the door struck the top of his foot as it fell.
Employee was removing 4"" hose from K1. When coupling was released, the hose sprang back and hose coupling struck employee just below right nostril causing a laceration. He was taken to the emergency room and received stitches.
EE was attempting to cut plastic pipe with a utility knife. Utility knife slipped and cut ring finger. EE's ring finger was lacerated and re- quired 6 stitches.
While jogging the blower on the 08-04 FK pump, dust flew into the employee left eye.
Dust fell from belt on hard hat and face. The dust went into his left eye causing irritation.
While attempting to cut 8"" plastic hose with knife, employee punctured/cut underside of forearm. Approximately 3/4 inch, she received two sutures.
Employee was cutting skirt rubber, blade slipped, cutting left hand between thumb and forefinger, requiring stitches.
The employee was assisting the witness who was using a hammer and chisel to work on a bearing when a small piece of metal broke off and lodged in the employee's forearm.
The employee was leaving work for the day. As he exited the plant he felt himself growing faint. He went down onto his knees then fell backward striking his head on the concrete. The treating physician determined that what caused the employee to have the brief fainting spell was not work related.
Employee was disposing of dust bags, wind blew dust from dust collector bags into her face and eyes. She was wearing safety glasses. She received superficial abrasion to rt lower cornea of left eye.
Employee was breaking concrete off bolt heads and hit his right thumb with a 4lb sledge hammer, resulting in 10 stitches.
Employee using hand tool, small handheld grinder. He was grinding on part of a metal handrail. Grinding wheel got pinched/caught in between piping, then ""popped"" out of piping which then it knocked into the bottom of employees faceshield causing faceshield to partially flip up. The grinder hit employee on lip causing a slight laceration.
The employee was closing the exterior door for the Overtracks Silo Elevator when his finger was caught between the handle (on the top door) and the bottom door. The door is a bi-parting door. When the top section of the door is pulled downward the bottom section automatically moves upward until the sections meet. Both sections are equipped with rubber astragal.
EE was climbing ext. ladder to secure the top when it kicked out. The employee fell striking rt knee on rung of ladder. He was taken to hospital, knee x-rayed, came back negative, and he went back to work. He still was feeling discomfort 5 wks later, revisited doctor on 5/12/06 & started therapy on 5-15-06.
Employee was on the lower level of tower. Tower became positive blowing kiln dust into left eye around personal protective equipment.
EE got foregin object ( dust particle) in left eye. Washed eye out went back to work , still continued to bother him on Monday 3/20/06. went to eye doctor remover foregin particle from EE eye. EE received an antibotic.
The injured employee was removing a section of plastic tubing from the Main Baghouse Inlet Pressure Tap. As the section of the pipe broke loose, the material on the pipe was disturbed. The employee felt material enter his left eye. The employee was wearing presciption safety glasses. Due to weather conditions on this day, wind gusts were common.
Employee was making repair to water pump housing on plant truck. Drill bit was too large and as he was changing bit, he accidentaly engaged drill. Employee's left thumb was cut and required stitches. Employee failed to disconnect power before changing bit.
Employee was welding on 59 screw with proper protective equipment. Wind was blowing about 30 mph and caused unknown particles to get in right eye. Eye continued to bother employee and he was seen by an eye doctor on February 17 and received antibotic eye drops.
Employee was holding a bolt underneath a grate while another employee was using an impact wrench to screw the bolt in. The impact wrench started and caught the employees thumb lacerating his thumb.
The injured employee was assisting an employee that was welding. They were working in a fairly confined area. The injured employee received a flash burn to his left eye.
EE crossed jersey barrier and stepped in hot dust, resulting in burn.
Due to continuous motion injury employee underwent surgery to his right hand.