Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Inc.Mining Incidents in 2006

Employee was stepping down off a ladder. He slipped on a muddy step and sprained his right ankle.

Employee was assigned to the 570 HT was performing a pre-op inspection at the start of graveyard shift. After checking the fire supression system on the deck of the haul truck, the employee turned and fell.

Two employees were removing a metal liner from the 1 crusher discharge conveyor. While bringing the liner down to the catwalk one of the employees lost his grip which caused the second employee to be struck on top of the right foot.

While loading copper cathode onto 4 stripping machine receiving conveyor, employee had one copper cathode fall from cathode strongback and hit thumb on left hand causing an avulsion to left thumb.

While moving 12? feed line off of the top of the 4 west dam (south face). Dozer was pushing the pipe off the top bank away from the valve. Pipe struck another employee as it was being moved.

EE was down on his knees cad welding. As he stood up, he could not lock his knee straight. He was working at Coronado inside the Morenci Pit. This occurred at 11-17-06 at approx 3:30 pm.

The operator of the 538 haul truck was trying to dump out on the MOP dump. When the bed of the truck was partially up it fell back down with muck still in it. The driver informed the 402 tower and ERRT was dispatched. The driver had pain in her back and she was taken to the clinic for observation.

Employee was walking down an incline on the MFL and slipped at the bottom. His momentum caused him to flip over a 24 pipe and landed injuring his left leg and right arm.

New trainee was climbing off of the 580 HT. When reaching the bottom step on the ladder it swung beneath him, causing the trainee to lose grip on the hand rail resulting in injury. ERRT was paged out and individual was taken to the clinic.

Employee was lifting copper bookends to place in cabinet and felt pain in lower left back.

The cleaning crew had opened 5 of the manhole covers in the mine change room to wash the floors. An Employee walked into the north end of the change room and fell into one of the open holes, The employee caught himself with his arms and prevented himself from falling through, causing the shoulder injury.

Employee was doing repetitive shoveling of dirt in area under pipes. He twisted to the left with a load and felt a strain in his lower back. Later he had pain in his left thigh.

Man lift operator was finshing placing steel. He was retracting the boom and when he started to lower the boom stick the man lift tipped over striking a metal beam approx 19 feet in the air coming to a stop. The man lift was tipped up onto the counter weight.

As employee was going down the stairs that crosses the down ender on the Southside tankhouse stripping machine. Employee missed a step and fell to the floor.

Operator of the 523 HT was being loaded on the right side of the 11 SH. The shovel swung over the truck and a rock rolled off the teeth and struck the bed of the truck. The operator was jarred and the pain was instant in her neck and right side of her back.

Employee was going up to the track hopper at the Metcalf Secondary Crusher. About half way up the last flight of stairs she stepped on a small rock causing her to twist her left ankle.

Operator of the 535 HT reported that her bed was bouncing up and down when empty resulting in neck and back pain.

Employee was having trouble dumping the 570 haul truck out on the King 6170 high grade dump. Another operator came and helped the employee dump the haul truck. While dumping the load the employee was jarred.

The operator on the 53-R drill was preparing to make a move to another drill. The operator got off the drill and began moving the cable with a cable hook, while pulling the cable the operator slipped and fell to the ground hitting her head on the ground.

Employee was assisting washing off cathodes in the tankhouse.

Employee was doing the monthly inspection on the Metcalf IOS Crusher 100 ton Overhead Crane. They were inspecting the Trolly Drum, Gear Boxes and Cables. They were in the process of moving the hoist drum when the rotating machinery caught his lanyard on his Safety Harness.

Employee smashed tip of middle finger under hydraulic press plate on strapping unit of # 4 machine strapping unit at Stargo Ew Tankhouse.

EE was digging in bank with loader. A rock came down and hit loader bucket. This jarred the loader. He complained of discomfort in rib area. He asked to go home, and no other action was taken. ***DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION TILL 7/29/06.***

Pulled metal forms with boomtruck and after removing the rigging off the metal forms, one of the metal forms fell over the ee's foot.

Employee was operating a 793 Caterpillar Haul truck and was being loaded at a shovel. The shovel loaded the truck with some large material jarring the truck operator.

Employee was spotting a dozer and haul trucks. He was walking on a rocky uneven terrain. He slipped on a rock and twisted his right ankle.

Employee was moving pipe threader, hanging new conduit & pulling old cable when he developed soreness in his lower back.

Employee was driving Mack dumptruck downhill. He lost brake pressure while trying to downshift. The employee tried to manuever the truck around a corner and the truck tipped and fell over on the driver's side.

Employee was working on a 793, removing a final drive. The bed was raised and the truck had dried mud on it. Employee was struck on the top of the right shoulder. Employee continued working, and after a short while he reported his shoulder was popping and tingling.

Employee was operating a bulldozer, talking on a cell phone, and backed the dozer striking the wall inside the coarse ore bin area causing him to hit his head.

EE pinched index finger while changing drill bit.

Employee was stepping into the elevator inside the Metcalf secondary crusher when she felt pain in her right knee.

Employee while slaking a load of lime was splashed with lime slurry resulting in chemical burns. Employee was inspecting the level in the slaker when lime splashed out of the tank and on to her.

Operator of the T542 struck a berm at the King leach 5650 after dumping out,in route back to a shovel.

Employee was using a chipping gun wearing a face shield and safety glasses. EE stopped working, raised face shield & felt something in his eye. He immediately flushed the eye with water & reported the incident to his supervisor.

Employee was working at the PW22 well installing a new pump when the monitor pipe hung up on the switch gear and pulled the switch gear off the back of the boom truck. The switch gear struck the employee across the upper back and the right side of the forehead.

EE was standing in the back of flatbed truck stacking tires. He turned and lifted a tire up to stack it and felt a pull on the lower right side of his back. EE was taken to the clinic. Sent home.

Bit by ant while in substation. It turned into a staff infection.

Materials Technician was emptying concrete from wheelbarrow when wheelbarrow turned sideways twisting technician's back.

Operator was leaving the North Stacker pad to end night shift. The operator decided to go down along the 13B. Traveling down from the head the operator was unable to make the left hand turn in a downhill descent. While making the left hand turn the operator got the CC-113 pick-up parallel with the berm and rolled the vehicle down the embankment.

DRIVER OF WATER TRUCK WAS HAULING WATER TO JOB SITE WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED ICE ON ROAD WAY CAUSING ENGINE BREAK TO STALL THE TRUCK ENGINE, RESULTING IN THE DRIVER LOSING CONTROL OF TRUCK. THE TRUCK OVER TURNED. DRIVER COMPLAINED OF PAIN IN LEFT SHOULDER, LEG AND NECK.

While employee was lifting the inside elevator door at the Metcalf Secondary Crusher, he struck the top of his right hand on the elevator roof.

The operator of the 506 haul truck was loading at the 63 shovel. When he pulled out of the shovel pit he began to experience back pain.

Employee was leaving the Training trailer behind the Morenci Mine Office. As he was leaving he stepped on the stairway landing (which had a puddle of water on it) and slipped. He fell down 2 steps and his left leg got caught underneath him injuring his ankle.

While walking down an incline by the No. 4 Conveyor at the Morenci Secondary Crusher, the employee slipped on spillage and caught himself before falling. He felt slight pain in his left knee.

Employee was sitting in the passenger seat of the 543 Haul truck when the truck hit a rut in the road. She felt discomfort in her back.

Injured was walking on an existing catwalk above the coarse ore bin roof. The catwalk has hand rail on the side with fall potential. Other crafts were working on the catwalk. Injured started to walk around other craft employees, stepped onto an existing steel roof. Existing roof had an unrecognized weak spot and injured fell through the roof onto stock pile, about 12-14 feet.

The employee was picking up a pump and twisted his back.

Performing maintenance on shovel. Employee lifted j-bar up from the bottom to remove shims from under the latch lever. When he had the j-bar up high enough, he moved it over, out of the hole, and tried to push the bar up higher. The bar fell on his left thumb (fracture).

Employee was in the process of changing digging points on an electric shovel when his finger was pinched between two of the digging points

Employee was running an impact in one hand and had a wrench in the other hand. Hit the trigger on the impact and the wrench jumped back against left wrist. Didn't have pain at first. As time went on started to notice pain and discomfort in left wrist while doing heavy pushing or pulling.

Employee received a laceration and fracture of rt. index finger on metal banding while closing drill cab door.

Employee was working in the 14 to S10 chute and was climbing down the ladder. Employee stepped on co-worker's foot and felt a pop on the left foot.

Employee lost footing as he was descending a stairway. Employee rolled left foot and fell. He was taken to clinic for observation.

Employee was stepping back off the short head and lost his footing. He fell to the ground from a height of 1 and 1/2 feet.

Employee was coming down the ladder after fueling a service truck. His foot slipped off the last step and he fell on his back hitting a metal beam on his lower left side fracturing a rib.

Employee was on the CMT 4955 fixing a broken fitting. Turned to walk away and stepped on a rock and twisted to the right and fell down, twisting right knee to the outside.

In the belt splicing process next to the R4 conveyor system, employee was stripping rubber off of cables to prepare for splice. Using razor knife to clean off rubber from cables, knife slipped off of cable and entered Rt. thigh above knee pad.

Employee was walking down a flight of 3 steps. When employees left foot touched the bottom of the steps, his ankle popped and twisted.

Employee was drilling with a hammer drill when the bit got stuck causing the drill housing to rotate twisting his finger.

Employee strained his lower back while shutting a drain valve on the MFL shuttle.

EE was tighting a nut on a conveyor belt section when the socket slipped causing her to fall backward. She tried to catch her fall with her left hand. When her left hand made contact with the ground she dislocated her wrist.

Employee was sitting in haul truck getting loaded when the loader bucket struck his truck hard causing the truck to rock from side to side and jarring his back.

Employee stepped backwards away from a suspended load and tripped and fell on left elbow.

Employee was utilizing hammer to try and straighten hook on cathode conveyor on No. 2 machine. When he struck his ring finger with the hammer, taken to clinic

Employee was walking into RW Guardhouse and tripped over a mat. Employee bumped her knee against the door.

A new employee was training at the Simulator at Modoc Training Center. As he was exiting the room, he tripped on a boot brush located near the door.

Operator of the 539 HT was turning right to go to the 62 SH. While in the turn he hit a large pothole that broke his drivers side mirror. The operator then got a 65 SH assignment and headed that way. The operator felt no pain until he was near the 5280 Fuel dock. He pulled over at the 65 SH and called for a supervisor. Operator went to the clinic for observation.

Employee was installing hoses to the transmission when his foot slipped on the transmission screen housing, twisting his left knee.

While bending his knees to lift belt clamps with his left hand and carrying a load on his right shoulder, the employee felt pain in his lower back as he stood and twisted his back.

WHEN LOWERING THE BED OF TRUCK 6072 769 HAUL TRUCK SLAMMED DOWN AND CAUSED THE DRIVER A NECK SPRAIN.

The ground laborer was attempting to connect rope to the right hand side of the blade of the 10 rubbertire dozer. The rubbertire operator moved the rubbertire forward so the ground laborer could hook up the rope to the blade. He dropped the blade on to the ground, not aware that the blade was on the foot of the ground laborer.

Employee was walking uphill and tripped on a small rock. He struck a rock with his left hand cutting his palm. The cut required sutures.

While shutting down 3RD PLS Booster Employee went to close valves he was walking between two pumps when stepped toward the valves his ankle twisted.

Employee was pulling tool box to work area in the shop and pulled tool box on top of his left foot. Employee called in on 8/3/06, he could not get his boot on.

Employee bent down to look at a valve on a table and felt/heard something pop in his left knee

The 512 Haul Truck was leaving the SRC dump, as he was making the turn down the ramp he started to slide, he then tried to correct the slide and slid into the 521 Haul Truck who was coming up on the loaded side of the ramp.

While climbing down off the Cat D-10 bulldozer employee slipped and fell. He held onto the handrail with his right arm. When he fell all his weight pulled on his right arm and shoulder.

Employee was stepping down from the RY77 Flatbed Truck after parking it at the RW Garage glass line. His hand got stuck on the grab handle as he stepped down placing full weight on right arm resulting in a strain.

Employee was operating a 793 Haul Truck. The operator hit a bump and felt a sharp pain in upper back.

Employee was starting work at 6.30 am. While stepping into the LS-51 Utility truck she felt a pain in her back.

While employee was walking he felt his knee twist causing a knee sprain.

Employee felt pain in his knee when walking down stairway from 1st floor to the bottom of Crusher 1.

Employee was carrying a light fixture from the electric shop to his vehicle. While carrying the fixture he walked from the cement area onto dirt. The ground was unlevel and he stumbled twisting his ankle.

Employee was hammering T-posts with a 16 lb hammer. The hammer glanced of the post causing his right index finger to strike the post lacerating his finger which required sutures.

Employee was on the 16 shovel wiring the crowd motor. She was squatting to tighten up a connector. When she stood back up, she felt her knee tighten and cramped up.

Employee was centering driplines when he became entangled and was pulled off his feet. Upon impact employee injured his right knee/hamstring area.

Employee went down to the R1A to check feeders, while doing a visual by feeder 4 employee fell through a grating on the walkway, landed on the R1A conveyer going through three feeders and then jumped off the belt.

Employee cut left index finger on a razor sharp metal mill chip when removing the cutting collar from the portable bore bar.

Employee was using a jackhammer for concrete demo. The jackhammer hit a piece of rebar in the concrete causing the hammer to bounce out of his hands and land on his right shin.

Employee was placing a jack stand under channel iron so it could be leveled. Bolts were in place at opposite end but were loose. The channel iron rendered and caught the employee's hand between the channel and the jack stand.

As employee was ascending the stairway immediately at S/R office, her left foot did not clear the 2nd step and she fell forward. Her knee landed on step.

While unloading a box off of a flatbed truck, the contents, (Pipe cutter) fell out of box and landed on employee's left thigh.

The operator of the 15 shovel reached down to adjust his seat in the cab when he had a sharp pain in his lower back.

Employee was climbing down from berm when rock slipped from underneath his foot causing his knee to twist.

EE WAS ARK GOUGIN, THE CARBBON ROD STUCK AND HOT PIECE FELL INTO THIS R BOOT COVER CAUSING A SMALL BURN. 1ST AID WAS ADMINISTRERED TO BURN, AND EE COMPLETED HIS SHIFT. ON 2/17 HIS LEG WAS HURTING AND TAKEN TO CLINIC AND WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LEG WAS INFECTED.

A Shovel Maintenance repairman was helping straighten out the hoist cables on the 10 shovel. He was lifting them with his hands to help straighten them out. As he was doing this, he felt a strain in his back.

Employee was cleaning under C cell line at the Central Tankhouse when he felt a burning sensation on his neck.

While trying to drain a lean line in the Central Tank farm one of the isolation valves was leaking by. When one valve was slightly opened it caused electrolyte to pressure up in the drain line,(the drain line was a plastic hose), and in turn the hose begain a whipping motion spraying the employee in the eye.

Employee was shoveling on the 1 1/2 floor at the Inpit Crusher 2. As he swung shovel upwards after loading it with material the shovel hung up on uneven flooring causing straining in the right shoulder ligaments.

Worker was standing on steel ring driving bolt out with 20 lb. sledgehammer. The hammer deflectd off ring and hit worker int he foot knocking him off his feet. He fell onto ring striking rib cage and fracturing 6th right rib.

Setting speader bar for fusion machine pipe saws and got hand pinched (two dingers-1 w/laceration requires sutures).

Employee was changing idler frame and was trying to knock out bolt using hammer and pin. Employee missed pin striking left index finger.

Employee was working on cell maintenance changing out the capblocks and triangle bars. He got a chipping hammer and began to chip the melted capblock off the dogbone so that the new capblock would sit flush in the dog bone channel. It was at this point that a piece of debris went into the employees right eye causing him irritation and discomfort.

Employee was changing out a worn drill bit stablizer on the 49R drill. Employee picked up the bell cap and as he was turning, he experienced pain in his back. Cap weighs approximately 50 lbs.

Employee was in the process of driving grade stake nails for an asphalt project, when a piece of the nail head struck him in the right hand.

While stopped and waiting for a backhoe to make a right turn the ME-69 pickup was hit in the back by an Empire Suburban.

While the ME-69 pick up was stopped in the road waiting for a back hoe to make a right turn an Empire Suburban ran into the back of the ME-69 causing it to be shoved into the back of the CC-84 pick up that was stopped waiting for the backhoe to turn.

While using Radial Drill Press, coolant splashed in employee's left eye when he leaned over to check center of hole.

Employee was stepping over frame to get down from Haul Truck.

Employee was swinging a 16 lb sledge hammer to knock track shims into place when he felt pain in his right elbow.

FIRE NEAR THE 2 STANDARD CRUSHER UNIT AT THE MORENCI CRUSHING PLANT. EMPLOYEE SUFFERED SMOKE INHALATION AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.

FIRE NEAR THE 2 STANDARD CRUSHER UNIT AT THE MORENCI CRUSHING PLANT. EMPLOYEE SUFFERED SMOKE INHALATION AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.

The employee was in the process of shutting a bonnet valve. The bar the employee was using slipped off of the valve and smashed his right ring finger against another near-by valve.

Employee went to truck to get tools and stepped over a floor vent. Debris blew under safety glasses and into left eye.

While unloading shoring the load on the trailer was bumped causing a loose stringer to swing around and hit the injured on the cheek.

Employee was stripping wire with razor knife and knife slipped and cut right thumb requiring sutures.

Removing hoist pedestal retainer plate. Last two bolts broke off causing the retainer plate to strike employee in the chest. Part of the prodecure was to insert two pry bars as bolts were removed. Along with the retainer plate the pry bar hit employee in the right arm causing a puncture wound in the elbow area and a cut above his right eye.

EE was working on a belt at the I-1A tunnel in the process of changing out a bracket. When the bracket came loose, his finger was caught between the bracket & a support, cutting his finger. He received 5 sutures in his small finger on his left hand. EE didn't have sufficient lighting nor the proper tools for raising the belt high enough to remove the bracket.

Employee was scooping mist balls out of the cell while he was doing cell maintenance in the Stargo Tankhouse. Electrolyte got on his coverall pant legs causing burns to his ankles and on his right arm.

Employee picked up a 3/4 ton come-along off the ground and strained his right elbow

An Employee was walking from her car towards the mine gate. She states that she felt something in her left eye, after the shift had started her eye still felt uncomfortable.

Employee was investigating noise under the North Stacker MSC. He stood up and struck metal object with his left upper shoulder.

Employee was removing a digging point when he hit the side of the point with a pin punch and a piece of metal flew off and hit him in the arm.

Cutting fiberglass handrail with 5"" grinder. The blade hung up and kicked the grinder back causing a laceration to employee's forearm.

An employee was walking up the steps to the Morenci mine office when he was stung twice in the neck by an insect before the beginning of shift.

Employee reported irritation in his eye and was taken to clinic for treatment and a small metal object was removed from eye.

A gust of wind blew dust into employees eyes.

EE was sitting in his 769D dump truck waiting to be loaded. The loader operator hit the wrong control and the loader boom came down hard on the dump truck bed twice causing EE's back to pop. Employee did not report incident until 5/27/06 and quit his job on 5/29/06 but was scheduled off from the time of his release on 5/28/06 until 5/31/06.

The 523 was traveling loaded off of Coronado headed down the Northwest ramp. While in the ore lane at approximately the 5150 level the engine compartment caught fire. Employee sprained ankle while dismounting the truck. Fire was immediately extinguished by the truck's fire suppression system.

Cutting plastic pipe with utility knife and cut left index finger.

Employee was pulling up his chair and received a laceration on his left index finger.

Employee was assigned to clean up from belt splice at the tail of the S-12. He was gathering rubber strips and placing them in a trash bag, the strip was entangled so he started cutting strip with belt knife and struck his left upper leg causing a 2"" laceration.

Employee was using a torch to remove a bolt on a ball mill in the west repair bay. He was holding the torch in his right hand and bracing the bolt with his left. The torch got too close to the bolt being cut and employee rolled torch away from bolt, and the flame ran down his left hand, burning the top inside of his left wrist.

While stripping a conveyor belt for installation the employee received a slight cut on his left leg above his knee when another employee who was also stripping the belt knife slipped upward grazing the other employee.

The employee was assisting another in removing a drain cover on the F filter. He was holding a board designed to direct the discharge away from the filter. As the cover was removed some electrolyte splashed into his left eye.

While employee was mounting a tire on a wheel, the top bead did not fully mount right. Employee grabbed a bead hammer and struck the bead once, the bead still did not fully mount so employee struck the bead again. As he hit it a second time, the head on the hammer came off the handle striking the employee above the eye.

Employee was working in a lay down area when a wind storm blew dust into his eye. The employee rubbed his eyes causing the foreign body to become embedded. Unable to remove foreign body from eye with solution or cotton swab.

While pushing the bit basket over the rail of the drill, the operator felt his right wrist pop.

Employee was cleaning the left side catwalk on the tail of the P5 conveyor. When the air blasters at the head of the P4 conveyor discharged a 3 inch rock was ejected and decsended down towards the tail of the P5 striking the employee in the lower back.

Overshot became snagged on bolt, when it slipped free it struck employee in right hand fracturing middle finger.

Employee was at the Modoc Leaching offices meeting with a metallurgist when he began to notice irritation to his eye. Employee flushed his eye and it did not help so employee contacted his supervisor.

Employee performing demolition work was bit by a AZ brown spider

The repairman was using a 16lb double jack hammer to loosen the corner shroud when the hammer made contact with the shroud a peice of metal broke off and flew up under the face shield that he was wearing and struck him in the face.

Employee was operating the 115 tire service truck and was returning to the tire shop from a callout. As he was traveling down the North West extension haul ramp he lost control of the vehicle and turned it onto its side.

Employee was using grinder and rested the grinder on his leg before it stopped spinning.

Employee was working on the 6 shorthead crusher. Employee was going to weld D rings on the main frame wear liners. The liner moved smashing his right ring finger and middle finger.

WHILE JACKHAMMERING, A CHUNK OF CONCRETE FELL AGAINST FINGER CAUSING A CUT.

Employee was fixing an anode that had fallen off the anode gutting strongback. While using the proper tool to fix the anode Employee bumped another anode that was on the strongback causing it to fall smashing the left thumb between the tool and the anode.

Employee was walking in front of the electrical shop parking lot when she stepped on a rock and twisted her right ankle.

Employee was doing his daily visual inspections in the Secondary Crusher when his eye became irritated from dust.

Employee displayed signs and symptoms of heat illness and was transported to the clinic for treatment.

Employee was shoveling in the heat of day and became light headed.

Employee showed syptoms of Heat Illness and was taken to the clinic and treated for dehydration.

Employee was shoveling material to clear a jam at the crusher. The dust from the crusher along with the onset of pneumonia caused him to have an asthma attack.

Employee sprayed with lime while installing valve. Albuteral was prescribed due to sore throat. (Under investigation due to flu symptoms being present and employee told health care providers he was feeling flu symptoms prior to shift start)

Employee was taken to clinic due to shortness of breath while cutting cathode samples. Employee was given a prescription inhaler and released back to work.

Employee was removing hydraulic line from hoist cylinder under pressure. Hydraulic oil and piece of metal shot out and went into his right thumb. Triage RN instructed employee to go to clinic. X-ray taken, foreign body (metal) was removed from thumb. Employee was released back to work with no restrictions.

Employee had an inch and a half wrench on the fill plug. He pulled on the wrench end, the plug was over tightened. I put both hands on it and pulled hard and it came loose, I fell backwards and hit my right elbow on the rim of the tire.