Holcim US IncMining Incidents in 2007

Normal inspection was being done. Performed air test and observed high CO. Decided to vent & wait for another test. CO kept climbing and one employee observed smoke around 12:15 pm. Closed all gates to the baghouse; closed all doors & inerted system throughout afternoon. Fire dept. on standby during incident. Smoldering controlled with CO2 fire suppression system around 4:30 pm.

A fire was reported at approx 1:30 pm. I immediately went to investigate & found a fire located approx 1 mile east of the plant facility. Apparently a train passed through the area & a spark ignited the weeds in the railroad right away. The fire spread to the plant property. The fire department was notified and MSHA was called at 1:50. An area of 400' x 200' was burned.

A coal mill explosion occurred within our coal mill. No injuries of plant personnel. Contributing factors were a diff. of about 20F between control room thermocouple and manual readings. Operational set point for coal mill exit temp. is about 180F and with this diff. there was the possibility that the temp reached 200F.

Excessive temperatures caused an unplanned ignition of two non-electric detonators in the Kiln 1.

Employee was helping lower a gunite hose when it became hung up on a beam. In attempting to free it, the hose was pulled upward when the coupling came loose. The hose fell striking the employee on the hard hat and right shoulder.

Employee lifted a 118 lb. part from the floor into a parts washer (3 ft above floor). Employee felt a twinge in his back. Worked the rest of the day. Came to work the next morning with severely sprained back. Suffered severe lumbar sprain, possible ruptured disk. Sent for Cat Scan to determine extent of injury

Slip and fall on wet floor.

Miner was cleaning the snow and ice off of his boots, slipped, striking steel plates that were stacked up against a column causing them to fall on his right ankle. The plates that landed on him were about 3/16"" x 16""x 36"" and about 8"" or 9"" high.

Moving a piece of equipment (large shakle in raw mill). The equipment moved suddenly and pinned EE's knee between the equipment and wall.

Labor was getting ready to move a cement slick line. Just as they were about to move the line, several saw horses that were supporting the slick line collapsed. When this happened, the weight of the slick line shifted toward the labor, causing him to get off balance and roll his ankle inward (inversion). The diagnosis was a lisfranc injury to the right foot.

Employee was cutting handrails with abrasive cutoff wheel. Handrail pipe flexed and pinched the cutoff wheel causing it to shatter and debris struck the employee in the lower right forearm. The forearm was lacerated by the debris.

Employee, while driving work cart to Raw Mill, broke his left leg. A preshift report came out of side consoul and he leaned to his right to grab it, the cart swayed to the right and he over-corrected his steering, tipping the cart over, resulting in a fractured left leg.

EE was jack hammering mud ring from inside #1 Kiln. While working on one section another section broke loose from kiln shell, falling and striking EE on left side of body.

Bank gave way 13 ft high by 14 ft wide, trench 40 ft in length. Trench box was in place 16 ft tall by 10 ft wide. Laying single 30 in pipe. Box was set for the next joint man to step in. Employee stepped out of the trench box and bank gave way resulting in an injury consisting of a broken leg.

EE was shoveling material from the inside of a mixing tank while positioned on the outside of the tank. This created an awkward working position which resulted in the employee suffering a strained muscle in his left side. He was placed on a lifting restriction for 7 days. He performed non-lifting activities until released from his restriction.

EE was replacing a rub plate in the primary feeder. He was exiting hopper/feeder area when he climbed down to the cat walk and stepped on a rock turning his left ankle. He requested medical attention 12/10/07.

Employee was standing by an another employee loosening bolts on a highlift pump when the pump impeller & shaft rolled off the work bench. He strained his right shoulder/arm when he grabbed for it to keep it from falling and it jerked out of his hand. Employee was placed on light duty.

An individual was working on the erection of an elevating scaffold. While lifting a piece of the tower over his head he felt a ""pop"" and experienced soreness. The individual saw the doctor where x-rays were negative but an MRI showed a partial tendon tear in his shoulder. The injury was initially treated through physical therapy but eventually had to be surgically repaired.

Employee was working in a bent over position beneath the mill. Another worker was in the mill arc gouging steel bolts. The person arc gouging discarded a spent rod onto the mill floor. The rod fell through a hole in the mill and landed in the back of injured's pants causing him to be burned.

The employee stated that after extensive crawling on his hands and knees he noticed swelling and tenderness on his Left knee.

EE was dismounting tire trailer where he & coworker were hand throwing tires onto conveyor. EE caught right leg between tire trailer & conveyor causing EE to fall and lodge leg. EE was on ground, leg x-rayed, leg immobilized & follow up scheduled with orthopedic dr. for MRI. Placed on light duty until further notice.

EE was asked to power down a gas welder, but could not find the off switch. He decided to use the throttle cable to shut down the welder. There was a cooling fan in close proximity of the throttle cable & when the throttle was moved the fan had caught the 3rd finger of his right hand & a small but deep cut to the side by the knuckle. Stitches were needed. 1 cm in size.

Employee was guiding post tensioning cable from the ground to prevent the cable from entangled. The post tensioning cable then shot out of the spool located approximately 15 feet from him and became entangled around itself. The employee?s hands became caught between the cables, causing him to fall to the ground.

EE was using a cheater bar to pull on a valve handle. The weld on the handle broke, causing the EE to fall backwards & strike his lower backon a protuding flange 5' away.

He stated that the continuous loading of limestone into the 50-ton haul truck he operates has resulted in back strain. The employee also reports that this issue is an accumulative injury and not the result of a single event. The employee is one of six truck operators and the only one to issues or injuries.

Employee was on the tower shoveling and felt a snap and pop in his back Physicians review has bound a l-s strain l5 radicular pain. He is on light duty until further review.

EE was moving cable on a barge, when he twisted at the waist and felt a pain in his lower back. Strain, lumbar region. Preexisting degenerative disc disease/lumbar.

Employee was operating the hose of a concrete pump, pouring a concrete wall when he felt a pain in his right knee. Employee has a strain with a possiable patellar tear.

EE was trying to drill the end of the grounding clamp for a welding lead. The clamp was held in the drill's vice. He was holding the end of the welding lead with his left hand. The drill bit hung up in the welding clamp and started twisting the clamp and cable. The cable got twisted on his glove and shirt sleeve, pulled his hand into the drill and fractured the left index finger.

EE was walking to area to work. When he got on the shady side of the bldg., he slipped in some mud. When he reached to catch himself he struck his hand on an I-beam causing hairline fracture requiring 2 stitches.

Employee was attempting to clean out vertical air slide in cement silo. When he opened the port door, cement under pressure sprayed into his eyes after knocking off safety glasses.

Employee making rounds slipped on the ice and tried to catch himself (arm strain)

Lower drive sprocket by hand, felt pain in lower back, reported to 1st aid on 3/6/07. Asked for medical evaluation on 3/22/07.

Taking off Tivock Suit and suit got caught on right foot. He kicked right foot and started to fall, caught himself on the pipe threader machine.

The employees were pulling buckets of debris from a lower scaffolding & felt a sharp pain in the middle of his back.

Late at night, employee was not aware of surroundings.

While getting samples, injured stubbed his toe on uneven floor, causing him to try and catch himself and felt pop in his right leg and calf.

Employee was inside a storage vault hanging chokers on a hook. He placed his left hand on the door jam while inside, door closed pinching his left middle finger. This resulted in a laceration requiring 15 sutures to close.

The supervisor lifted a sump pump for the scrap dumpster and strained right shoulder. He reported to 1st aid on 12/18/07(no medical treatment given). The employee's shoulder was still bothering him and he was sent to the clinic for treatment on 1/16/08. He has been given cold treatments in therapy for the injured shoulder. Injury should reflect back to December of 2007.

Placing a large shackle onto a lifting beam, employee placed his thumb in between shackle and beam while moving it into place, pinching the end of his thumb resulting an a fracture of his thumb.

Emplyee was working on window mounted AC unit. While repairing the fan blade and balancing it several times, it hit his L index finger causing small laceration.

Employee was putting bolts in a flange at the new plant air compressor building when a wrench that had been left on a pipe spun around and struck him in the mouth as he stood nearby. It chipped his right front tooth. Incident became reportable when employee saw dentist on 10/15/07.

Employee was walking in work area, tripped over a chuck of dried concrete and fell down. Employee struck his face on concrete lacerating the area above his upper lip and below his nose. Laceration required stitches to close the wound.

EE placed equipment guard on table in order to use ballpin hammer to staighten guard. While swinging hammer with both hands, EE missed and struck his right shin with hammer, causing a contusion. EE was prescribed anit-inflamatory with further evaluation. Employer was notified on 10/2/07 that physical therapy began on 9/28/07.

Inj. was welding and grinding on floor plates of pre-heater building. Does not know of a specific incident, noticed iritation in rt eye. Tried to wash out on his own, did not report to Alberici until 9-15, went to the Dr. Dr. removed piece debris without complications, follow ups on 9-17 & 9-24, became reportable on 9-24 due to presc. meds. No restrictions or lost time.

Iron worker foreman was cutting open a cardboard box containing bolts for steel erection. He was using a pocket knife with his left hand while holding the box with his right. Knife slipped and cut his middle finger on the right hand. Cut required sutures.

Employee was cleaning the feed shelf with a 6' metal bar. He banged his hand against the feed pipe while cleaning and mashed his thumb.

The employee was the pushing concrete placer when the 45? pipe ruptured. The employee was splashed or sprayed with concrete in the face and neck.

Injured employee was walking down a gravel embankment that was approximately 15"" high. The employee's right foot slipped away from her body and her left knee went down on to the gravel which caused a laceration.

EE was cleaning the feed shelf. He smashed his left little finger between the bar & housing, sustaining a laceration.

EE was wiring kiln chain back with welding rods when chain broke loose striking him in the mouth, chipping front left tooth and loosening right front tooth.

Employee was changing out blow pipes in baghouse. He was using a pipe wrench to loosen the bars. The wrench slipped smashing his left middle finger. 7 stitches.

The employee was installing a # 4 horizontal section of rebar in a pilaster. The bar sprung back and struck the employee across the left shin just below the knee.

EE was installing a new chain on CG2 belt, using 4' step ladder. As he stepped down, his left ring finger slipped into the chain. He was not wearing gloves. The laceration caused by bushing on chain link. He returned to the shop to clean his wound, washed laceration, and ibuprofen or tylenol for pain.

Employee, while working with anson rail pry bar to close a rail car bottom chute, lunged forward and bit into his lower left side lip. The bite resulted in 4 sutures.

EE was letting old switchmaster (trackmoblie) down on rail when machine slammed down on rail jarring EE's lower back. EE did not request medical treatment until 5/14/07. (Chiropractic adjustment)

Employee had a allergic reaction to bites from swarming Buffalo gnats in the maintenance shop while he performed his maintenance duties, causing large welts on his arms, face and neck. Physician administered injection. Compensability to be determined.

EE turned the a.c. fan on & dust flew out of the vents (450 Loader). At 10 pm on the same evening he went to 3 kiln cooler to sweep the curbs so dust & debris was flying around. He states that either incident could have gotten something in eye. He did not feel it until 5 am which woke him up. Pain & tearing woke him up. Drove to plant 9 30 am to report & 1st Aid initiated.

The employee was installing a section of # 11 rebar when it got hung up on a trumpet for a post tensioning duct. He pulled the # 11 rebar down and as he did the rest of the crew pushed the bar forward. When the bar came forward his left hand middle and index fingers were pinched between a verticle and horizontal section of rebar.

EE stripping wire on existing 250MCM cut his left thumb approx. 1/2 up the underside. This occured while attempting to strip the insulation off the conductor. His blade became stuck and with the additional force applied is when the accident occured. He then was taken to receive further car at Dundee Urgent Care, receiving 6 stitches.

Employee was operating sandblaster to clean cement buildup off of cement coolers when a piece of sand entered and scratched his right eye. (Was wearing face shield.) Prescription eye drops administered.

Piece of sheet metal slid onto hand and cut index finger on right hand. No gloves were being worn at the time of the accident

Putting seperator shelf into position, leaned up against wall of Mill to prep for next section. Pushed it towards wall and lowered chainfalls, it hung up on shelf and slipped off, then it came down and bounced up and landed on EE's left foot, directly behind steel toe of boot. This resulted in smashing of his left foot.

Employee was welding. Hose broke loose off torch and started a fire to clothing, burning his stomach.

Employee was working on airslide which conveys portland cement and as he was removing the bottom of the airslide, cement dust got in both eyes. He was sent to doctor's office but since it was Saturday afternoon it was closed. Employee was taken to local hospital where eyes were washed out. No follow-up visits were needed.

Employee was inspecting the pattern of whizzer blades in the cement mill separator when dust vibrated off of separator & entered right eye. Given Rx eye drops for conjunctivitis on 1/9/07.

Heat exhaustion

Employee had been working for an hour and a half when he walked up to his foreman and indicated that he was dizzy. Employee passed out, falling on his front. Employee awoke a moment later, received facial abrasions/lacerations, diagnosis was heat exhaustion.

Employee was on fire duty. While she was walking with another employee who was using a cutting torch, that employee slipped and torch went across the injured employee's right lower arm.

Employee noticed a lump in his groin on the right side.