Holcim US IncMining Incidents in 2009

A belt fire was identified approximately 12 hours after contractors had conducted hotwork activities in the area. It is believed that accumulated combustibles between the head drum and belt smoldered for a period of time prior to the fire starting.

During shutdown of coal mill, smoke was seen in duct to the baghouse. The Control Room intiated corrective actions. Flooding the system with pressurized inerting gas which resulted in an explosion door being blown open in the baghouse. The investigation shows that sudden pressure within system was likely a result of the inerting system versus an explosion of coal within the system.

EE fell while supervising coal spill clean-up at tripper belt in the material storage shed.

EE was in reclaimer hall greasing rollers. EE bent down to grease roller when he stood back up he felt a pain in his L knee. An EE was working w/ee called for help. First responders arrived gave assistance, upon assessing the situation an ambulance was called ee was transported to hospital for further care.

A 98"" x 24"" corrigated sheet slipped off a C-11R vise clamp falling approximately 30 feet striking injured in the right facial area. Injured received severe laceration from right ear to mouth.

EE was working on the ground when a beam clamp fell from the 4th floor & struck him in his head. He did have all required PPE. The clamp was being removed by employee on the 4th floor

Employee was removing access door from cement mill, door fell (approx. 100#) trapping gloved finger between mill and bolt. This caused severe laceration to left index finger.

Power washing slip form paver, power washer contacted knee and forced water into and past the knee joint.

Employee felt shoulder pull while reaching overhead & pulling large bolt from division screen on cement mill. Saw Dr. on 1/12/09 and was placed on restricted duty due to inflammation of shoulder.

EE was shoveling hard/frozen slurry and hit shovel hard and heard snap in hand. EE having trouble closing his hand.

EE was attempting to slide a guide pin onto a pallet to evenly distribute the load. As he pushed against the guide pin a metal burr cut through his glove and caused a laceration to his left hand.

While sliding a piece of steel off of the welding table one of the iron supporting blocks under the plate steel fell from the table and struck the EE just behind the steel toe on his right foot.

EE was putting drive motor on the cooler in a restricted area. He twisted awkwardly injuring his knee. He was seen on 12/22/09 and continued working while the treating physician wanted to await progress. A follow up 2010 MRI revealed a torn meniscus which was surgically corrected on March 2, 2010. Since then, the ee has been placed on restrictions awaiting complete recovery.

EE was walking from Clinker Cooler when EE stepped off 3"" platform which he did not see, landing off balance on his R foot. When EE tried to recover with L foot, EE slipped in slurry falling to his R knee. EE flet pain in R knee and inside of R groin area.

The employee was using a plasma cutter to remove liners from the inside of the kiln. A piece of slag popped bouncing off the kiln shell and the employees welding hood landing in his right ear.

Employee was cleaning up at the end of shift & picked up a hard chunk of cement & dropped it in the georgia buggy. There was dry cement in the bottom & when the chunk was dropped in the loose material splashed up into his face. Material went under his safety glasses and ended up in his left eye. 1st aid was admisnistered. Diagnosis: large corneal abrasion, restricted duty.

EE was trying to position a movable conveyor belt to the west in the storage hall building. Once positioned, the conveyor belt moved to the east on its own. EE put down a steel wheel brake on the conveyor rail to stop the conveyor belt. When the EE reached over an I-beam to place the steel wheel brake on the rail, he felt something pull in his back.

Employee was hammering on a wrench to break a bolt loose. When the EE swung the hammer it struck an I-beam that put the hammer in a different direction & struck his right hand between the thumb & first finger causing trauma, contusion and laceration to his right hand. Employee is on restricted duty.

EE was kneeling while working on grease lines for a pump being repaired in the maintenance shop. EE stood up and turned to take first step and foot got caught under an unrelated pump shaft. EE lost footing and fell into a 55 gallon barrel. EE treated for bruised ribs on 9/15/2009 and put on light duty for 4 days.

Employee slipped while removing coal from a grizzly bar. Employee attempted to catch himself and hit a wall and pulled a muscle in his right arm above the elbow.

Employee was climbing off an excavator to go to lunch and stepped on a rock. EE twisted ankle.

EE was attempting to unplug a pressure tap on the Kiln Pre-Heat cyclone when hot material blew out and struck the EE. The EE removed his PPE, he found that he had suffered burns to his forearms.

The initial incident that led to the aggravated injury was on the 7/14/2009 - no doctor visit - first aid only. The employee (mobile equipment operator), was executing the cleaning task for mothballing. Tasks aborted.On 08/05/09, the employee visited the doctor citing pain. Doctor imposed restrictions/prescribed medicine and an appointment to revisit in 10 days.

While Jack Hammering broken bolt from the cradle frame, the hammer slipped off and pointed to the floor. As it was going down, a piece of the shaft guard of the adjacent equipment was sticking out and pierced his left ring finger, causing a laceration.

ee was carrying an input shaft assembly for a gearbox down a flight of stairs. The ee reported that his back was initially sore, however, it stiffened up overnight and became worse.

EE pinched right hand fingers in bag loader saddle while inspecting roller bearings on bag loading conveyor.

Loading u-car plates into skip box inside the SW cyclone of the preheat and hand was on edge and got caught in a pinch point. Inattention to work area and swing of material.

Worker was on scaffold platform and piece of duct was being spun. The duct fell, and worker's right knee was pinned between mill feed chute and scaffold. Rigging slipped and piece fell when miscommunication occurred between workers.

While packing cement, a bag of cement fell off the pallet that was being stacked by the robot. Employee stopped the machine, went inside to remove the bag of cement off the roller bed. Employee felt a sharp pain in his arm while moving bag. Employee thought it would get better, but it continued to hurt.

While pulling a rope attached to a bucket filled with castable refractory, the rope slipped and when caught, pulled on the right shoulder.

Employee stepped over a pipe approximately 4 ft in the air, employee thought the pipe was supported by the blocks under the pipe. When his Left foot went over the pipe, and he put in down on the blocks, the blocks were not supported and blocks moved causing employee to fall, fracturing his Left ankle.

IW was moving/lifting a 3'x10' metal plate with a co-worker and sliding it back over an open concrete trench. The plate slid and fell 18"" down onto the IW's right foot. The IW sustained fractures to the upper part of his foot.

While moving a well wheel used for hoisting siding panels, felt shoulder popand immediately experienced pain. Made hospital visit and returned to full duty. Upon follow-up visit, still complained about pain eventually resulting in x-rays, MRIs and now in 4/23/2009 a procedure to repair tendon damage.

EE stated that while tightening down a bolt, the wrench slipped off the bolt head causing him to strike his elbow against the side of the hopper. He stated there was no pain, no loss of motion. He was placed on modified duty. On 3-4-09, he return to the CCOM and was diagnosed with Bursitis/tendeniti/elbow soft tissue effusion which was drained from his right elbow.

Employee was sent to work on tripped circuit breaker. Had to remove starter to access a screw on breaker mechanism. Attempted to kneel down to remove holding screw close to the floor when he felt ""pop"" in left knee. Knee swelled up that evening.

Employee was working with a partner cleaning up a work area. He and partner picked up a ""rail road tie"" to carry over to their buggy. Employee felt a strain in his back and was unable to get up without assistance. Approximate weight of tie was 100lbs.

Employee was operating a Caterpiller 990 Endloader to remove remaining shot rock from work area. Bucket slipped off rock and machine jerked side to side in a violent motion and employee struck knee on console.

Employee was walking to restroom at the start of the shift and slipped on ice. He broke his wrist trying to catch himself when he fell.

Employee was walking across the gravel parking lot towards her loader when she stepped on a rock and twisted her ankle.

Employee was breaking loose bolts on steel structure with a wrench, when he felt a pain in his right shoulder and neck.

Employee was utilizing an & acetylene torch to cut a hole in the cone of a limestone silo. Employee had safety glasses & burning sheild on. After employee completed burning 4"" hole he flipped his face sheild up & limestone dust fell from the bill of hard hat behind his safety glasses into left eye. Employee was sent to Dr where eye was cleaned. Kept out of dusty areas.

EE was working hoisting a large valve from level 4 down to 3. They were using a 10 ton chain hoist to lower and were using their legs to push the valve out to clear the handrail. While pushing against the valve he felt his knee ""buckle"" from the pressure. Resulted in a dislocated knee cap. Knee cap was manipulated back into place in the emergency room, resulted in a knee strain.

Employee was assisting in refractory installation when he bent down and felt a pain in his back.

Employee were removing roll from coal mill. He working out of manlift inadvertently knocked a 1"" drive socket out of the basket. It fell 15' striking employee below in safety glasses. Pressure from the strike, pushed glasses into cheek causing laceration. 5 stitches.

Employee hit a chisel with a hammer and a fragment of the chisel bit became lodged in his left forearm. Fragment was removed and 1 suture applied.

EE was repositioning the slings to release the pan feeder head shaft when one of the slings slipped slightly causing the shaft to move pinching the EE's left thumb between the shaft and the drive sprocket.

EE wsa breaking up material in bin with a poke bar. Struck hand on side of bin. Laceration between middle and index finger, 4 sutures.

EE received flash burns to his eyes while working in proximity to welding operation. EE did not notice until after getting home. EE recieved treatment on 9/11/2009. EE returned to normal duty on next scheduled shift.

EE was shoveling clinker dust on the burner floor, when he turned to unload shovel his right knee popped. Initial diagnosis - strain. MRI on 9/14/2009 confirmed cartilage tear behind right knee.

Employee was putting bolts into recycle bin. While pushing bucket of bolts into dumpster with right hand, skid steer moved to left & caught left thumb with one of forks on skid steer causing thumb laceration requiring 8 sutures.

Employee was using a Sawzall when his finger slipped down between the blade head and saw housing, smashing his left little finger, resulting in a fracture and laceration.

Strained lower back while straightening bags on conveyor line.

Employee was gathering samples from different locations in the plant driving a Polaris Ranger. She bumped into a curb and fell out the side and sustained a laceration to the back of her head, requiring a few sutures.

EE cut his left index finger, requiring 3 stitches. EE was changing out stainless steel seal segments on the feed end of the kiln, when one of the segments riding (worn) edge cut through his glove and cut his finger.

On 7/29/09 EE reported he was experiencing back pain resulting from shoveling clinker dust on 7/27/09 within spill back area. Initial exam performed 7/29/09. Doctor prescribed physical therapy treatment during follow up visit on 8/3/09. Initial PT treatment provided 8/4/09.

Employee was attempting to pick up a nut off the ground, when his right forearm came into contact with a sheared edge on an expanded metal guard he was installing, resulting in a laceration.

While the employee was lifting a hose, he felt a pop in his left knee.

Employee was moving steel tread plates when he stepped on one of the plates causing an adjacent plate to slide into his right leg resulting in a laceration.

Employee was cleaning buildup in the preheater tower feedshelf area with jackhammer. When the buildup fell off the jackhammer slid forward pinching finger between housing.

EE began performing blade change on Separator #1 by removing grating from separator door. EE stepped down into separator, lost balance and grabbed grating w/left hand, causing grating to shift and fall on right hand. Resulted in laceration to right middle finger that required 4 sutures.

While removing a 6' siding panel that had been installed with tape caulk on sides, when the panel was pulled hard enough to release the seal, it gave loose and the top of the panel fell over to the side and struck the EE on the upper wrist about 3/4"" above his kevlar gloves.

Employee exited work area at end of shift and was bumped by supervisor. Employee fell backwards and fell on right wrist.

EE was removing bags from main cooler bag house. The cage that the bag goes around is difficult to move so the EE was using an up/down motion to loosen the bag so it could be removed. Bags were being cut off the cage as they were being removed. While pulling up on cage the employee's ear went inside the grid of the cage & when he pulled up, the wire lacerated his ear(9 stitches)

Employee was moving flashing and when he went to set it down it rolled over in his hands. In an attempt to catch a new grip, the flashing landed on his knee cutting his leg just above the knee.

Improper body positioning. Miner lost his balance striking his right forearm on adjoining sheet. Laceration to right forearm, 4 stitches.

Employee was assisting to rebrick the kiln. While handing a brik to another employee another brick fell strking the employee's small finger on the left hand.

While leaving work area due to heavy downpour, the worker stepped off of earth ramp and onto a crane mat, and twisted right ankle.

EE was air arcing and a piece of hot slag entered his left ear. EE received burn.

Individual was cutting grating in a very tight spot, when he lost control of the 4"" grinder and cut his right hand. Individual was supporting his weight with the right hand and grinding with left.

Employee was woarking on removing clinker cooler roller crusher from housing. After working w/ fellow employee in setting porta-power jack, he stood up and caught the area aboce his right eye on a piece of angle iron welded perpendicular to the clinker cooler housing. The employee received a cut above right eye. Received stitches at clinic visit.

While flipping over an IKN cooler grate, his hand became caught on the edge. The clip on the edge of the grate cut through his glove and injured the middle finger on his right hand.

EE was ducking under some scaffold and raised up too soon, hitting his head on a pipe resulting in a laceration to right eyebrow.

While putting air pressure on air hose to clean pipe below rotary feeder, employee was unaware of uncapped Chicago fitting at eye level. When air was turned on, dust from fitting blew into his right eye. Rx eye drops prescribed.

It was snowing/sleeting outside and the temperature was around 28 degrees. The employee was descending extension ladder and slipped on rung, fell 10 feet. When employee fell the left leg was hung up on rung which caused a fracture to the left femur bone, and the employees head hit scaffold board which caused laceration to the left side that required 12 staples.

Worker was exiting her work area and slipped and fell on concrete floor. Worker reported pain in her right knee. Original x-rays on 2/19/09 showed no fracture. MRI on 3/31/09 revealed fracture to right tibia.

EE was handeling bricks and dropped one on his foot

Employee was acting as spotter in the clinker cooler pit area of cement plant when dust got into his right eye. Eye became irritated and swollen. Saw optometrist 2/13/09, several particles were removed & ee was given prescription medication.

Slipped on a small patch of ice at the base of the scaffold, grabbing the scaffold to support fal; twisted his back. He reported onset of low back pain with radiation to lower extremities, spasm in lumbar spine; X-ray demostrated significate degenerative arthritis. Which was aggregrated by the incident.

EE alleging that while walking in front of doors, slipped on ice covered by fresh snow in parking lot. Fell onto his back banging left elbow and right side. *Employee expects to have surgery on left elbow waiting for results of test, working FT.*

Allegedly after filling Env truck, employee returned to power disconnect for fuel and slipped on ice in parking lot. Fell onto left shoulder.*Employee expects to haave surgery when results of MRI received. Currently working FT.*

EE was drilling a hole in refractory when the drill bit got stuck and the drill twisted out of EE's hand. This resulted in a fracture to the fourth metacarpal.

EE was changing cutting edge to loader bucket of 922 Cat. While loosening stove bolt, it slipped out of square hole, spun and cut EE's L index finger.

EE was removing a trash hopper from a freight elevator. The elderly elevator operator was sitting in a chair inside the elevator and refused to move, so in an effort to avoid hitting the operator, EE caught small finger between hopper and elevator, causing a fracture to the tip of the right small finger.

Employee was using a hand held grinder to cut off a 2"" nut from a bolt when a piece of metal struck the employee's eye. He was wearing safety glasses and face shield. First aid eyewash was given at the plant. When eye did not get better, he was taken to local clinic to remove foreign body from under eyelid.

Employee was pulling the starter rope on a small generator. The engine compression was greater that the pulling power resulting in a backlash on the rope. The backlash pulled his fingers apart from the ring finger, splitting the web at the top of his left palm. He was wearing cotton gloves at the time of the injury.

Employee was working on a conveyor catwalk. He got into a hurry while traveling the catwalk, tripped over a spool that was holding wire that was being installed. He fell to the catwalk, resulting in a laceration to his shin and strain to his shoulder. Laceration required 3 sutures.

EE had soreness in right elbow & reported it to his supervisor. The ee was taken to clinic & diagnosed with tennis elbow. Elastic band & cold compresses used to control inflammation. EE returned to clinic for follow up on 10/21, referred to a physical therapist for ultra sound therapy. EE was given his 1st ultra sound treatment on 10/27.