Intrepid Potash-New Mexico, LLCMining Incidents in 2005

Hoist operator received a call from cager stating he heard something fall down shaft but wasn't sure what it was. Cager called shifter and he checked sump and found 2 pieces of a broken guide. Shaft crew found 2 split guides. Down 3:34 p.m. - Started 1:00 a.m.

Hoistman was running #1 hoist. He brought N. skip down to load, after cager loaded skip he powered hoist up to pull, he realized he had lost power and the weight of the skip pulled S skip into limits before he could stop hoist. Down 12:52 p.m. Running 2:20 p.m.

ASEA Prod hoist tripped off. Investigation revealed safety limit switch on brakes failed and rope slip switch had bad bearings. Prod. was stopped. Personnel limited to less than 35 until repairs and test runs made. Released to service 9:00 a.m. Shift started 9-6-05 @ 7:00 p.m. Hoist went down 9-7-05 @ 1:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Hoistmen at #1 shaft was bringing up the South skip when he heard and saw the North bell come on in the hoist cab as he was dumping the skip. So he immediately set the brakes. The hoistmen tried calling on the mine phone and using the bells to get a hold of the cager but their was no response so maintenance was called. Hoist back and running at 11:15 pm.

While running the #1 production Hoist the hoist person experienced problems trying to pull a loaded skip up from the bottom. After powering the hoist up as much as 6 points the skip still wouldn't move so he shut the hoist down. U/G was evacuated. Down 1:22 am. Started running 3:22 am.

Hoist Outage - Converter tripped, wouldn't reset. Mine notified. Found control circuit board grounded for converter. Circuit board replaced, test runs made. Hoist back in service at 7:30 a.m.

Hoist person running skips thru for testing before mantripping. While testing the limits on the N side he couldn't back out the skip after testing the limits on the Norh side. Down 5-25-05 at 5:00 p.m. back running at 7:00 p.m.

OPERATOR WAS EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE HOIST DURING A RAIN STORM AND SHUT THE HOIST DOWN. GRIDS WERE WET AND HAD TO BE DRIED OFF. DOWN TIME: 3:10 am to 5:40 am

HOIST OPERATOR WAS RUNNING HOIST, HEARD AN ODD NOISE AND SHUT THE HOIST DOWN. THE GATE ON THE SKIP STAYED OPEN AND WHEN IT TRIED GOING DOWN THE SHAFT IT PUSHED THE SKIP OFF THE GUIDE DAMAGING THE SKIP AND 4 GUIDES. DOWN TIME: 6:53 A.M. TO 12:30 P.M.

Guide rails were being changed in shaft. While postioning the work platform it caught on guide causing damage to platform. This was during a maint. outage and no prod. was taking place in the mine. Only 13-15 employees were in mine. Repairs made & test run at 4:00am, 5-1-05.

Hoistman went to #2 shaft to send people UG. He noticed there was no power to the hoist. Hoistman failed to notify his supervisor immediately, so there was a delay in getting help to repair hoist. Down 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.

Hoist lost power. Repaired the auxillary contact. Hoist down from 9:00 a.m. to 10:55 a.m., 2-19-05

ASEA HOIST KICKED ELECT. POWER. A COMMUTATOR INTERFACE BAR WAS LOOSE & ARCING DAMAGING BRUSHES & RINGS. PROD WAS SHUT DOWN. THE COMMUTATOR WAS CLEANED AND SOLDERED, BRUSH RINGS CLEANED AND BRUSHES REPLACED. DOWN 3:15 P.M - 6:50 P.M.

2 employees were removing bolts from flanges in circulation leg of K102 crystallizer in order to remove advance pump. When flange wall separated, hot brine water gushed out, burning one employee. Started losing time 11-1-05.

While walking to stairs of Gyro area, EE stepped over a concrete foundation. He caught his right foot and tripped. He tried to catch himself and fractured his left wrist and cracked his right elbow. Began losing time 10-12-05.

Employee having trouble with lights on ram car. He looked down at switch and ran into the mine rib. Whiplash type injury to neck and back. Started losing time 7-23-05.

Employee was driving out of gob room when he saw a light and glanced over to see who it was. At that time he hit a high spot on the roadway causing his head to hit the back.

Employee was removing 2 15 hp well pumps out of water tank @ #2 Shaft. As he pulled the pump he slipped and fell and hit valve on the floor bruising both knees. He continued to work with no restrictions. Started losing time 5-10-06 due to surgery on the Rt knee.

Employee was changing batteries on 2162 Ramcar. While lifting cover he hurt his lower back. *Began losing time on 8-24-2005*

Employee was blocking in the boilers for shutdown. He reached overhead to close a valve and felt a shrp pain in right shoulder. He continued to work. Began losing time 5-11-05.

EE bent over to pick up a damaged 36"" roller off the floor. When he bent over he felt a pinching sensation in his lower back. He went to the Dr. on 9-23-05 and was given restrictions.

EE WAS TRYING TO BREAK A BOLT ON A COVER OF A SHUTTLE CAR WHEN HE FELT A POP ON HIS RIGHT HAND. RESTRICTED DUTY.

Emp. was pulling conveyor belt around a tail pulley with a rope. The rope broke and the employee fell aprox. 10' to concrete below. Initial accident occurred on 5-16-05. Employee continued to work w/o restrictions.He continued to have pain and was taken to Company Dr. on 6-28-05. X-rays showed a compression fracture to L1 in lower back. Emp. returned to work with restrictions.

During a belt move a piece of belt was wedged between ropes and the stands. While cutting the belt, the utility knife slipped and cut his left hand. Stitches required.

2 employees were pulling a miner trailing cable. 1st employee was using a hot stick to pull. 2nd employee bent down to tie a rope on the cable. The hot stick hook slipped off and hit 2nd employee in the mouth, lacerating the upper lip. 3 stitches were required.

Employee had been welding, cutting and grinding on #522 miner all morning but later in the day his left eye started to bother him but he thought it was a flash burn. When he arrived home he checked his left eye and found a piece of metal.

Scraping muck off tail end of shuttlecar. Felt something in right eye. Washed eye out, continued to work. Next day went to Doctor and found piece of metal in R. eye.

EMPLOYEE WAS MAKING A CABLE SPLICE. RAZOR KNIFE SLIPPED AND CUT LEFT INDEX FINGER. 1 SUTURE REQUIRED

USING UTILITY RAZOR KNIFE TO CUT PLASTIC FLEX CONDUIT. THE KNIFE SLIPPED, CUTTING HIS LEFT INDEX FINGER. 3 STITCHES REQUIRED