All MSHA-reportable accidents at Lafarge North America, Inc. operations in 2004. Fatalities appear first.
Mine lost power 8/23-9:35 AM. Compromises two ways out. Employees stopped work, assembled in lunch room. Problem with KCPL-no info on duration of outage. Evacuation ordered 9:40 using backup power supply, called MSHA. Evacuation recorded 9:40. 9:47-employees out of mine and accounted for. Phoned MSHA later in day-employees sent home, will be back 8/24-6:00 AM shift.
Hoist Brake accumulator failed on the production shaft at 11:25 AM. The mine was evacuated at 11:55 AM. Repairs were completed at 1:00 PM.
Employee was inspecting the top of the impact crusher. as he was descending to another point he slipped from the wet drive belt guard and fell to the ground on a rock.
EE WAS REMOVING STRUCTURAL MATERIAL, ENVIRONMENT WAS VERY DUSTY. EE WAS WEARING SAFETY GLASSES AND A FACE SHIELD.
LIFTING IRON & PULLED MUSCLE (GROIN). EE FILLED OUT AN ACCIDENT REPORT DATED 11/3/04 THAT STATED THAT HE PULLED A GROIN MUSCLE AND THAT HE NEEDED HERNIA SURGERY. HE WORKED UP UNTIL 12/17/04 & HAD SURGERY ON 12/20/04. TENTATIVE TIME OFF FOR RECOVERY WILL BE 14 DAYS. WE ARE DISPUTING THIS CLAIM WHICH IS WHY THE FORM DID NOT GET FILLED OUT IN A TIMELY MANNER.
THE EMPLOYEE WAS CLEARING AN OVERSIZE ROCK FROM THE PRIMARY FEEDER. THE ROCK BROKE FREE AND STRUCK THE EMPLOYEE ON THE LEFT LEG FRACTURING TWO BONES IN THE LOWER PART OF HIS LEG.
Employee turned a corner while driving a haul truck and ran over a rock. The rock shook the truck, causing the driver to strike his shoulder on the left side of the cab. Employee suffered a dislocated shoulder, which will require surgery to repair.
Employee exited east door of #1 feed silo, slipped and fell on left side and fractured his left elbow. He had a previous left elbow fracture on 12/28/03 and was on restricted duty (22 days) until 2/16/04. Employee did not report this incident until 3/23/04. He was again placed on light duty effective 3/26/04.
Employee was assisting a coworker installing an inspection door on a cooler fan. Coworker was using a cutting torch to cut out door opening. Injured ee was holding the steel housing and the employee repositioned his hold and came in contact with the flame of the torch. The back of his gloved right hand caught on fire cauing a burn on the top of his hand.
Employee reported back injury on 8-11-04, but did not seek treatment at that time. Employee reported aggravation on 9-13-04 and was sent to the doctor. He was diagnosed with lumbar strain and was placed on restrictions, making this event recordable.
EE STRAINED BACK WHILE PULLING HOSE FOR REPUMP TRUCK & CARRYING BUCKETS OF STEMMING.
Ee used his fingers to remove build up cement from the rollers of packer.
Employee was working on piece of mobile equipment when he felt his knee pop. Employee reported injury to supervisor on 6/24/04, but did not seek treatment at that time. Employee was off on long weekend and iced knee to help condition. Assessment at OHS on 7/6/04, no restriction. Return appointment 7/8, placed on modified duty.
Contractor was in the pump room running conduit from the second step of a step ladder. As he went to get off the step ladder his foot slipped off of the first step and he fell to the ground. He put his right hand out to break his fall and broke his right wrist.
Employee was checking oil level in kiln when he lost his balance and fell against hand railing, hitting his right side and upper torso. Employee was placed on restricted duty.
Employee was adjusting rolls on coal pulverizer using one-inch impact gun to make adjustments. He was holding impact gun away from his body while performing work when he felt a pull in upper and lower right side of back. Employee placed on restricted duty. This is a pre-existing condition that reoccurs occasionally.
EE parked his vehicle in the maintenance parking lot, stepped out of his truck and fell in a hole. The hole is an access to disabled electrical wiring from the old cement plant. Normally, there is a manhole cover over the hole. Due to plowing snow the cover was missing. The hole was obscured by a recent snowfall that had yet to be plowed.
EMPLOYEE SUBMITTED AN ACCIDENT REPORT AFTER THE FACT STATING THAT HIS THUMB WAS BOTHERING HIM. HE REPORTS THAT ON 01/22 HE WAS USING A SLEDGE HAMMER TO HIT THE LATCHING MECHANISM, THE DOOR SWUNG BACK HITTING HIS THUMB BETWEEN THE DOOR & HAMMER.
EMPLOYEE WAS TURNING ON WATER HYDRANT IN A PUSH-PULL MOTION TO ACTIVATE FLY ASH PUMP. WHILE PULLING, EMPLOYEE STRAINED RIGHT SHOULDER. EMPLOYEE WAS STILL SORE ON JANUARY 5 AND WAS SENT TO MEDI CAL CLINIC AND PLACED ON RESTRICED DUTY.
WHILE WALKING DOWN AN ELEVATED WALKWAY BY THE #2 FINISH MILL, EE STEPPED ON SOME CLINKER DEBRIS AND TWISTED ANKLE. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, EE EXPERIENCED SWELLING AND DECIDED TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION.
Employee was removing nuts on a cover for the tail wheel of #1 Clinker cooler frag. While pulling on a wrench he felt something pop in his right shoulder. He felt pain in his arm and his hand swelled.
EMPLOYEE WAS REMOVING COVER ON SCREW HOUSING. WHILE LOOSENING THE BOLT THAT WAS HOLDING IT IN PLACE, THE WRENCH HE WAS USING SLIPPED, HITTING HIS FRONT TOOTH AND BROKE THE CERAMIC CAP ON HIS TOOTH.
Employee was trying to loosen an impeller lock. He hit the lock and a piece of metal broke off and hit his hand. The injury required stitches.
EE was welding on a clay wash plow in the shop. He was chipping slag off a weld when a piece flew up under his safety glasses hitting him in the eye. EE saw a physician for a corneal abrasion for which he was prescribed an antibiotic ointment.
Ee was trying to insert a 2ml glass pipette into a dispenser when the pipette broke. The broken end of the pipette cut his palm & three of his fingers. He was taken to local hospital & received five stitches on his pinky finger.
The employee was emptying the number one fringe feeder. As she removed some small pieces of material a large chunk broke free striking her left hand.
EE was grinding welds with electric grinder, windy conditions caused particles to go under shield and into right eye.
EE on top of silos changing blanks to switch silos. Used Bar/Tool to loosen knuckles that clamp blank in place. Felt resistance on third knuckle, pushed on bar with extra effort to loosen knuckle. Relaxed pressure on bar, put pressure off and on couple times to loosen. Bar slipped, EE moved forward, pinched finger on Cement Line below. Received stitches at Liberty
In #1 dry mill electrical room, ee was testing voltage in main breaker for transformer that feeds the substation. when using voltage meter, electrical flash caught ee on left hand. he was transported to hospital er by fire dept. rescue squad. some skin removal and perscrip given.
EMPLOYEE WAS CUTTING ELEC.LINE; KNIFE SLIPPED, CUT HIS LEFT THUMB.
Employee breaking up lumps of weathered clinker being reclaimed through grated hopper. Used hammer to hit long jack hammer bit, like a chisel to break lumps, chisel in left hand, hammer in right. Shard of metal from top of jack hammer bit broke off, striking employee on inside of arm cutting vein. Antibiotics and tetanus shots administered, wound sutured.
AT THE PRIMARY CRUSHER, EE SMASHED & CUT SMALLEST FINGER ON HIS RT. HAND MOVING A ROCK.
EMPLOYEE WAS DESCENDING A FLIGHT OF STAIRS. HE MISSED THE BOTTOM THREE STEPS AND CAME DOWN INJURING HIS KNEE. IT HAPPENED SO FAST THAT HE COULD NOT RECALL WHETHER HE HYPEREXTENDED OR HYPERFLEXED THE RIGHT KNEE.
ON 7/14/04 EMPLOYEE CONSULTED A DOCTOR FOR BACK PAIN WHICH HE STATED RELATED TO AN INCIDENT ON 7/1/04 WHEN HE WAS USING A PRY BAR TO CHANGE OUT A CLINKER COOLER FAN.
Ee was assissting with the removal of a pull rod eye in the roller mill. A chain fall had been attached to the wrench. The pipe wrench he was using broke stiking him in the hand. His right hand was cut and his right thumb was fractured (minor, does not need a cast). The cut required 8 sutures.
on 8/9 we received l&i claim for ee. ee states that he went to dr because of back pain. emp states that he has back problems which are unrelated to on the job incidents. however may have agitated his back . back on 6-9-4 when he was lifting a submersible pump out of a trench in the raw mill.
Employee caught finger on the edge of a screen discharge chute while cleaning the area. Injury required sutures. Employee returned to full duty the next day.
Employee slipped while climbing a ladder and hit his shin. Employee diagnosed with a hematoma on his right leg. Later, employee was prescribed Keflex for infection, making this incident recordable.
Employee was using utility knife to cut conveyor belting that had lip on each edge. While he was cutting the edge using down pressure, the momentum carried the knife blade through the rubber and struck employee's right leg (thigh). Cut on thigh required four stitches.
Employee walking to office from job site (kiln area) stepped on crack in roadway and twisted right ankle. Employee sought medical treatment 3/29. Later referred to orthopaedic doctor 6/29/04
REMOVING THE INNER BEARING RACE FROM THE COAL MILL SHAFT, THE WELD BROKE OFF THE TWO ALL-THREAD RODS. THE ROD FAILED AND SPRUNG UP INTO THE FACE OF THE EMPLOYEE.
INSPECTING KILN #23 - FOREIGN OBJECT IN RIGHT EYE - NOT SURE HOW.
EE REPORTED THAT HE WAS PULLING ON A DRAG CHAIN WHICH HE SAID HE DOES ALL THE TIME. HE CAUGHT HIS MIDDLE FINGER BETWEEN THE CHAIN & SPROCKET CAUSING TEARING IN THE MEAT OF THE FINGER.
EMPLOYEE WAS CLEANING AN OIL SPLILL WITH OIL DRY AND HE SLIPPED AND STRUCK HIS FOREHEAD ON A FLANGE ON THE FINISH MILL BALL TRAP. THE INJURY REQUIRED 15 SUTURES.
EE WAS MOVING A JACK HAMMER AT THE GROUND LEVEL SHOP 47. HE WAS WEARING SAFETY GLASSES WITH SIDE SHIELDS, BUT WHEN HE LOOKED UP, HE FELT SOMETHING FALL INTO HIS LEFT EYE. HE WAS TREATED & SUFF ERED A CORNEAL ABRASION.
WHILE INSTALLING A BEARING IN HOUSING, HE CAUGHT HIS FINGER BETWEEN THE BEARING AND HOUSING PINCH POINT.
There was no specific event associated with this injury. Employee had pain in his wrist and went to his personal doctor. His physician told him it was a work related injury due to overuse. Employee saw company doctor and was diagnosed with tendonitis and placed on modified duty.
Employee was complaining of tingling in fingers. He states it is worse when he operates heavy equipment, especially using each hand to operate the levers. He sought treatment at occupational health services. He was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Waling into the office our visitor tripped on a slight rise in the sidewalk and fell. she was transported to swedish hosptial where x rays were taken and it was found that she had fractured the bone in her upper shoulder. She is not an employee of the plant, but was at the plant for training.
Large lump through K2 clinker breaker created dusty condition. Dust got in right eye.
WORK IN EXTREME COLD NOT AWARE OF SURROUNDINGS SHOULD SLIP OCCUR EE VISITED DR AND IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO WORK. WE LATER DETERMINED THAT HE RECEIVED RX MEDICATION MAKING THIS CASE A REPORTABL E.
EE WALKING UNDER AN OVERHEAD WORK AREA (15 FT. ABOVE), NEAR QUITTING TIME. TOOLS WERE PICKED UP BY EMPLOYEES ABOVE, A SMALL PIPE TOOL ACCIDENTLY DROPPED. SMALL PIPE TOOL STRUCK EMPLOYEE ON THE HARDHAT AND PARTIALLY ON SIDE OF NECK. EMPLOYEEWAS SENT TO MEDICAL CARE FACILITY. X-RAYS WERE NEGATIVE. HE WAS ALLOWED TO RETURN TO WORK WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS OR SCHEDULED FOLLOW-UP.
EMPLOYEE SLIPPED OFF LADDER WHILE EXITING HAUL TRUCK AND ARM STRUCK EXHAUST BRACKET DURING FALL. CURRENTLY ON LIGHT DUTY - NO LOST TIME INVOLVED.
GRESHAM TRUCK DRIVER ENTERED PARKING LOT AT 1:00P.M. AND WENT UP TO LOADING PLATFORM TO OPEN HATCHES. TERMINAL OPERATOR HEARD HIM OPEN THE FIRST HATCH. WHEN HE DID NOT HEAR THE SECOND HATCH OP EN HE WENT TO CHECK AND FOUND THE DRIVER FACE DOWN ON TOP OF THE TRUCK INSIDE OF A SAFETY PLATFORM. HE WAS ASSISTED BY LAFARGE EMPLOYEES WHO PROVIDED EMERGENCY TREATMENT UNTIL PARAMEDICS CAME
EE WAS GRINDING ON DOOR OF FINISH GRIND COLLECTOR WHEN FOREIGN MATERIAL ENTERED EE'S EYE. THE EE REPORTED INCIDENT TO HIS SUPERVISOR ON 2-5-04 AND WAS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL FOR EVALU ATION. TWO PIECES OF METAL WERE FOUND IN HIS RIGHT EYE.