Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing CompanyMining Incidents in 2004

While working on a Rotex screener, a jackstand supporting the screener failed allowing the screener to fall and trap the employee's left hand between the screener and the screener crank pin.

Employee was shoveling out rock granules in the silos when he felt a sharp pain in his back. He felt stiffness the rest of the day and reported it to his supervisor near the end of the shift. He did not request to seek medical attention at that time.

Employee was changing Z-screen in Deister and was using a crowbar, the end of the crowbar was under the corner of the Z-screen and as the employee pushed down on the crowbar it slipped out of the corner and smashed the finger of the opposite hand. The left index finger required two stitches.

REACHING FOR BUCKET THAT WAS PLACED ON SHELF ABOVE MIXER STATION. BUCKET BRUSHED LID AS HE WAS REMOVING IT & LID SLAMMED DOWN ON FINGER. SAFETY LATCH HAD NOT BEEN UTILIZED.

ROCKS BECAME JAMMED IN #31 ROTEX. EE USING A PRY BAR & WAS HITTING A ROCK IN ORDER TO FREE IT. AT ONE POINT HE MISSED THE ROCK & STRUCK HIS RT.RING FINGER. THIS PRODUCED AN ABRASION, BRUISING OF NAILBED, SLIGHT SWELLING. SEEN CVIC FOR EVALUATION, SUSPECT FRACTURE, SPLINTED UNTIL FILM READ BY RADIOLOGIST. OFF UNTIL REPORT BACK ON 8/5.

Employee was shoveling granules that had spilled onto the floor from the tripper car back into the holding tank when he felt a pain in his center lower back.

Employee was lifting bags of pigment and dumping into mixing pot when he felt a pull in his left back muscle

EE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CLEANING THE MIXER. HE REACHED FOR THE BRUSH THAT WAS ABOVE THE OPEN LID AND BUMPED THE LID AS HE WITHDREW THE BRUSH. THE LID CAME DOWN ON RIGHT THUMB, SMASHING IT INTO THE EDGE OF MIXER.

Job function requires lifting 50lb bags of color and dumping into mixer. Pre-existing condition (5yr Hx of untreated broken hand) became aggravated by repetitive grasping. Insidious onset. No swelling or loss of ROM, only inflammation of tendons.

During a 2 man procedure of changing screens on 36 Hummer, the proximal west side screen became jammed. EE positioned self on the edge of the opening to forcefully move screen. Lost balance and slipped off edge hitting left chest wall on metal edges that protrude from side of Hummer.

WORKING WITH ANOTHER EMPLOYEE PUTTING ROTEX BACK TOGETHER, WHILE LIFTING THE #4 MESH SCREEN HE FELT PAIN IN HIS SHOULDER. HE INFORMED THE SUPERVISOR THAT HE FELT IT WAS A BASIC SORE MUSCLE AND HE DID NOT WANT MEDICAL ATTENTION. SELF-TREATMENT WITH HOME MEASURES. IT PROGREESS TO VERY PAINFUL SO THAT IT EFFECTED HIS SLEEP. HE REPORTED WORSENED CONDITION ON NIGHT SHIFT 4/19.

Two employees were taking an electric winch up a stairway using a hand truck. One employee was pulling and another was pushing up from the bottom. The employee at the bottom was attempting to lift the hand truck and felt a muscle pull in the lower back.

Was going to upper floor in C&S. Looked away as he was pulling the door shut and caught hand in the door. Sustained Fx to Rt third finger between metacarpophalangeal joint and interphalangeal joint.

EMPLOYEE WAS IN TRUCK, PROCEEDED TO GET OUT AND PLACE FOOT ON TRUCK STEP, SLIPPED WHILE DOING SO AND TWISTED HIS KNEE. NOTE: EMPLOYEE HAS PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS WITH HIS KNEES.

EE WAS ON THE ROOF OF C&S PREPARING TO CLEAN UP. WIND BLEW GRANUAL PAST HIS SAFETY GLASSES AND INTO RT EYE. SUSTAINED CORNEAL ABRASION.

EE was on top driller filling tank with foam solution. Some of the solution spilled over making surface slippery. When he stepped off to transfer to own truck, he slipped and fell forward on to outstretched hand. Sustained Fx of right wrist.

EMPLOYEE WAS PART OF A FOUR MAN TEAM CHANGING A SCREEN ON #8 ROTEX LOCATED IN COLORING DEPT. HE WAS AT THE TOP WITH ANOTHER EMPLOYEE USING A HOOK TO PULL UP THE SCREEN AS TWO OTHERS PUSHED FROM THE BOTTOM. HE STATES AFTER THE CHANGE HIS BACK STARTED TO HURT.

EE was operating loader and complained of back pain. MRI showed herniated disc.

EE WAS REMOVING A 70LB JUNCTION BOX THE BOX FELL & HE TRIED TO CATCH IT. THE BOX LANDED ON HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER. HE PULLED HIS FINGER OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE BOX & THE FINGER BROKE. EE REC'D STITCHES & A SPLINT.

SLIPPED WHILE CLIMBING ON MAINT.TRUCK, DANGLED BY RT. ARM. NO IMMEDIATE CAUSE FOR CONCERN, PROGRESSED OVER SEVERAL DAYS TO SORENESS & STIFFNESS. REPORTED INCIDENT ON 7/26/04 & RESPONDED WELL TO COMFORT MEASURES. EXACERBATION OF SYMPTOMS CAUSED CALL OFF ON 7/29 & 30TH. SENT FOR EVAL. RESULTING IN OFF WORK DAYS (10 DAYS), WITH FURTHER WORK UP TO RULE OUT HERN. DISK.

EE was sweeping floor around rotex machine, while it was in operation. stepped to close the machine and banged his right hand at the posterior aspect of the index finger, btw metacarpophalangeal joint and interphanlangeal joint.

Employee shoveling under #12 conveyor and felt pain in back area. Sent to DR., released with restrictions, returned to work, then went home before end of shift. Injury originally considered a reaggravation of an exiting condition. However, two physicians and one site nurse have been involved. As a result, it has been re-determined that this incident is a separate event.

Two miners were performing maintenance on a tail pulley assembly on #2 conveyor when pillow block bearing housing broke causing tail pulley to fly up and strike one miner in his chest, right hand and elbow.

EMPLOYEE WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF GYRO PIT, DIRECTING DUMP BERM REMOVAL. TOP LIP HAD BEEN BROKEN FREE AND AS FRONT END LOADER TILTED BUCKET UP TO MOVE IT OUT, IT SLID UP AND CLOCKWISE TOWARD THE EMPLOYEE. HE LEAPED BACK TO AVOID BEING HIT AND DROPPED 13 1/2 FEET DOWN INTO THE CLEARED PIT.

Employee was using a push broom brush (Handle was removed) to remove rock buildup between two troughing idlers on a conveyor. The conveyor was running at the time and the brush was caught between the idler and the conveyor which pulled in the brush and the employees right hand.

BIN TENDER HAD MOVED CHUTE FROM TRIPPER ACROSS WALKWAY TO FILL BIN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE AT BIN 4. DURING THIS PROCESS HE NEEDED TO STEP OVER THE TANK TO GET TO THE OTHER TRIPPER. HE SLIPPED ON GRANULE ON THE EDGE OF THE TANK TOP. AS HE WENT DOWN HE CAUGHT HIMSELF WITH HIS LEFT HAND, WEIGHT GOING ONTO THE FOURTH AND FIFTH FINGERS THAT WERE BENT UNDER.

While opening a top hatch of a railroad car the hatch stuck half way up and the asst. carloader jammed her right shoulder and arm. She received a strain to her right arm/shoulder and was put on restrictions.

MINER WAS CLEANING C1 TANK & WHEN HE FINISHED HE STEPPED UP ON A RAIL (W/AIR HOSE IN HAND) TO STEP OVER A CONVEYOR WHEN HIS FOOT SLIPPED & HE FELL, FIRST HITTING PIPING THEN STRIKING HIS SHOULDER & RT. SIDE OF HEAD ON FLOOR (UNEVEN SURFACE).

On 8-17-04 employee reported left foot pain. He stated that the only thing he did to possibly hurt it was that on 8-14-04 he attempted to switch lever on railroad track using left foot, he pushed down hard because it was stuck, he didn't feel any discomfort until 8-17. On 8-17-he was diagnosed with a bruise to the bottom of his left foot and was put on restrictions for four days.

The employee was positioning a large steel box into place with the help of another employee that was operating a manual overhead hoist. The steel box slipped from the hoist hook and dropped 4-6 inches smashing the employee's left middle finger between the box and the concrete floor.

EE WAS ASSISTING WITH A SCREEN CHANGE WITH 3 OTHER MINERS WHEN ROTEX LID CAUGHT & PINCHED FINGER BETWEEN 2 LIDS CAUSING CRUSHING INJURY TO DISTAL FINGER

After working with iron worker machine the employee stepped back and tripped over angle iron on floor, he did not fall but in the process he felt a strain to his lower back. He did not seek medical attention until 6-7-2004. He received chiropractic treatment and as of 6-11-2004 he was put on restricted duty

Ee was installing bucket on #17 elevator with a huch gun and ee was holding pins on back size when left middle finger was caught behind head a bucket pin causing open fx to top of left middle finger.

While the employee was descending a 16' aluminum ladder, the legs of the ladder slipped, causing the EE to wrap his arm around a ladder rung pinching his arm between the ladder & the wall the ladder was leaning against.

EE WAS REMOVING A PIECE OF SCRAP STEEL ANGLE FROM A SCRAP STEEL RACK. A PIECE OF 3"" DIAMETER SCRAP STEEL SHIFTED IN THE RACK AND HIT HIS FINGER RESULTING IN A FRACTURE.

Employee was throwing a pallet into the dumpter and pulled muscle(s) in shoulder area.

Employee was using gasoline blower to blow granules from under truck scales and broke out in a rash on her skin

Employee was climbing stairs with damaged safety toe shoes, left foot slipped off of step causing toes to slip out of steel toe, when he recovered by putting foot back on step the steel toe cap caught his left big toe nail ripping it loose. First aid was given. On 10-21-2004 toe nail started growing in to skin, he had the toe nail removed by a podiatrist. Anesthetic was used.

Approaching slurry mixer, pot was in operation and caused a splash. States was wearing glasses, got in eye anyway. Rinsed and transported to Corona Regional Medical Center. Dx of corneal abrasion, Abx drops RX, return to work full duty.

INVOLVED IN A 2 MAN PROCESS OF CHANGING OIL DRUM. NO LIFTING REQUIRED, HOWEVER, AFTER THE PROCESS WAS OVER HE FELT TIGHTNESS IN LOWER BACK. STATES IT WENT AWAY WITH MOTRIN AND DID NOT FEEL THAT IT WAS NOTEWORTHY. AS TIME WENT ON STARTED HAVING GRADUAL ONSET OF INCREASED DISCOMFORT. REPORTED NEED FOR MEDICAL EVALUATION ON 9/10/04.

Employee was exiting out of confined space area (Cone Crusher), indicated that he blacked out, fell @ 2 feet landing on ankle. Employee was secured with body strap tied to lifting hoist.

EMPLOYEE WAS BURNING ON A PUG MILL. HE WAS BETWEEN A CHUTE AND THE PUG MILL. HE LIFTED HIS HEAD UP & HIT THE BACK OF HIS HEAD ON THE ACTUATOR OF A PNEUMATIC VALVE THAT WAS MOUNTED ADJACENT TO THE PUG MILL. EE STATED THE PNEUMATIC VALVE IS OUT OF SERVICE & COULD POSSIBLY BE REMOVED.

EMPLOYEE WAS COMBINING POWDERED CHEMICALS WITH SOLUTIONS IN A MIXING POT TO CREATE A SLURRY. THE MIXER POT AGITATOR EXPELLED SOME OF THE SLURRY WHICH ENTERED A SPACE BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE'S FACE AND SAFETY GLASSES AND CONTACTING THE RIGHT EYE.

THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT A METAL GRATE FROM THE ROLL FEED DUMPING STATION. THE GRATE WAS APPROX. 20"" X 36"". WHILE PULLING THE GRATE OUT, IT CAUGHT ON THE EDGE AND THE DRIVER FELT PAIN IN HIS LEFT SHOULDER. HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A STRAIN AND IS RECEIVING OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY. HE WAS NOT GIVEN RESTRICTIONS TO PREVENT HIM FROM DOING HIS REGULAR JOB.

Employee was moving a piece of equipment on a maintenance shop work table and pinched right middle finger

EE WAS CHECKING ANTI-FREEZE ON LOADER AND BELIEVED THAT HE HAD RELEASED ALL PRESSURE BEFORE OPENING RADIATOR CAP. AS HE REMOVED THE CAP, ANTI-FREEZE SOLUTION ERUPTED OUT, SPRAYING EE IN FACE & NECK AREA. FIRST AID WAS RENDERED.

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR ON #885 CAT HAUL TRUCK, THE DRIVER HIT HIS HEAD ON THE OVERHEAD CANOPY. HE HAD PROBLEMS WITH HIS NECK AND WAS TREATED BY A CHIROPRACTOR OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. HE REPORTED THIS ON 3-8-04. HE IS CURRENTLY RECEIVING TREATMENT FOR A STRAINED NECK, BUT HAS NO RESTRICTIONS AND HAS NOT LOST ANY TIME.

C/O TRIGGER FINGER LIKE SYPTOMS IN RT. RING FINGER. INSIDIOUS ONSET OVER THE PAST 8 MONTHS. SENT ON 7/25 FOR EVALUATION. DX TRIGGER FINGER, SURGERY TO BE SCHEDULED IN AUGUST.

NOTIFICATION OF ABNORMAL CHEST X-RAY. PARENCHYMAL DISEASE CONSISTENT WITH PNEUMOCONIOSIS. POSSIBLE PULMONARY FIBROSIS, CLINICAL CORRELATION IS NEEDED TO RULE OUT OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE.

POOR ERGONOMICS IN KOMOTSU FRONT END LOADER CAUSING SYMPTOMS OF TINGLING, NUMBNESS, AND PAIN IN RIGHT WRIST AND ELBOW. SUBSEQUENT DIAGNOSIS OF CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME BY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.

Insidious onset of rt medial and lateral epicondylistis. Related to power grip and twist power grip and lift.