All MSHA-reportable accidents at Morton Salt Div/Morton International Inc operations in 2010. Fatalities appear first.
The #9 LHD caught fire while tramming to the 23H North face. The fire started in the engine compartment. The cause of the fire has not been determined. The ee stated that he turned off the LHD's engine & activated the machine's fire suppression. It did not extinguish the fire. The fire was too intense to fight with hand held fire extinguishers. The LHD was destroyed.
A malfunction occurred with the lower limit switch for the access cage. In trying to remedy the problem with controls on manual which caused the lily controls got ""out of sync"". The mine was evacuated until repairs made. No injuries; no other problems. Access cage back in service at approximately 8:15 pm.
The MVR process startup resulted in an undervoltage condition that resulted in power being lost to the #2 hoist and reset would not function. The mine was evacuated at 12:22PM and completed at 12:28PM. Power was restored to the hoist at 1:20PM. The hoist was tested and miners returned underground at 1:20PM.
At the start of the graveyard shift at approx. 10:40 p.m. the 19 member crew loaded onto the mancage. As the mancage was being lowered the pinion emergency brake lost hydraulic oil pressure and the brake set. The mancage and crew were trapped in the shaft until 11:25 p.m. when the emergency brake was released and the crew was brought back to the surface.
Lost SWEPCO power to the #2 hoist due to an electrical storm. Miners were evacuated at 6:05PM and completed at 6:14PM. Power was restored and the hoist was tested. Miners returned underground at 6:35PM.
The main power supplier ""lost"" a nearby substation, causing power outage to mine. Switch was made to a local supplier to operate access cage for evacuation of 17 persons in mine. No injuries or other problems. Main power restored at approx. 7:15 pm.
During normal hoisting on 3rd shift, a portion of leaky feeder cable became entangled on the South skip. The North skip is part of secondary escapeway, but mine was evacuated so cable could be removed. No injuries or other problems. Hoist back in service at 5:00am.
The South hoist drum brake spring was broken; management chose to make a repair. This was near end 3rd shift; allowed crews to exit during shift change. Repair completed; test done; 1st shift into mine at 7:40. North skip is for emergency evac; South skip had no effect; mine had 2 escapeways.
An electrical malfunction (blown 4160v fuse) caused a shutdown of the Production Hoist (part of secondary escapeway). Mine was evacuated; no problems, no injuries. Hoist back in service at 4:30am.
1500 level, 7C south face had several flames after blasting. After checking CO and methane levels, supervisor evacuated the mine and reported the fire to MSHA. The fire was extinguished on 6/12/10 with the approval of and in the presence of MSHA.
1400 level, 21N North face had several small flames after blasting. After checking CO and methane levels, supervision extinguised the flames.
During access shaft cage pre-shift (for 2nd shift) two locations on balance rope were discovered to be damaged. Decision made to change rope. Mine evacuated. No injuries or other problems.
The main upper hoist contactor coil failed causing the hoist to malfunction. The mine was evacuated at 12:20 a.m. and completed at 12:30 a.m. The faulty coil was replaced and the hoist was tested. The miners returned underground at 1:45 a.m.
The #1 hoist speed control contactor stuck on control #3. An electrician was called to replace the entire switch with a new one. The miners were evacuated at 9:38am the evacuation was completer at 9:58am. The contactor relay switch was replaced and the hoist was tested. Miners returned u/g at 10:40am.
The #1 hoist speed control contractor stuck on control #3. An electrician was summoned and freed the switch. Miners were evacuated at 8:22am. Evacuation completed at 8:39am. The hoist was repaired and tested. Miners returned u/g at 9:05am.
A wire supplying power to the upper limit switch was compromised by a short circuit. Miners were evacuated at 7:50 p.m. Evacuation completed at 8:04 p.m. The encoder and track limit switch was replaced. The hoist was tested and the morning shift miners entered the mine at 2:10 a.m.
There was a malfunction in the main contactor. The mine was evacuated at 4:33 a.m. and completed at 4:55 a.m. The hoist was repaired at 6:55 a.m. and the miners returned underground at 7:00 a.m.
After some non-related start-up problems at beginning of shift, the newly installed skip began binding in the scroll plate. Finally, it stuck and would not move. The mine was evacuated; no injuries; no other problems. Day shift crew held on surface; adjustments made; back in service at 7:30am.
Access cage lowered to sump. After troubleshooting, determination of faulty lower limit switch. Switch replaced, but was bad. Installed another switch. During investigation, found foreign material on brake pad it was cleaned. Mine was evacuated. No injuries or other problems. Back in service at approx. 2:00a.m.
Access cage experienced problem with lower stop switch. After changing switch & extensive investigation when that didn't fix, a slightly bent support arm for switch was discovered. Mine evacuated; no injuries or other problems.
The man cage lily control went out of sync due to faulty lower limit switch. Mine was evacuated. After trouble-shooting, it was corrected and placed back in service for the next shift. No injuries or other problems.
An electrical contactor failed on the production hoist. Quite some time involved in locating specific unit. Employees evacuated from mine. Problem found and repaired. Hoist back in service at 11:00pm. No injuries or other problems.
Hoist operator noticed arc flash on brush end of electric hoist motor. Motor was shut down and an electrician was called and the mine evacuated. The lug connections to the brush rings were tightened. The hoist was tested and placed back into service. Miners returned underground at 7:15 am.
Employee reported injury on 5/11/10 that he had sprained his ankle getting out of operator compartment of lube truck. He continued working his regular shift. He There were no major complaints up through mid-July. He officially began missing work on 7/23/10 when he was scheduled for surgery.
Employee was injured while removing metal screen from salt processing plant. The screen was stuck in position and he jerked on it and felt pain in his right wrist. He continued working his regular shift. It was finally determined on 7/27/10 that his wrist had a minor fracture and a cast was applied, forcing restricted duty.
EE was operating the bag machine, producing 25lb sacks of table salt in paper bags. A bag had cleared the machine without the bag tape being cut. EE attempted to cut the tape with a retractable safety knife. While cutting toward his right hand, the knife blade did not retract when it left the tape surface and lacerated the top of his right hand.
EE was looking at #7 scaler boom connection & when walking forward, stepped on a slick spot & fell backwards on his back, using his arms to block the fall. EE did not express a need for treatment at the time of the incident. After experiencing shoulder pain, EE sought medical attention & was diagnosed with a torn tendon, requiring surgery.
While lifting and lowering an outrigger extention block and pad on the condor 100 lift truck, employee states he mashed his right hand between the extension block and water cooler mounting bracket as he was lowering the extension block to ground level.
EE states he was tilting vacuum cleaner back to lie on its side to move under a conveyor belt. While doing so, his finger became caught between the vacuum cleaner frame and a handrail leading to an upstairs area.
Employee was in process of removing the front drive hub from a battery haulage equipment. He was using a pry bar to remove the hub from the axle shaft. As he jerked on the pry bar, he felt a sharp pain in his lower back and left hip area.
Employee was hooking up a welding trailer to a mine tractor. The jack was lowered to its lowest point and the pin was pulled on the jack when the trailer went forward the hitch missed the ball and the trailer went to the ground on top of the employee's right foot.
The employee was cutting bolts to remove a bracket. A piece of metal broke loose and became lodged in the employee's ear.