All MSHA-reportable accidents at Mosaic Potash Carlsbad Inc operations in 2008. Fatalities appear first.
While doing Safety Checks on # 4 Hoist, hoist kicked out and wouldn't reset power. Investigation by Hoist supervisor pinpointed the new Safety Interlock device on the Lily control was out of adjustment. Hoist was back up in operation at 8:05 AM. Underground personnel had two other hoists for egress out of the mine.
Loss of power to our # 4 man shaft that would interfere with use of the equipment for more than thirty minutes. We actually have three different man Hoists.
Electrical outage due to electrical supplier caused #2 and #5 hoists down. Miners evacuated the mine via #4 hoist until power restored. MSHA notified via phone at 7:40 pm 6/17/08.
#2 hoist down (electrical switch) no danger to employees. MSHA notified via phone at 1:07pm 6/14/2008.
#4 hoist (back up and emergency hoist) down due to electric problems. Lost automatic and part of manual control, still have #2 and #5 shaft as escape routes. Unknown time when down. Hoist back up and running
Emp moved a full grease barrel a couple of inches and felt a pain in his back. This was treated initially with first aid treatment. The pain started reoccouring slightly in the last 6 months o r so but now is pretty bad. Took emp to company doctor on 4/28/09, he was placed on restrictions, ordered PT, given medications. It is related to incident on 5/26/08
Emp. was installing new light bulbs from the 4th step of a 6 ft. ladder, as the emp. was coming down the ladder he stated he blacked out or fainted and fell to the ground. After splinting the emp. RT. ankle he was taken to the E.R for X-Rays, X-Ray was positive. The ortho Dr. performed surgery on his RT. ankle. Emp. is at home recovering until further notice.
Employee was operating a scoop on a slope underground when the engine on the scoop died and it started to roll down the slope. The emp fell out of the scoop and landed on his rt leg resulting in a fracture. Went to ER, received surgery, was hospitalized and lost time from work.
No actual accident occurred. Possible "wear and tear" of job could be cause of tear of tendon in employee's shoulder. Emp. reported that shoulder has been hurting for 1-2 yrs. no injury, went to company dr. on 4/8/08, placed on restricted duty.
Emp was cutting wood for a waterline job. While emp was aligning the wood against the rail with right hand he bumped the wood. Hand slipped, saw blade caught shirt sleeve and cut the flesh to his right wrist and tendon. Emp had surgery to repair tendon and close the wound.
Emp. had been standing on truck bed of maintenance truck, putting a tarp on welding machine. When emp. stepped down his foot caught on the ball hitch, causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards and land on his left elbow, onto the concrete.
Emp. stated he was swinging a sledge hammer doing a belt alignment, when he noticed a bad pain in lower back. Taken to E.R for X-RAY negative. given shots and RX's for injury.Went to comp. Dr. he will return to work on restricted duty.
on 11-02-08, emp. was cleaning above recycle bin while wearing a safety harness, he slipped backwards and grabbed onto beam to avoid falling and felt pain in rt. shoulder. Took to comp. doctor, was ordered P.T and restricted duty.
Emp. was removing a broken torque shaft from miner. While applying pressure with the bar to remove torque shaft, emp. felt a pop in rt. elbow, while tightening the bolts, emp. felt pain in rt. elbow. Took to comp. doctor on 11-03-08 put on restrictions.
Emp. bent over to pick up the return roller and felt a pain in his lower back.Emp was working in a low heighth area. Emp went to comp. Dr. and was place on restrictions.
Emp was using a hand held drill to drill a hole in a metal fan control box. The drill hung in the metal box causing his right hand to twist and resulted in pain and swelling. Took to doctor, xray showed fracture of right hand. Placed on restrictions and referred to ortho.
Emp reported that while working overtime in granulation plant she felt tightness and tenderness develop in her left knee. Unknown cause. Emp knee swollen with pain. Iced and elevated and took ibuprofen but no relief. Went to company doctor and received anti-inflammatory and restrictive duty.
Emp was sitting in a safety meeting and turned to his right to pass a paper to the person beside him and felt a pain in his lower back. When he went to stand up after the meeting was over the pain increased. Went to company doctor. Rcvd restrictions, PT, and prescription.
Emp was driving a tractor, dragging a skid for a prolonged period of time. The crew was behind him unloading the cable off of the skid, so emp was constantly twisting his body to look over his rt shoulder. When he got out of the tractor, he felt a pain in the rt knee. The next morning the pain was increased. Went to ER due to company doctor closed. Rcvd restrictive duty.
Emp. was swinging a sledge hammer to hit the discharge chute (cleaning it out) then climbed down ladder and was walking when she felt a sharp pain in chest. Went to ER. Pulled muscle - placed on restricted duty.
Emp struck top of left hand with 5 lb hammer. Seen company doctor on 7/9/08 X-Ray negative, first aid given for first week, but then swelling and pain never went away. On 7/14/08 emp was placed on restrictive duty and given a prescription pain med. Possible bruised and inflamed tendon in top of hand.
Employee was removing a stuck bit from the center drum on a miner by using a 4 lb hammer and a bit puller. As he was hammering on the bit puller his hand slipped and he caught his left index finger between the hammer and the bit puller. Went to ER for treatment. Placed on restricted duty.
Employee was hammering another employee's hammer to drive the a pin in to replace a cat track pad on a miner. His finger got smashed between the hammer handle and the tram gear box on the miner. Sent to ER for treatment. Emp has compound fracture(doctor pinned bone together) and was placed on restrictions.
Employee was removing a return roller from the belt. As he was hammering the roller out of the hanger, the roller fell on his hand fracturing the tip of his right ring finger. Placed on restrictive duty.
Emp. was unloading supplies into a metal storage container. The doors were secured by rope in an open postion. The wind started blowing heavy, causing the metal doors to slam shut, hitting emp. in the back and knocking him down. Went to ER for evaluation, placed on restricted duty.
Emp. was using a shop bar to hold a bull gear and the shop bar slipped and pinched his middle right finger causing a laceration. Taken to ER for treatment. No broken bones, employee placed on restricted duty.
Employee was knealing on a spare piece of rubber belt set up to cut out a 4"X 5" piece. He was using a utility razor knife and the knife cleared the rubber and stabbed his right leg above the knee cap, causing a lacertation. Took emp. to company doctor where he recieved 4 stitches and placed on restricted duty.
EE was tramming bolter into a room between the miner and exhaust fan. He had his hand on the seat guard on the L side of the seat. The bolter rubbed against the pan on the miner and moved the front of the bother to the left, pinching the index finger on the L hand between seat guard and the guard post on the exhaust fan. Laceration to finger, rcvd stitches. Restricted duty.
While in process of stepping back into ram car, emp. slipped and fell against the cab causing him to fracture two ribs (left side). There was hydraulic oil on the floor of the ram car which caused him to slip. Employee placed on restrictions that state seated work only.
Employee felt minor irritation in right eye while at work but didn't report to supervisor until he was driving home and the pain increased. He states he did use grinder earlier that day and thinks he may have got an object in right eye. He went to company doc and eye doc where imbedded metal was removed from his rt eye and antibiotics were prescribed. Released to full duty.
Emp. was handing supplies from man basket out onto screen deck, when he felt a pain in right shoulder, first aid treatment was given at this time. On 5/22/08 emp. was sent to company doctor due to continuing pain. Doctor gave him cortisone injection in right shoulder. Emp was released to return to work full duty.
Employee became agitated and tossed a bolt onto a bolter. The bolt ricocheted back and struck him on the nose, causing a laceration. Employee went to company doctor and recieved 10 stitches. Release back to work a full duty.
This is not work related: Employee had what appeared to be a heart attack underground. CPR administered as well as the use of AED. He was transferred to emergency room. Carlsbad EMS ambulance intercepted with Mine emergency vehicle on Hobbs Highway. Employee was pronouced dead in the emergency room at 8:53 am. MSHA notified on 7/31/08.