Mosaic Potash Carlsbad IncMining Incidents in 2009

On 11/23/09 #1 converter on the #2 hoist tripped out at 3:34 a.m. It was reset at 4 a.m. MSHA was notified via phone.

# 4 hoist down due to electrical outage Friday 10/23/09 at 8:42 pm. Power restored & # 4 hoist running Saturday 10/24/09 at 9:00 pm.

8/11/09 at 7:14 am #4 Hoist went down due to SPS power outage. MSHA notified at 7:18 am via telephone.

#1 Production hoist down electrical 75% speed switch was out. Called MSHA at 5:05 pm. Had to wait for 10 minutes for someone to answer, asked him to make note of this. Called MSHA back at 8:31 to report hoist was running.

2:57 AM #1 hoist down. #1 converter is out.

5:15 PM #2 hoist down. Oil temperature switch is out.

Power was lost at # 2 hoist and # 5 hoist. Southwest Public Service was called to restore power.

Electrical failure on circuit board. Underground miners had 2 additional escape ways out of the mine.

Not an accident, injury or illness. It was an event that met the definition(11)in that hoisting equipment operation("use of equipment")was interfered with for >30 minutes. Related to equip. for hoisting ore, not lifting persons out of the mine. The cooling fan motor had failed. For lifting persons, the cooling fan could have been bypassed. 2 hoists still in operation

# 2 Hoist tripped out on fault, while resetting fault trip, hoistman noticed smoke and fire from DC amp meter. Extinguished the electrical fire on the meter and took meter out of service, repaired wiring to get hoist back in operation. Hoist back in operation at 12:00 PM

Emp. was welding on an axel beam which weighed approx. 570 lbs. emp. was positioned on a 4x4 open metal structure box. Emp. was attempting to turn the beam over when it flipped and smashed his right hand, between axel beam and 4x4 metal box being used as a work platform.

Emp was rerouting the miner cable on the miner. He lifted the miner nip onto the back of the mantrip and felt a sharp pain in the center of his stomach. Went to doctor on 4/30/09 and was placed on restrictions.

Emp was loosening a fitting on a water line a miner. He was using two end wrenches and pushing them inward. He felt pain in his right shoulder. Took to company doctor and was placed on medication, restrictions, and therapy.

Descending stairs on second landing from bottom twisted right ankle on uneven grating, caught self on handrail. Sent to company dr. not placed on restrictions until 01-28-2010.

EE was taking bolts out of cutting head motor. He was standing on side of pan when his right foot slipped causing his left knee to hyperextend. Complained of pain so went to company doctor on 10/20/09 and back on 10/27/09 - restrictions applied. EE back on restrictions 12/18/09 due to continuing pain. Waiting for orthopedic specialist appt for 2nd opinion.

Employee was climbing up the stairs (approx 7) and felt his knee pop, causing it to hurt. Rested the knee for a while but it continued to hurt so he went to company doctor on 11/16/09. Had Surgery on 12/29/09 and was placed on restrictions.

Emp was watching mantrip operator move a miner cable and was going to signal him when to stop. As she turned to flag the operator to stop, the cable hit her on the left thigh, knocking her to the ground. Bruises at left thigh and left knee swollen. Went to company doctor on 7/28/09 placed on restrictions and given prescription.

Emp finished assisting other employees in loading miner cable onto generator. He used his right forearm to wipe sweat off of his forehead when he felt a pain in the right side of his neck. Due to limited range of motion and pain, he went to company doctor. Placed on restrictions and given prescription.

Emp was disconnecting motor drive on kmag thickner drive. He then turned and stepped back catching his foot on the conduit cover on the landing. The emp fell back and caught himself on the handrail but twisted his right knee. Went to company doctor and placed on restrictions and prescribed a medication.

Employee was cleaning off top of rail car when he slipped and fell onto his right side. The car was slippery due to rainy weather conditions. On 6/3/09 emp went to company doctor for continuing knee pain. Placed on restrictions and referred to othropedic doctor.

Employee slipped and fell and caught himself with his left side causing him to strain his left shoulder. Emp placed on restrictive duty and given pain medication. Went to company doctor on 5-22-09 and ER for 5-23-09.

Emp. lifted tool box out of truck and felt pain at his right elbow. Emp thought he was fine, but on 5/27/09 he reported that the pain in the elbow is still there. Went to company doctor on 5/29/09 and was placed on restrictions.

Emp was using a Hilti nail gun attached to a 3 ft extension to attach a red warning ribbon to a rib. He let the gun extension handle slide through his hand to rest it on the ground and it hit the top of his foot instead and the gun fired on contact with his boot causing a fracture to top of Lt foot. Went to ER, placed on restrictions.

Employee was descending stairs at #4 loadout coming down from the screw deck. He stepped on the edge of the stair with his heel causing his right knee to jar (hyperextend) causing immediate pain. He was holding onto rails (3 point contact) Placed on restrictions.

Emp. was assisting a co-worker removing a 2" pin from a cylinder, both emp's were using a wrench & a bar-down-bar to rotate a sheave block. Co-worker was pushing on bar while injured emp. was pushing a wrench while kneeling, the bar slipped side-ways while hitting the emp. in the right elbow.

Emp. was in a low area of the mine, and was moving/dragging a miner cable away from the miner. Emp felt pain in lower back that went down his leg.

Emp. was trying to engage the hub on the tugger by turning the wheel to allow gears to mesh. The hub didn't line up properly, the emp. then used more force and felt a pop in his elbow.

Emp. was installing a new bull gear, while positioning gear, emp. had 1 3/4 bolt, in gear half hole, with washer on head end, the bolter in hole was pulled upwards, bolt pulled up thru index finger and was caught between washer and gear. Emp. finger was mashed and cut about 1 in. in length, 2 other fingers were also cut.

A loader opr was trying to loosen a guard rail pipe by using a loader to lift the rail. The rail pipe broke due to the force being applied and flew toward emp. The pipe hit emp's hard hat and knocked him to the ground. Emp had laceration from lining of hard hat and was sent to doctor for eval. 3 staples were applied to laceration.

Emp was repairing a leak on the #5 Hoist brakes. He removed a steel tube hydraulic line. When he loosened the hydraulic fitting, oil blew out of the line and hydraulic fluid came in contact with the emp's eyes. Flushed eyes and sent to doctor. Doctor found burn/abrasions in both eyes. Prescribed antibiotics. Emp able to go to full duty.

Employee lifted a small piece of beam, another beam shifted and pinched employee's right hand ring finger between the two pieces. Emp initially required first aid (ice, bandage), but later reported foul odor and green tint to nail. On 7/20/09 he was sent to company doctor. They removed the nail to send to lab and prescribed antifungal meds.