Newmont USA LimitedMining Incidents in 2017

A production drill was drilling over an unseen void when the drill fell partially into the void. As the extent of the void was unknown at the time the operator remained in the cab until exit could be assisted by mine rescue personnel.

At the Leeville mine in 4000 Level North a rib that was in the process of being re-supported failed. This temporarily trapped a contract employee with Small Mine Development (SMD) in a mucker underground. The employee was successfully rescued at 6:08 am, uninjured.

Ongoing rehab in the 4000 LV. Operator was peeling lt. rib and was making operator's last cleanup pass to bring in the bolter. Rocks began hitting operator's cab and then the back came in on operator. This area is known to be faulty ground. Operator was able to make visual contact with coworkers.

Employee was bolting in the 4340-136 when the left spring line started to ravel causing material to fall above bolt anchorage. The estimated fall was 20' wide x 12-15 deep x 10' long. There was no injury to the event.

A compressor located underground overheated and caught fire. Initial attempt to extinguish the fire was not successful and the mine was evacuated. There were no injuries as a result of this event. When the mine rescue team reached the compressor the fire was out.

Demoing brick from an autoclave with a titanium baffle. Titanium baffle was supported from side to side movement. The employee reached to brush rubble from under the baffle and the vibration from use of the rivet buster caused the baffle to shift, pinching the right middle fingertip of the employee.

Tech got finger caught between a belly pan and bolt. Pinching the left index finger. The tech in an attempt to remove the nut from the bolt pressed on the washer with their fingers to bind the bolt, while removing the nut form the bolt. Causing damage to the index finger just above the first knuckle.

While performing work on the Pug mill conveyor and tail pulley, an employee was utilizing an air lance to remove material build up. Ice dislodged from the wand causing the employee to lose control of the wand. At some point the employee injured the left wrist which resulted in multiple fractures.

Grader operator entered cab of grader, sat down in the seat and began to take their jacket off when they felt discomfort in their back. The operator was seen by a medical provider the following day and given work restrictions which could not be reasonably accommodated.

Employee felt pain in lower back after bend over to chock tires.

Employee was sitting in service truck and twisted to the right to reach for hard hat that was in between the seats. Employee then twisted to the left to open the door and exit the service truck. Upon placing leg out the door felt lower back lock up and employee was unable to move.

While handling a rubber ceramic liner, employee pinched employee's finger between the liner and the chute wall. As a result the employee received a laceration to employee's left ring finger requiring sutures to close.

The operator of DZ 28 backed over a rock that was 1 foot above the grade of the floor. The unsuspected movement of the dozer aggravated a pre-existing medical condition in the employee's back.

Employee was getting on a 988 surface loader using three points of contact. While stepping up onto the bottom step, the employee felt a pop in the left shoulder. The employee sought medical treatment and was unable to return to work.

The employee felt a pop in right shoulder while lifting personal backpack up on to the boarding platform of a haul truck. This injury resulted in a torn tendon in employee's right shoulder. This injury became reportable on 2/28/17

Haul truck operator was traveling down ramp and when transitioned onto the working bench ee felt a ""pop"" in back. The IE continued to feel discomfort and asked to be evaluated by medical provider. As a result physical therapy and work restrictions were issued.

Operator was dismounting from a haul truck, had right foot on the ground and when IE placed left foot on the ground stepped on a small rock which resulted in twisting IE left knee. IE experienced pain in left knee and when initial medical evaluation was completed was taken off work pending MRI.

The employee was exiting the administration building through the back single basement door. EE turned to the left to prop open the door; As they rotated to the right to walk to the truck, their right boot caught on the grating. With the forward momentum and the boot caught, the employee fell forward landing on their right arm.

Employee was stepping over an enclosed auger when ee felt discomfort in right knee. EE went to the doctor that same day and was diagnosed with a mild strain and given a full duty release. On 3/8 ee went back to the doctor, given the same diagnosis and a restricted duty release.

A process operator was digging a ditch with a pick axe and inadvertently struck self on top of right foot.

Icy Conditions. Employee slipped and fell on ice.

Employee was struck in the forehead with a 1/4 inch chain. Employee was wearing a hard hat.

Technician was removing impellas from assembly, supported with lifting straps and forklift, while positioning for removal, weight shifted causing extremely sharp impellar fin to contact hand with leather work glove on cutting left ring finger

Employee was cleaning mud buildup on the ball charging conveyer with a hammer. The hammer became lodged between the belt and the tail pulley, pulling the hammer into the belt. The employee's left ring finger was caught between the hammer and the zero speed sensor causing injury to the finger.

IE was in the process of performing a preshift inspection on the haul truck when IE walked through the park ditch and slipped and fell on backside. Later that day the IE complained of a sore shoulder and backside and was given a restricted duty release after being evaluated by medical provider.

While operating bolter UDR 053 at the face in the 4450-604 the operator went to egress from the bolter to change a bit. When descending the operator tripped and grabbed the handle of the door to catch the fall. The result was a dislocated right shoulder.

Employees were replacing liners in 4315 feeder #1. Employee was adjusting a top liner with an alignment bar to align bolt holes to secure with bolts. While adjusting the liner up the pry bar slipped out of the bolt hole it was in and allowed the liner to fall. The employee's finger became pinched between the two liners.

Employee stepped to gain access to a drill ladder and felt a pop in the right knee. Employee sought medical treatment and was given restrictions.

Employee felt a pop in left shoulder when turning a pipe wrench.

Employee was standing on scaffolding inside a tank. EE was removing a sand-blasting hose to hand it to another EE who was standing on a platform above. The hose caught on the scaffolding plank EE was standing on causing it to slide off one side of the piping it was positioned on. EE's left arm got caught on a scaffolding cross brace.

While descending stairs employee felt a pop in left knee. Employee has a strained muscle in the back of knee.

Employee was unloading 10lb sample bags from a flat bed trailer one a time. Employee reached to grab one and started to pull and lift not realizing their were three bags tied together. employee felt a strain and pop to their wrist.

While using a chain come-along, to lower a rubber tire belly pan, the hooks became unhooked, causing the belly pan and come-along to free fall to the floor (1.5 ft). The employee's finger was pinched between the come-along and the concrete floor.

While standing in between the engine and frame doing alternator drive accessory drive repair on CAT 793D haul truck, the employee went to step down on belly pan to get closer to work and felt like left knee popped.

IE was moving an empty garbage bin into place and felt a pain in abdomen. Was diagnosed with a unilateral inguinal hernia and released to restricted duties.

IE was in the process of putting a sling away when it twisted. Felt pain in shoulder which had been surgically repaired in the past. As a precaution IE requested to be seen at ER. No diagnosis given to date, however, employee placed on restrictions.

Adjusting width of forks on FL068. Employee was standing on right side of fork, facing the outside of fork. Using both hands, applied pulling pressure toward self with both hands moving fork away from backboard slightly. EE was not aware finger was between fork and backboard. As employee released fork with right hand, it came down pinching tip of left index finger.

Slipped over pipe ee was working on and through out hand to break fall

Employee stepped down after replacing a hose and twisted employee's knee (employee felt a pop). The employee sought medical treatment 02/16/2017 and was given restricted duty.

Two mechanics were assembling the back case of low temp heater pump using overhead crane. Mechanics had pump case started on the pump shaft and as they were pushing on the front to align casing, mechanic hoisted up the pump case with crane, when doing so the lifting eye on pump casing broke. Pump casing rotated on pump shaft to the east, pinching one of the mechanics' left hand.

While at work pouring concrete for shaft sink, EE was holding the end of a 6"" x 12 foot hose with both hands, as concrete came to the end of the hose, the hose jerked and lifted EE causing feet to come off the ground and when ee came down it caused EE to strike right forearm on a metal hopper edge.

Employee was using a pallet jack when EE slipped and fell to same level. Initial chief complaint was EE's left ankle. Next day the chief complaint was the upper left shoulder. Employee self cared and never lost/missed any work days. Became reportable when EE went to the Physical Therapist on 4/9/18.

Employee sustained a self inflicted laceration to employee's Right leg above the knee. At the time of the incident employee was working on employee's knees trimming a section of rubber lining material.

There was a sharp wire on the back side of a hose. Operator went to adjust the hose and did not identify the hazard resulting in the wire piercing the glove and cutting and tearing the skin.

Employee was using a hand held grinder when the wheel caught and failed. A small piece of the wheel went through ee's leather glove and impacted ee's finger resulting in 6 sutures.

Miner had a piece of rock come off approximately 6ft from the r- rib hitting the right tip of EE's middle finger. The injury resulted in 5 stitches at the end of EE's finger.

In September of 2017 IE reported a left calf injury while mounting a 793 HT. At that time EE was diagnosed with cellulitis or a skin infection which was not attributed to the injury. The IE has continued to have pain and tightness in EE's calf and on 5/17/2018 was prescribed a treatment of PT for peroneal tendonitis. There is no additional event since the injury in 2017.

While preparing to change out a grease hose reel on a fuel/lube truck, the reel fell striking a lubricating technician's right hand pinky finger.

IE's had been cleaning a sump that had never been cleaned by Redi Services. They had moved a large piece of grating for access to the sump for their hard pipe. The access was approx. 6-8"". IE stepped on the unsecured grating and fell 25' into a sump causing a laceration to right pinky finger requiring 7 stitches.

While an employee was lifting a coolant surge tank, weighing 120 lbs, a portion of the rigging broke, causing the load to fall three inches and pinching left thumb. This resulted in an injury that required 6 stiches.

Employee was trying to unplug a chute using a 10 pound hammer, as employee went to hit the side of the chute the handle struck an I-beam. Employee's finger was pinched between the handle and I-beam.

Instrumentation Tech was removing leak detector pump #23 at Underdrainage #3 when the employee experienced issues removing leak detector from pipe - getting stuck and slipping. The employee then put on latex/vinyl gloves when attempting to remove it again the pump slipped and lacerated the right index finger at the joint closest to the palm.

Employee was closing the lid lock on a batch truck in the 1285 level.  While striking the lid lock with a wrap wrench in right hand, the wrench struck the employee's left middle finger. The employee sought treatment and received 17 sutures to close the wound.

While tailing-in a 10' PQ quill rod, the bottom of the quill rod kicked back causing the Helper to fall backwards onto a rod sloop resulting in a cut to the injured employee's right hip.

EE was helping another laborer move a negative air machine from one vessel to another. The EE aggravated a pinched nerve from a previous injury. The EE requested to be laid-off. On 3/21/2017, we were made aware that EE went to a chiropractor for treatment.

Injured Employee (IE) was cleaning up spillage around Rock Breaker 1 at the end of the shift. Upon closing the barrier gate to the grizzly the IE caught their right ring finger between the gate and a deflector plate. X-ray revealed a fracture to the tip of the finger and sutures required to close laceration.

Driller went to inspect drill rod removed from drill string that was cut and reaching finger inside pin end, cut left index finger.

Driver pinched finger under chain while securing a load on trailer. Helper was on one side of truck securing binder while driver was on the opposite side straightening a chain.

Employee was walking across a hard packed icy parking lot and slipped falling on right side and back Employee sought treatment on 1/25/17 that identified a fracture to the 7th rib.

EMPLOYEE WAS SETTING TORQUE FOR WHEEL GROUP MOUNTING BOLTS USING THE RAD GUN WITH A DOUBLE SOCKET REACTION ARM. WHEN EMPLOYEE WAS ON THE LAST BOLT THEY FLIPPED THE GUN AROUND AND WHILE SETTING TORQUE THE GUN POPPED OFF AND THE REACATION ARM AND HIT THEIR FACE.

Employee claims ee was exposed to NO2 gas. Company investigation revealed through gas detector data that at the time of the alleged exposure there was no NO2 present in the area.

On 05/03/2017 IE reported that EE had been treated for a sore shoulder from EE's personal physician since February and that EE now thought it may be work related. IE received restrictions on 05/03. On 05/10/2017 IE received results of MRI showing a degenerative condition which could be a result of overuse. IE could not determine any single event which caused injury.

Operator reported pain in right index finger. Initial medical evaluation on 4/12/2017 indicated right extensor tendonitis. Operator was released full duty on 4/12/2017. Operator went in for surgery 8/8/2017 missing 2 scheduled work days which made this a reportable illness. Upon internal audit 7/2018 it was found that a 7000-1 was never completed for the illness.

IE experienced a heart attack while inspecting a loader bucket GET which resulted in IE collapsing backwards and striking the back of head on the ground. This resulted in a laceration requiring sutures to close. As a result of the heart attack the employee has not returned to work.

Contract employee delivered load of mill concentrate with OTR truck and side dump trailers. Emp dumped pup, pulled away from pile to re-position main trailer. Emp traveling to re-position. Emp continued past pile stopping on berm. Loader Oper made May Day call, ERT responded, found emp unresponsive. Emp transported off site by mine emerg. vehicle, transferred to county ambulance.