Sherwin Alumina Company, LLCMining Incidents in 2014

Employee was opening suction valve to 5-1 slurry booster with sledge hammer employee felt pain in his right shoulder area. Shoulder strain.

Employee turn to move to another spot and hit his left knee on a value. Employee did not become reportable until 12/1/14 when he went to the doctor and received restriction. Left knee contusion.

Wearing incorrect foot wear (leather boots vs. rubber boots) boots got wet and employee developed-Plantar Fasciitis

He was spraying the caustic off the floor when some got in his mouth. Employee was not wear his provided PPE at the time.

Was hosing liquor out of area, when done employee was shutting off hose and opened it to full instead of closing valve resulting in over spraying on himself.

Employee was walking into the plant when he was struck by a scooter on his right side. He was working unrestricted at his regular job (training electricians) since 3/11/14. He had surgery to his right rotator cuff on 5/7/14.

Employee was walking into the plant when he was struck by a scooter on his right side. He was working unrestricted at his regular job (training electricians) since 3/11/14. He had surgery to his right rotator cuff on 5/7/14. Rotator cuff tear.

EE walked out of the elevator and down the stairs to move the hose on the hose tamer 12/31/14. He reached down and moved the hose tamer and when he backed up to see if the hose was spraying in the right direction he stepped on a rock and twisted his (R) ankle. EE did not report incident until 1/2/2015 when ankle 'stayed' swollen. Fractured right ankle.

EE was cleaning the top of #5 Washer when he bumped his head on a metal beam. He was going under the beam and raised his head before he cleared the beam. Neck Strain

Employee was cleaning under the east cross conveyor and he stooped down to clean and when he stood up he struck the hand rail as he stood back up-lower back strain. Employee did not become reportable until 12/22/14 when work restriction were given.

EE was trying to pull apart two hoses (Chicago style) using a pipe wrench. EE stated that he was holding the hose down on the floor with his left leg/foot and pulling the pipe wrench towards himself when he felt pain in his left groin area. On 12/17/2014: EE was placed on work restrictions.

Employee was operating a nut runner when it slipped out of his hands and hit employee in the left shin. EE reported incident on 12/14/14--incident happened on 12/10/14 no report made on 12/10/14.

EE fell through 2nd deck to 3rd deck (10ft Fall) inside 4 washer while descaling inside tank. EE was transported to ER. as a per caution. EE was released with restrictions for one day.

Employee was washing his PPE off in shower when some water that contained caustic entered his eye. Left eye corneal burn.

Employee was swapping a pump on 4-2 when he noticed his boots were cracked. He changed his boots. On 12-1-14 he noticed that small patch on the bottom of his right foot was red and sore. Medical had him restricted duty for 3 days (12-1-14 - 12-3-14).

Opening value with hammer when value spun around and hit employee right middle finger. Contusion right middle finger.

Employee was opening value (Digestion) with wheel wrench when his left pinky got caught between wrench and wheel. Contusion left pinky.

Employee was closing 4-3 suction value when the hammer contacted 4-4 suction value and jammed his right wrist. Right wrist strain.

Employee was cleaning the tail pulley area on #1 Lime weigh belt. He shoveled two scoops into the wheel barrel and on the second one some dust billowed out of the wheel barrel and got into his right eye. He was not wearing his goggles. Employee sustained a corneal abrasion requiring antibiotics for his eye.

Employee was assisting 2 Dig drill replace drill stem because it was leaking. While trying to take off drill stem chuck from quill shaft using pipe wrench he felt strain in right shoulder. Employee pre-existing shoulder injury, this is an aggravation of such. Right shoulder strain.

Employee slipped and fell on his back. At initial visit to the clinic, all x-rays were negative and the EE was given a full duty release. During a follow up on 11/11/14, new x-rays showed a fractured left 2nd and 3rd rib. The EE was placed on restrictions.

Employee was coming down the stairs at the north end of 5 unit when he felt a pop on his right knee. During his evaluation, the employee mentioned he had felt the same pop on his right knee last Saturday 10/18/2014 while climbing the same set of stairs, he stated that he continued to work even though his knee was hurting him. Knee strain- aggravation of pre-existing condition.

Strom employee ee was shoveling bauxite in North A tunnel. Employee stated that he experienced pain to his lower back while shoveling. Employee had previous back surgeries, this is an aggravation of such. Back strain.

Trying to open a train car door by pulling on it. Pulled and sprained back.

Employee was hold a blind while supervisor was using a jack hammer to chisel out residue to unclog pipe when it slipped off and hit employees hand.

Using a sledgehammer to open a valve.

EE reported that he was working on DFI bypass valve using a sledge hammer and felt soreness on his left shoulder after using a sledge hammer. Neck muscle strain.

EE had just completed tearing down 3-17 heater. As he was moving his equipment out from under the heater, his glasses fogged up. EE was walking, looking down, and hit his head on the blow down header piping. Cervical Strain

Employee was closing 5-5 ftk south vapor valve using long wheel wrench, while working gate valve the wheel wrench slipped causing a contusion of the employee's right thumb and palm. Contusion Right hand

Employee stepped into a hole causing a same level fall. EE struck shoulder resulting in a dislocated shoulder. EE was taken to a medical facility where his shoulder was put back into place. EE was released on restricted duty.

Employee was breaking a bolt free with wrench pulling toward himself when he heard a pop left shoulder. Shoulder rotation cuff injury.

Employee was about to hose down on the pad at 5 Hytank but when he tried his hose plugged off. He worked the valve to see if it would pass through and it did. He lost control of the nozzle when it became pressurized again blowing off his hard hat safety goggles, and glasses getting DFI in his eyes and nose. Conjunctiva and facial irritation.

While disengaging the clutch, on #1000 portable water jet, EE contacted a protruding bolt, with his right forearm. EE received a contusion to his right forearm as a result of the contact.

Employee fell while working on feed pot. Laceration to right knee.

Swinging a hammer to open a valve.

Employee was rolling surry blinds using an Impact wrench 2950 approx weight 50# with socket. While shooting top nut that was slightly worn impact slipped off nut he attempted to keep control of impact so that not to drop it causing strain to right shoulder.

While working on 1-2 slurry booster pump, EE grabbed the impeller to rotate the shaft. The sharp leading edge, of the impeller vein, cut through his leather palm glove and resulted in a laceration to the area between the thumb and first finger, of his right hand.

EE was using a ladder to repair hanger, he missed the first rung on the ladder while going up. This caused him to strike his Right Wrist on the top edge of the tank. Wrist strain.

Employee was closing the gate valves on 2-2 ESP dust screw using a pneumatic air gun, when the air gun caught his left glove causing his wrist to over torque. The glove tore away.

EE was on a scaffold in 24 area and squatted down to move into position to replace the old valve with a spool as he turned to face the pipe he twisted his right knee and felt it pop. Strain-right knee

Employee was hosing out shell of 33 Press when he slipped on some mud and his arm came in contact with the press causing a burn.

Employee was stepping off of a conveyor when his knee 'popped'. Employee sustained a strained right knee.

Employee was working in Water Jet Shop disassembling a quill shaft. Using a 24"" pipe wrench to break nuts loose from the shaft, employee felt a pull in his shoulder. Employee was diagnosed with a shoulder strain.

Employee was building scaffolds in area 45 bottom side and went to break afterwards noticing soreness in his lower right side of his back. Employee stood up from his chair after morning break to return to scaffold building and felt more significant pain to his lower back. Lower back strain. Temporary job duty 7/23/14 till 8/18/14

Cleaning inside of 8 washer liquor tank on the 4th deck with a water hose. Caustic mud splashed back on EE while cleaning the tank (all appropriate PPE was employed). EE began cleaning hard hat and face shield while still donning hard hat and shield when he removed goggles to clean face, at this time mud fell into eye.

Employee was working on 7 evap man way deck; when he tripped over a plug causing him to fall forward. While falling forward, employee caught himself with his right hand. This caused him to bend his right thumb backwards. Contusion / strain right thumb

Employee was working in 34-1 Switch House Pulling wire to 2-1 TT Overflow pump motor. As he descended the 8 foot ladder, upon stepping on the concrete floor, employee stated that it felt as if his left Knee hyperextended and felt pain. Left knee strain

While performing routine task, employee was in process of working angle valve in 40 area on 1 Pr. After EE opened valve he felt pain in left elbow.

EE was stepping out of scooter and slipped on wet pavement. Outside 236 Canteen. Contusion right knee

While climbing onto a stand to work on east jack of 34 press, stand slipped out from under EE, causing a fall to the ground. Abrasion right leg.

Employee stepped backwards into a hole and strained his lower back.

Hosing out a press slipped and fell. Tried to break his fall and injured his left arm. Originally on Temporary Job Transfer until 5/5/14 when his injury of 4/24/14 became reportable.

EE working bottom header for 2 FFT. EE attempting to seat valve and lost footing while swinging hammer. EE hammer made contact with Right ankle/foot. Contusion right ankle

Employee was going to replace guarding on the lime weigh belts., when EE stepped over the plastic barricade chain and slipped. Employee caught himself from falling. During the process employee felt pain in his lower back. Gluteal Muscle Strain

Employee was opening the freight elevator door (vertical bi-parting elevator hoist way door-requires manual operation) when his right hand was caught between the top of the door and the elevator. Employee sustained a non-displaced right proximal phalanx fracture of the pinky finger and a 2mm laceration (glued) of the middle finger.

Hosing down on pad around 9 washer. EE was moving with hose down hose and tripped over pump out header. EE stated he was face down with liquor hitting the ground and splashing back up into his nose and eyes. TRAUMA Eye BILATERAL

Employee was in the process of hanging a 20' nylon sling when he felt foreign debris in his left eye. Eye injury

Moving bench strained shoulders

EE was walking from the East side of the ship to the West side using the steps / stairs on the ship. When EE reached the last set of steps he noticed some piping right in front of the stairway along with a 4"" toe plate right at the bottom of the stairway to the left. When he stepped over them and immediately felt pain on his left leg (calf).

Employee was climbing ladder to reach #2 condensate steam valve to isolate steam. While climbing the employee states he felt a pop but didn't experience hardly any pain. After lunch employee stood up and realized pain in his right knee. Employee reported incident to supervisor who then sent employee to medical dept. for evaluation. Right knee strain

Opening feed Lukie on 3-8 flash tank. EE was opening the feed Lukie on 3-8 flash tank using a ""nut runner"" and two multipliers. EE states that when he actuated the nut runner the scaffold he was standing on shifted slightly. The shift caused the nut runner to move where he had it braced with his leg and allowed it to pull on his right shoulder. Shoulder Strain

Employee was adding a water sump relay tank to control the level. Employee was opening the suction valve of the second pump when the relay tank overflowed. Employee received burns to his back.

Employee was completing his Pre-Operational Inspection on Broderson #51.As he was descending from the deck he lost his balance causing a minor abrasion to his nose and pulled his left groin.

Employee trip over pipe and scrapped leg. Contusion to right lower leg.

Employee was stepping off the bottom stand at 19 PPT, when his left foot slipped off the bottom rung. This caused him to fall backwards on his back at the same time the bottom stand fell on top of his right foot. The stand came down as he tried to catch himself. Contusion left foot

EE was in the process of depressurize 5-2 DFP mud blocks when he opened drain valve that spray on face. EE washed off under safety shower. EE states he had his goggles on and that when he was washing off his goggles fell off and wash water entered his eyes. EE received prescription medication for his eyes.

Employee strained hamstring swinging sledge hammer

Employee was working on a Cytec issue at 5 Diluter. While swinging a hammer (8 lb with a long handle), his right pinky finger got caught between the hammer handle and piping/equipment resulting in a fractured right pinky finger.

EE was walking into Bldg35 north west door, lost footing and fell on right knee. EE was taken to the medical department and diagnosed with a contusion and laceration to right kneecap. EE received sutures.

EE was assisting fellow EE with closing the discharge lukie on 5-8 heater using a nut runner. As the valve was almost closed the nut runner torqued up, the handle swung around and hit EE on the right wrist and right collar bone. AC Joint Separation.

Employee stated that he had a caustic burn down the back side of his right leg

EE was struck by a port a power on his shoulder on 9-9-14, taken to the clinic for initial treatment on 9/10/14 and released to full duty. At the EE's 9/18/14 follow up he was referred to an ortho and again released to full duty. EE was seen by an ortho on 9/25/14 where he was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff and prescribed physical therapy.

EE was working on disconnecting the #4 Cake Wash Pump in the Calciner. EE was distracted by radio traffic while he was cutting the boot off of a wire. When he returned to the task after the radio call the knife slipped through the boot on the wire and through his glove cutting his finger. Laceration stitches.

While hosing down under #1 Tray EE lost his grip on the hose (spent liquor (13.1pH) and was sprayed in the face, resulting in irritation to his lips and left eye.

Employee was opening the vapor valve on 1-17 heater, when he caught his arm on the stem of the valve causing a laceration to left arm. Laceration left arm

Security officer called the back gate and stated that she was feeling sick. She stated that she was dizzy and light headed. She was on the North E-crane working security detail. Dehydration.

On 4/23/14 EE was working at 45 Green Liquor Horseshoe installing a spool using a ¾"" drive impact for ~10-15 minutes at a time over a 3 hour period. EE was placed on Temporary Job Transfer on 4/23/14 until 5/9/14 at which time injury became reportable (job restrictions).

Installing liner bolts into #3 Rod Mill. EE was using a ""Spline Drive"" impact to install two liner bolts on 3 Rod Mill. EE reported to medical stating that while using the spline drive his left arm and fingers felt tingly and slightly numb.