Sherwin Alumina Company, LLCMining Incidents in 2015

Employee dropped bottom of Precipitation Tank that was plugged, hitting the barrel with a sledge hammer and when plug broke loose, liquor and hydrate engulfed the employee.

PMIC EE left work and after getting home felt irritation on his left calf. EE cleaned up the area and went to sleep. When he woke up, the area was worse, so he went to the ER and had it treated. EE was told he could RTW in 2 days. EE did not report incident until 3/7/2015.

Employee slipped off 3rd rung from the bottom of a scaffolding ladder, falling to the ground. Fractured Right ankle.

2nd. degree burn to right foot when hot mud entered from the top of his boot.

Employee was using a wheel wrench to turn the 126 wheel valve when the wrench slipped out of the wheel valve. Employee's left right finger was crushed between the wheel wrench and angle iron (guarding) on the platform.

Employee was moving valves in order to retrieve the required valve that he was moving rotated over and caught his right pinky finger between the two valves.

EE reported he got sprayed in the right eye when portable pump 4"" hose ruptured. EE reported that he took his goggles off to clean them when he got sprayed in the eye. EE washed eyes for about 20 minutes at safety shower then was taken to medical for treatment. EE received corneal abrasion requiring medical attention.

EE was overhauling 3-1 sweetner transfer pump. EE pulled bowl off of pump using carry deck. As the bowl was being placed on the ground in a vertical position the liner fell out striking EE on right foot. EE rec'd a fractured right toe.

Employee working at #8 Combine floor. Condensate hose came loose and sprayed him on the left shoulder and arm, causing a 2nd degree burn.

Employee was checking 15 and 16 precipitator, after checking 15 and 16 precipitator employee crossed over pipes to close 3 fill header, employee tripped over pipes and fell on his back.

Employee was setting up the welding leads and was checking to make sure ground was hooked properly. He struck an arc at when injured employee walked up with his hood up and received welders flash.

EE was clearing restriction in PO 1-3 #1 GSC when hot alumina sprayed back causing 2nd. degree burns to the employees' face, nose, mouth, arm and shoulder. Employee was wearing required PPE including gloves, FR clothing and goggles. Preliminary investigation suggests that the employee was not wearing a faceshield at the time of the incident.

An employee was using sledge hammer to clear a plug on the bottom of #61 PPT. Employee was working off a stand, and lost control of the sledge hammer, striking injured employees' on top of his left foot with the sledge hammer.

While repairing #1 lime reclaim screw employee felt a irritation in his left eye.

Condensate sprayed on employee

Employee was using a condensate hose to wash down the pad under #4 hydrate tank. When EE turned the main valve back on the pressure from the condensate caused the ball valve on the other end of the hose to turn on, hitting EE on the chest and spraying hot condensate on EE's arm, chest and head.

Unknown. EE was found with dirt on face sitting in control room. EE stated he fainted and hit face on desk, breaking orbital bone.

Employee was riding a bike when contractor walked out right in front of the bike causing the employee on the bike to swerve in order to avoid striking the pedestrian and ended up losing control of the bike and falling on the roadway.

Employee strained his left shoulder while closing a valve. The treating physician placed the employee on restrictions as of 4-15-15; back dating the restrictions to 3-25-15.

EE was in the process of replacing the hose down hose on 39 press. EE was unscrewing the old hose. The ball valve (two piece valve) separated at the ball retainer ring instead of the piping, allowing the blocked liquor to release and spray EE. The liquor entered from the bottom of the EE goggles.

The EE was walking from the main road to get on #3 WOF tank pad to perform housekeeping duties when he misjudged his step getting over the curb. The EE attempted to step over the curb when his left heel caught the curb causing him to lose his balance. EE reported that his left ankle twisted causing sprained ankle.

Moving Drill Mast from 4-18 heater to 4-11 heater. Employee was trying to help direct the mast between the middle and inboard body of 4-18. EE's left ring finger got caught between the mounting foot of the drill mast and a small flange on top of the 4-18 middle body dome causing a laceration and fracture to the end of said finger.

EE knocked a drain valve off piping at 2 SOF pump, liquor contacted lower leg area.

EE approached the sump to the north and perched himself onto a fixed concert support base and attempted to use a shovel to clean-off the grating. While cleaning off the grating, the EE repositioned himself which caused his right foot to slip off of the base and submerge 3-feet into the hot slurry. The hot slurry overflowed into the EE's boot immediately.

Employee slipped in unit 26 as he broke is fall his goggles came off causing caustic to get into Eyes. Right Eye was ok and required no treatment. Left Eye required prescription medication.

Employee was running in lukie on 3-2 DFP lukie with a nut runner while squatting. He lost his balance and fell forward, hitting his head on 90 degree pipe.

Setting up drip pan on 2-16 heater. One end of the 6"" PVC drain pipe fell off the jack stand causing the other end to rise pinching EE left thumb against the drip pan. EE was treated at medical with a steri-strip.

EE was loading tools and material on to the back of a truck. There was a 4 inch hose and pump running through the lay down and fab area where he was loading truck. His right foot got caught under the hose causing a fracture in his ankle. Employee was taken to doctor then Given a post accident UA in which the ee failed. He was then terminated for violating company policy.

EE fell into a storm drain that was covered in water during a rain storm. Bruised backside.

Employee was using a hammer wrench to tighten up some structural bolts. While swinging a sledge hammer, he made contact with a nearby overhead beam that caused the hammer to ricochet and hit employee's left index finger causing a fracture.

Employee was hosing down in a washer when hose water splashed back and entered his eye. Employee immediately flushed his eyes and reported to the medical facility for evaluation and treatment. Employee returned to the medical facility the following shift for evaluation and was released to full duty.

A hose ruptured spraying hose water into the employee's eyes. The employee's eyes were irrigated and the employee was evaluated the following day at the onsite medical facility and released to full duty.

Employee was descaling a washer when caustic liquor seeped under his goggles and into his eye. The employee flushed his eye with water and reported to the Medical facility for evaluation and treatment. The employee returned to medical the following shift for a follow-up and was released to full duty.

Employee was taking care of a water pump at 3-3 cooling tower basin. Employee noticed a small oil leak and started to look for it and at the same time clean up the oil. He was using several rags and he placed his hand too close to the radiator fan. The radiator fan then sucked up the rags and his hand into the fan causing a laceration between two of his fingers on his right hand.

Employee was attempting to place a compressor on to a vehicle hitch. The compressor's chocks had been removed so that the compressor could be rolled on to the hitch, causing the compressor to roll forward and catch the employee's hand between hitch and compressor. The employee received a fracture on the right hand metacarpal.

Employee was working cleaning chutes at top side 24 in Rod mills. Employee started feeling like he was having an asthma attack. Employee went to control room where he lost consciousness. Employee was stabilized and transported to the hospital for further examination.