All MSHA-reportable accidents at Specialty Minerals Inc operations in 2004. Fatalities appear first.
Employee was holding a Guzzler hose to remove material from the bottom of a product elevator. The material on the sides sloughed in on the hose. The employee was trying to pull back on the hose to prevent clogging when he experienced a pain in his back. Doctor indicated thoracic spasm.
EE WAS TRYING TO PULL A CONDENSER OUT OF RETORT #3 IN CALCIUM FURNACE #8. HE GRABBED ONTO THE PIN OF THE CONDENSER WITH HIS HANDS AND WHEN HE PULLED THE CONDENSER IT CAME OUT EASIER THAN EXPECTED AND HE FELL BACKWARDS, LANDING ON HIS LEFT WRIST. HE WAS BROUGHT TO THE HOSPITAL AND DIAGNOSED WITH A FRACTURED LEFT WRIST.
Packaging at R8, stacking bags on pallet. Packer stopped filling and bag was falling off saddle. EE turned back around to packer and attempted to catch falling bag (50#). Felt pain in middle of back. He was unable to finish shift due to increasing pain.
Employee was bending over while trying to position a 40-lb saddle on #5 Packer when he felt a needle-like pain in his back. He finished the shift without problem but his back was causing a lot of pain by the time he came back to work on July 13. Doctor diagnosed as an acute lumbar spasm.
EMPLOYEE WAS BAGGING AND STACKING PROCESSED LIMESTONE IN 50 POUND BAGS ONTO A PALLETT WHEN HE FELT A POP IN HIS LOWER STOMACH AREA.
Employee was placing an empty pallet on a roll table that presents pallets to a palletizer when his finger became pinched between pallet and pallet alignment bar.
After filling the seal water vessel under tank 112 employee stepped backwards down an incline and strained his right knee. He was seen at a local clinic and was placed on restricted duty.
Employee was shoveling out an elevator when he felt a pain in lower back.
An employee was aligning an auger shaft to a drive shaft in a confined area. When he picked up the shaft he felt a pull on the right side of his lower back. He was seen at the local clinic and give a precription for 800 mg of ibuprofen. He was also given a lifting restriction which he is able to work with. He has a follow-up appointment at the clinic on 11/29/2004.
Employee was placing bags on a pallet when she felt pain in her right shoulder.
Employee was getting off of forklift when he felt pain in foot.
Employee was cleaning floor with a water hose and slipped and fell. His left knee came in contact with a cement floor causing a contusion. He was seen at a local medical clinic and placed on restricted duty.
Employee guiding screen being held above by chain fall and strap and when he turned he heard a pop in his hip.
Employee was lifting and stacking sacked material on Ranger 8 when he experienced back pain.
Employee had not been performing any lifting when he started experiencing back discomfort. The pain worsened during the remainder of shift. Specific cause is unknown.
IN THE PROCESS OF BAGGING & STACKING 50 LB BAGS OF LIMESTONE ON A PALLET, HE FELT A PAIN IN THE MID PART OF HIS BACK. AFTER STACKING THE TOP TIER OF BAGS ON THE PALLET, HIS FOOT SLIPPED CAUSING HIS BODY TO TWIST.
ON 6/17/04 EE BAGGED & STACKED 30 PALLETS OF 80 LB. BAGS OF PULVERIZED LIMESTONE. THE NEXT DAY WHEN THE EE STARTED BAGGING HE FELT PAIN IN HIS UPPER LEFT SHOULDER.
Employee was climbing a fiberglass step ladder to install a new water line and the rear support leg of the step ladder split. Employee fell onto existing piping and injured his ribs. He was lowered to the ground by the employee he was working with. He was seen at a local clinic and is on restricted work.
EMPLOYEE WAS BAGGING & STACKING PULVERIZED LIMESTONE IN 80 LB. BAGS ONTO A PALLET WHEN HE FELT A PAIN IN HIS LEFT FOREARM. (EE DID NOT REPORT INJURY UNTIL 6/16/04 & WAS PUT ON RESTRICTED DUTY STARTING 6/18/04).
Employee was working on A filter press, when he stood up he hit his hard hat on part of the machine. The next day he felt pain in his neck and shoulder. He went to the Dr on May 13th and was placed on restricted duty.
Employee stepped on uneven floor surface, causing ankle sprain.
EE WAS LIFTING A 50 LB. BAG TO STACK ON A PALLET. WHEN HE TURNED TO STEP TOWARD THE PALLET HE FELT A POP, IN HIS LEFT KNEE. HE WAS SEEN AT THE E.R. AND THEN BY AN ORTHOPEDIC DR. & WAS PLACED O N RESTRICTED DUTY.
EE WAS CLEANING UP A SPILL WITH A SHOVEL WHEN HE EXPERIENCED PAIN IN MIDDLE OF BACK.
It was very windy morning. Employee was reporting to work and had a foreign particle blow into eye as he was walking from the parking lot to the quarry lunch room.
EMPLOYEE WAS REPAIRING #2 RAYMOND MILL. HE WAS POUNDING ON A PINION GEAR WITH A HAMMER TO REMOVE THE SHAFT WHEN A SMALL FRAGMENT OF METAL CAME OFF THE PINION GEAR AND HIT HIM IN THE CHEST CAUSING A SMALL PUNCTURE WOUND.
ON 8/18/04 EMPLOYEE WAS STRIPPING (REMOVING METAL COVERS) CALCIUM CROWNS. ON 8/19 EMPLOYEE REPORTED TO WORK AND HE STATED HIS EYE SWELLED UP AFTER WORK. FOREIGN MATERIAL WAS REMOVED FROM HIS RIGHT EYE AT THE HOSPITAL. REPORTABLE DUE TO PAIN PRESCRIPTION. HIS NEXT SCHEDULED SHIFT WAS ON 8/20/04.
WHILE EMPLOYEE WAS STEPPING UP INTO DUMP TRUCK, HE HIT HEAD ONTO MOTOR THAT CONTROLS TARP COVERING DUMP TRUCK BED. (DETERMINED TO BE REPORTABLE ON 6/9/04 AT HIS 1ST DRS APPOINTMENT DUE TO PHYSICAL THERAPY APPOINTMENTS & FOLLOW DRS APPOINTMENTS).
EMPLOYEE WAS UNDER THE HEAT EXCHANGE FOR KILN #4 ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE BELLOWS FROM THE HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES USING AN AIR HAMMER. ONE 30' TUBE LOOSENED IN THE TUBE SEAT AND FELL STRIKING HIS LEFT THUMB WHICH WAS HOLDING THE AIR HAMMER. HE RECEIVED SEVERAL STITCHES AT THE LOCAL HOSPITAL AND WAS GIVEN MEDICATION.
EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING FORKLIFT ON FURNACE FLOOR AND FORKLIFT CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. FORKS WERE TOO LOW AND HIT FLOOR EXPANSION JOINT CAUSING EMPLOYEE'S HARD HAT TO HIT ROOF AND EMPLOYEE BITE LO WER LIP. EMPLOYEE REQUIRED 5 STITCHES AND THEN WAS PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED OFF FOR 4 DAYS.
Employee reported an illness of repetitive trauma to his right lower arm. There is no specific date as this has happened over time. He continued to work full time through 1/25/05 at which time he went out surgery to correct this problem and a non work related problem at the same time.
EMPLOYEE WAS REMOVING SPENT BRIQUETTES WITH A SHOVEL FROM THE CALCIUM FURNACES. HE STAGGERED AWAY AND COLLAPSED TO THE FLOOR IN A FELLOW EMPLOYEE'S ARMS. THE EMPLOYEE WAS UNRESPONSIVE SO TWO EMPLOYEES CONDUCTED CPR AND REVIVED HIM WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. HE WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE AND ON 8/30/04 HAD HEART BYPASS SURGERY.
Employee was tossing a 50 lb bag to the top of a pallet when he felt a sharp pain in his right wrist.
Employee was rising from a prone position on the floor when he experienced a minor discomfort in his lower back.