All MSHA-reportable accidents at Specialty Minerals Inc operations in 2013. Fatalities appear first.
Employee was loading refractory brick onto a freight elevator platform. He had placed his left foot under the platform. The platform was approx. 6 inches off the ground. As the employee was putting bricks on the platform the platform came down onto his left foot.
A worker had climbed on top of CBE14B in order to inspect the back side of the middle feed chute. As he was descending, his foot caught on the safety pull cord. This caused him to lose his balance and he jumped to the floor from a height of 33"". He wound up on his feet on the tunnel floor but the jar resulted in a muscle spasm in his upper back.
Two electricians were installing new fluorescent lighting into suspended ceiling gridwork. The injured worker was standing on the floor after handing a light assembly to the second electrician who was on a stepladder. In trying to maneuver the assembly, the light fell. A corner of the light struck the injured employee and caused a laceration of the right, inside forearm.
Sprained lower back muscles Demoing access platform. While picking up and moving grating felt pain lower back. Reported injury refused medical. Continued rest shift. Not reportable. Only worked plant on 4/22/2013. 4/25/2013, at work in shop, not at mine, requested to have back checked. Sent to Doctor ,placed on restricted duty 4/25/2013. Now reportable.
New employee was putting heat shield in place. He went to steady a falling shield when the second employee was hitting the shield into place with a pull pin. The new employee reached in front of the shield and the second employee struck his hand with the pull pin.
Employee was getting off of a fork lift and he caught the small finger on his left hand between the fork lift body and a door hinge pin. The momentum of his body going forward while his finger was caught resulted in a fractured finger. Employee has not missed work and is working with limited restrictions.
Operator was working to unplug 273 feed bin. He was working on the bin for over an hour. When material started to flow, he used a sledge hammer to close the hammer gate. He tapped the gate side to side to close the gate. He lost his footing and caught his fingers between the hammer gate and sledge hammer handle. He sustained a broken left index finger and stitches.
Two Mechanics were lifting a sheave onto a pick-up truck. As they lifted the sheave to the tailgate level one mechanic pinched his middle finger on right hand between the sheave and the tailgate. He received 4 stitches.