All MSHA-reportable accidents at Tilden Mining Company L C operations in 2013. Fatalities appear first.
Shovel operator opened door to enter lube room. Wind blew door closed. Door latch was inoperative. About 45 minutes later, maintenance personnel opened the door from the exterior using the outside latch. Believe the employee was ""entrapped"" inside room for about 45 minutes. Appears snow melt and freezing temperatures froze the latching mechanism.
Employee was putting dirt and dry grease into a small steel bucket that had an approx weight of 10 lbs. When lifting the bucket from the ladder with his right arm he felt a pull in his lower abdomen. He was evaluated on 1-22-13 and diagnosed with a hernia. He returned to work full duty.
On 12/29 employee alleged that during his previous shift (12/28) he was jostled while shifting a dozer from forward to reverse, resulting in back pain. The employee was evaluated by a doctor on 12/29 and issued Rx muscle relaxants & released back with restrictions. He was unable to report for 2 shifts due to the side effects of the muscle relaxant. He returned full duty on 1/1/14.
EE was given the task to install a new pump. When he was searching for a bucket to dispose of broken grout he ducked his head to go under 2 low hanging rubber hoses. He raised his head, it contacted a stem of a gate valve resulting in him jarring his neck. He evaluated by a Physician and taken off of work for his next scheduled shift. Returned on 12-13-13 full duty.
While deboarding a cable truck employee missed a step and fell onto his back. On 10/13/13 employee was evaluated in an ER and was taken off of work. He missed his scheduled shifts on 10/13 & 10/14. He returned to work full duty on 10/17/13.
EE was installing a support shaft wheel on the grate. He was turning a bolt with a wrench from eye level downward when he felt a tightness in his neck and R shoulder. He was evaluated by a Physician, given rx pain medication, and released back to work with restrictions. He took himself off of work 7/19 & 20 due to pain med administration.
EE was walking to his truck to go to morning break when he allegedly reported right groin pain. Employee was evaluated by a Physician and released back to work with restrictions that the department was unable to accommodate for.
Employee alleges right shoulder pain after turning a production truck steering wheel. He was evaluated by a physician on 5/19/13 and prescribed a sling and work restrictions. Employee is unable to work at this time due to restrictions.
On 4/24/13 the employee tripped on grating and twisted his left ankle. On 5/17/13 he was evaluated by a physician and diagnosed with a fractured left ankle. He was given restrictions that prevented him from working. First day missed was 5/18/13. At a follow-up evaluation with a physician on 5/20/13, employee was taken off of work.
Employee allegedly reported of right forearm pain when connecting a water hose to fill a water tank. He was evaluated by a physician on 3/16/13 and taken off of work.
While raising his left arm to open the driver's door of a run truck, the employee allegedly felt his shoulder ""pop out"". He was evaluated by a physician on 1/26/13 and taken off of work.
Employee alleges right knee pain after bending over to pick a tool up. He was evaluated by a physician and surgery was performed on 3/28/2013. The employee continued to work in his normal job position up until his surgery date.
EE states he was pulling a hose down the east side of 3 conveyor walkway on grinding line 11. While doing this, he felt a strain in his back. He was evaluated by a Physician and taken off of work on 12-16-13.
Employee reported left knee pain after tripping on a chain. He was evaluated on 7/11 and taken off of work.
Employee felt a ""pop"" in his lower back while lifting a 20 pound box. He was evaluated by a physician and physical therapy was prescribed. He attended his first session of physical therapy on 7/18 and his second on 7/23.
Employee alleges neck pain after being jostled in his loader from hitting a pot hole. He was evaluated by a physician on 4/21 and given prescriptions for a neck collar, pain meds, and released back to work with restrictions. Employee missed his 4/22 shift due to taking the prescription pain meds. He was scheduled off on 4/23 & 4/24 and returned with restrictions on 4/25.
Employee reported neck pain after hitting pot holes in a production truck. He was evaluated by a physician on 4/19 and released back to work with restrictions. He was also given a prescription for physical therapy.
EE was walking and tripped over a grease line landing on his right knee. He has been followed by a Physician and on 7-18-13 underwent surgery resulting in lost time.
Employee was shoveling snow to gain safe access. The top layer of snow was light and fluffy; as he got closer to ground level it was hard and icy. As he got closer to the ground and hit the ice and attempted to move this he allegedly strained his lower back. He was evaluated by a Physican and taken off of work 2-22-13; he returned on his next shift (2-25-13) with restrictions.
The employee was removing castings (weighing approx 40 lbs each) from the shipping container. When he lifted one out with his left arm he experienced discomfort in his left shoulder. He was evaluated by a Physician, given restrictions and returned to work.
Employee reported lower back pain while moving from a kneeling to a standing position. He was evaluated by a physician and released back to work with restrictions.
The ee was moving a 4 x 4 x 10 piece of tubular metal. While attempting to place it next to a spare cobber drum, the magnet on the drum pulled the tubular piece to it. The ee's left thumb was caught between the 2 pieces of metal. He was evaluated by a Physician: the thumb was fractured and there was a suturable laceration. He was released back to work with restrictions.
EE was walking down a stairway and ee slipped on the bottom stair tread which was bent resulting in back discomfort. The ee was evaluated by a Physician on 11-6-13 and rtw with restrictions.
The employee was installing a trougher assembly on 3 conveyer line 3 and his left pinky finger got pinched against another trougher assembly while in the upright position. He was evaluated by a Physician and diagnosed with a fracture which subsequently led to restricted duty.
EE reported to the maintenance office with alleged shoulder pain 3-20-13, claiming it was from the previous day 3-19-13 while inserting clips into a conveyer belt. Stated that he did not feel any pain on 3-19-13 but his shoulder was sore upon waking up the morning of 3-20-13. He was evaluated by a Physician on 3-20-13 and given restrictions and returned to work.
EE strained left shoulder while using a 4 ft. prybar to move a large piece of 2 1/4 grating into position so it could be welded down. The employee was evaluated by a Physician and given restrictions and returned to work.
The EE has currently been treating with a Chiropractor for non-occupational back condition. While at work he allegedly complained of back discomfort after lifting grate casting weighing approx 20lbs. He was evaluated by a Physician after this complaint and RTW with restrictions.
The employee was working with a partner picking up a support bracket, weighing approx 75 lbs (one person on each end), and placing it in a mancart to a manlift basket. He experienced back discomfort and was examined by a Physician and returned to work with restrictions.
EE was cutting a hose with a Lenox folding razor knife when the knife slipped and struck the employee in the left bicep causing a laceration. He was evaluated by a Physician and 4 sutures closed the wound. He returned to work.
The employee was stepping over shovel tracks when he lost his balance and fell. His right foot was twisted in the tracks during the fall, resulting in injury. He was evaluated by a physician and given a splint for a dislocated right toe. He was released back to work.
EE working under the Williamson frame at the firing hood on unit 1 kiln. He turned around to get a fresh battery for his cordless drill and when he turned back around and ducked under the frame he made contact with the C-clamp resulting in a suturable laceration.
While removing roller set, it slipped between the conveyor frame and pinched middle finger of right hand. Finger received 8 stitches.
The employee was holding a pulp lifter in place while another employee was cutting the last bolt. The pulp lifter slipped and struck the employee in the forearm resulting in a laceration. The ee was evaluated by a Physician and sutures closed the wound. He returned to work.
Employee felt pain in left shoulder when lifting a pail of scrap material around #2 crusher. He continued to work and was evaluated by a Physician a week after the event. He continued to treat with a Physician, work full duty, and physical therapy was ordered as well as a cortisone injection. The employee has now completed a series of PT sessions.
Employee felt right shoulder discomfort after repositioning a 100 lb steel box on a tool bench. He continued to work with no further complaints. He saw a Physician on March 7th after having complaints and physical therapy was ordered. He began PT on 3-11 & completed a series of sessions.
EE was looking at old density gauges to get serial number information from them when he pinched his finger while obtaining this information resulting in a laceration. He was evaluated by a Physician and 3 sutures closed the wound.
The employee contacted the site on 1-16-13 alleging that his right eye was red and painful. He stated that his last day worked was 1-14-13 and that there was no event but that he was working in a dusty environment during his last shift. He was evaluated by a Physician and prescription eye drops were ordered.
EE is enrolled in the hearing conservation program and his last hearing tests have demonstrated a permanent decrease in his hearing - Lt: age corrected 28.0 and Rt: age corrected 31.3 decibel shift. Audiology review confirms this change is change reportable
The ee underwent a comprehensive audiological exam after an abnormal hearing test. Patient history and test results are consistent with noise-induced hearing loss and high intensity noise in the workplace is a significant contributing factor. The ave age corrected change in the Left ear is 32.0 db from the baseline at 2, 3, 4 K
The ee underwent a comprehensive audiological eval after an abnormal hearing test. It was made known on 11-13-13 that the ee's work hx, test results are consistent with noise-induced hearing loss; the cumulative effect of high intensity noise in the workplace is a significant contributing factor. The average corrected change in the L is 32.7 db from the baseline at 2, 3, 4 K
On 7/23/13 employee reported pain and numbness in both wrists after using an air hammer. He was evaluated by a physician and on 11/22/13 it was made known that his work activities contributed to his diagnosis of bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
The employee allegedly reports a sore left elbow with no specfic event. The employee has been seen by a Physician and had surgery on 9-17-13 resulting in Lost Time.
An ee was fatally injured performing functions to unload a railroad tank car in the reagent barn. Site medical responders and local EMS responded to the scene and the ee was transported to the hospital. Incident investigation is in progress working on top of a railroad tanker car, fell and landed on a concrete floor approximately 12 feet below.