All MSHA-reportable accidents at Tilden Mining Company L C operations in 2014. Fatalities appear first.
About 3:25am, two employees were inside an elevator when the elevator stopped and doors would not function. Arrangements made to contact elevator repair service. The employees had communication capabilities with repair persons. Initial call to MSHA was made at 3:35am. Function to doors was restored at 4:15am allowing the employees to clear the elevator. MSHA was updated.
Two employees trapped in T-1 elevator. One employee was in elevator when another called for the elevator on another floor. After second employee entered the elevator the doors closed. The car went down 3-4 feet and stopped. Elevator repair service was contacted. MSHA notified. Employees were freed after approximately 58 minutes.
At 9:00pm an ee was in Tilden Pellet Plant 2 elevator when it stopped functioning. The ee contacted a supervisor at 9:10 and advised of status. Electricians called to troubleshoot were unable to resolved the issue. Elevator repair service contacted. MSHA was notified of entrapment. Employee was able to clear the elevator at 10:50pm and then MSHA was updated.
Two employees stepped in elevator. The doors on the elevator closed but didn't operate. Another employee was alerted of situation. Arrangement made to contact repair service. Employees able to clear the elevator about 6:10 , after being stuck for approx. 40 minutes. MSHA was notified of the entrapment about 5:50 then updated at 6:15.
Employee alleges that a foreign object entered in his right eye while grinding. He was evaluated by a physician on 10/9/14 and a piece of metal was removed. He was issued antibiotic eye drops and taken off of work for one shift (10/10). He returned to work full duty on 10/11.
The employee was assisting a mechanic with removing a bolt from the dozer with a breaker bar. The bolt came loose suddenly, causing the employee to lose his balance and strain his left arm. He was evaluated by a physician and taken off of work.
EE was cleaning a low speed coupling cover when he felt a pain in his lower back. He was evaluated by a Physician after the event and taken off of work.
EE was walking under CV21.12 and he struck his head on a beam in an area with low head clearance. He was evaluated by a Physician on 7-30-14 and taken off of work. He returned to work on 8-6 full duty.
EE was tasked to open a hinged access door. After the 4 pinch style clamps securing the door were removed, the EE started to open the door at which time the hinges broke and the door fell approx 3' pulling on right arm and shoulder. The EE was evaluated by a Physician and surgery was performed on 10-29-14.
Employee alleges right knee pain after getting out of a pickup truck. He was evaulated by a physican and surgery was preformed on 8/18/14.
EE was unloading a piece of steel (2x6x50) off the forklift & when she pulled the bar off the forks, her fingers got caught between the bar and the toe board. She was evaluated by a Physician and diagnosed with a fracture to her 3rd & 4th finger. She was taken off of work.
EE complained of a sore left knee with swelling; stated he wasn't sure what from but that he was kneeling on steel balls while lining a primary mill. EE was evaluated by a Physician and underwent surgery on 7-24-14 resulting in LT.
2 ee were positioning a steel plate. The plate was 1/4"" x 4' X 10'. 1 ee on each side of plate were positioning piece on top of structural steel frame work. The plate shifted & slipped falling to the structural steel. The inj ee was holding the plate when it slipped pinching his ring & middle finger of his left hand between the plate & structural steel.
EE was stretching a hose between 2 balling lines. He was backing up when his right heel caught a rolled up belt causing him to fall with his left shoulder striking the grating. He was evaluated by a Physician and returned to work with restrictions until his full duty release on 1-2-15
Employee alleges back pain from removing spider nuts (approx. 12 lbs.) from the primary crusher. He was evaluated by a physician and taken off of work. He returned to work on 6/24/14 with restrictions
EE was lifting a return roller (40 lb). The ee picked up the roller by squatting down holding it near his body & bending at the knees. When he stood up, he felt a pain in left shoulder/bicep area. He was evaluated by a Physician on 6-19-14 and given a return to work with RESTRICTIONS.
Employee was using a sledge hammer and wrench to tighten bolts. The sledge hammer bounced off the wrench and struck the employee in the left lower leg. He was evaluated by a physician and released with restrictions. The employee did not work his 6/18 shift. He returned to work with restrictions on 6/19. He was released to full duty work on 6/20.
EE was attempting to straighten the worm gear drive that was just placed on a pallet. While attempting to do this, he felt discomfort in his L wrist. He was evaluated by a Physician, a splint was ordered and he was given restrictions.
A port-a-power was being used to remove a side frame from a shovel, when the ram slipped from it's position and the port-a-power struck the employee in the face. He was transported to the hospital for evaluation, where sutures were administered for facial and scalp lacerations. He was released back to work with restrictions.
Employee reported lower back pain while pulling a cable. He was evaluated by a physician and released back to work with restrictions.
EE rolled left ankle as he was stepping down 11"" onto the grating from line 7 flot feed pump concrete base. EE was evaluated by a Physician and ee was given restrictions.
Employee was cleaning the drill towards the end of the shift. As he attempted to exit the drill, the employee slipped on the top step of the exit steps; (stairwell had a total of 4 steps) and fell, landing on his back. Ice had accumulated on the top step from the wash water the employee was using to clean the drill.
EE was working on Unit 2 repair when a casting fell off where the ee had his left hand placed resulting in getting his left middle finger pinched/laceration. He was evaluated by a Physician where he had the laceration repaired with sutures. He was released to return to work with restrictions.
On 1/8/14 the employee was coiling a cable up into a pile when he felt a sharp pain in his right calf. He was evaluated by a physican and released back to work with restrictions.
EE was setting down a 4 inch steel pipe behind 8A filter. The pipe slipped and pinched his right index finger against the grating. He was evaluated by a Physician and a cautery pen was used to drain the hematoma under his nail bed. He was released to full duty at this evaluation.
EE was cutting a used piece of water hose with a utility knife. The knife slipped and struck the ee in the right forearm. He was evaluated by a Physician and sutures closed the wound on 11-9-14.
EE reported an injury on 9-9-14 indicating that he had something in his eye and was alleging this to be related to work activities on 9-8-14. He was evaluated by an Ophthalmologist, a FB was removed and he was prescribed antibiotic eye drops.
EE was walking on the grating outside of the ER shop when his boot got caught in the grating resulting in the ee reporting pain to his left calf. He was evaluated by a Physician, and given an air splint for his left ankle. He returned to work full duty.
EE was installing a guard on Line 12 when dirt fell from above entering into his left eye. He and an EMT flushed the eye with no relief so was seen at an emergency room where he was evaluated & prescribed prescription eye medication. He returned to work full duty.
EE was using a vacuum truck to clean out the bentonite pit area. He felt an irritation to his right leg which was believed to be caustic residue. He was evaluated by a Physician during his recovery from the chemical burn. A week after the incident he was prescribed antibiotics.
EE was barring a stuck gate on a conveyor feeder why the pry bar slipped. As a result, the ee caught his left thumb between the pry bar & the angle iron brace causing a laceration. The ee was seen by a physician and sutures closed the wound. The employee returned to work.
EE was removing the west guard for head pulley on line 7 feeder belt. He removed all lower belts & did not notice that the top was not secured. The guard fell on his head while removing it. He has been seeing a Physician with a conservative treatment plan & PT was ordered on 4-24-14. On 5-5-14, he completed a series of sessions.
EE states numbness and mild burning sensation in both wrists. He was evaluated by a Physician and was given a diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with surgical repair being done on 10-31-14. It was made known that work activities were a contributing factor on 1-2-15. The employee retired on 12-31-14.
Loader operator was digging into a crushed berm when the corner of the loader bucket hit a large rock, jarring the operators left shoulder. The employee was evaluated on 6/24/14 and placed on restrictions.
EE is enrolled in the hearing conservation program. The 2014 hearing test indicated a 29.3 db shift (age corrected) to the right ear. The Audiology review on 5-20-14 indicates that this may be work related; follow up appts have been suggested to the employee.
EE participates in the hearing conservation program. An Audiologist reviewed the results and it was determined that he has a reportable hearing loss to the left ear which was made known on 4-7-14. His age corrected change in the left was 28.3 from the baseline at 2, 3, 4 k.