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On March 16, an EHS Specialist suffered a back strain while ascending a ladder during a MSHA inspection. This incident has been classified as a recordable injury based on the medical determination that his work activity aggravated a pre-existing condition, incident was deemed work related on 4/23/10. Injury-RDI. Injury-Lost workday incident.

Employee alleges right wrist strain while tying big bags. He denies performing job differently or outside the norm.

EE was assisting drilling crew in connecting cables & pipe, stepping up & down from the drill rig platform (repetitive motion). He felt a slight pain in lower back. EE has a previous back injury dating back to 2004 with surgery & restricted duty. He remained on restricted duty & had reoccurence in 2008 & now another & is scheduled for Dr. appt. 1/29/10.

Operator was disconnecting a hose from a tank. The hose was depressurized and believed to be empty, but apparently had residual recovered sodium silicate. As the operator was disconnecting the hose, the chemical splashed onto his face and under his safety glasses, resulting in irritation to the eyes.

A Mechanic suffered a strain to his left shoulder while he, along with another employee, supported a gas valve assembly that was being removed for replacement during a Calciner outage. The physican diagnosed a muscle strain. The Mechanic continued to have pain in his shoulder. The employee had a MRI which revealed a small tear in the rotator cuff.

Employee was cleaning out a containment pit of wet sediment with shovel. In the process he strained his back.

EE was looking for a bucket to collect a sample from a stockpile. He lifted an equipment rim to pull the bucket out from under it. His hand slipped off the rim and it fell on his finger crushing it. He went to the emergency room in Gallup New Mexico where he was treated. His injury required two stitches and a splint to protect his finger.

#4 Silicate Concentrator area sump pump not pumping material. While investigating, pump discharged liquid & struck ee in face; knocked off safety glasses, liquid went into eyes. Flushed eyes at eye wash station. Examined by site nurse before being transported to see local opthamologist who prescribed antibiotic ointment, pain medication & released employee.

Two operators were changing out a roller on a filter belt. One operator was supporting the roller. The other operator was unbolting the bracket that holds the roller in place. The operator supporting the roller, stopped supporting it. The bolt broke, the roller fell and struck the right middle finger of the operator who was unbolting the roller.

Installing conveyor tail guard section, it fell and pinched left middle finger.

Employee was performing normal activities in the logisitics area. He stood up after hooking up a hose to a railcar and felt a pain in his right side. The employee was diagnosed with a hernia. The employee did not report this to management properly.

A mechanic worked on a dust collector bag change on 5/22. The next Tues,he called in with complaints of back pain, but did not indicate a work related injury. While receiving medical attention, he reasoned that the bag change must be the cause of injury. On 6/13, he met with supervision to make a W/C claim. An investigation is in process. Awaiting assessment by physicians.

Employee experienced low back pain while bending to retrieve extension unit used with bulk loading.

Employee was assigned to install a manway cover and valve on Tank #22 and was instructed that a co-worker would assist him. However, EE lifted the manway cover alone and states hurting his lower back. EE sought medical attention by MD on 9/4/07.

While tightening bottom of condenser on #4 Concentrator, he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder. Accident was reported as a first aid until employee started experiencing extreme pain.

Employee went to list #9 re-bar and pulled back out.

Indiv. moving folding chair w/ seat w/ accumul. about 20lbs wet sand. Chair slipped from his grasp and a leg of chair impacted top of his pinky toe at point that steel toe ended. First doctor visit didn't indicate fracture and individ placed on restricted duty and performed same job next day. Follow-on visit indicated fracture and thus reported now.

Employee was preparing to work on a pump. As he walked past the pump, his hand brushed against the pump impeller and he cut his right index finger. The employee was wearing leather gloves.

Lifting a chunk of concrete out of a hole, he strained his back.

Employee reached into a tool box looking for a screw driver and cut his finger on a piece of metal. The employee was not wearing gloves.

Employee was installing forms. As he lifted a 6x2 form he felt pain in his middle back area. Employee returned to restricted duty.

Employee was lifting a valve for repair when he felt a sharp pain in his neck and thought that something snapped causing him to fall to the floor. Neck & arms had a burning feeling and had pain in his neck. Employee was working in the back of the Instrument Shop, in the pipe storage area.

EE was attempting to remove bearing from bag packing unit to replace it.The bearing is located such that to remove it requires reaching into the structure approximately two feet and removing the bearing horizontally. He had removed the set screws and attempted to loosen the bearing by pulling to the side with his right arm. As he pulled on it, felt sharp pain in R shoulder.

Employee attempted to lift a pipe threader and load it without the forklift and strained his back.

Employee was removing an impeller from the shaft of a pump. The impeller slipped in his hand and cut his right pinky finger. The employee had just removed his gloves to take a measurement. He neglected to put his gloves back on before handling the impeller again.

Mechanic was climbing down off scaffolding, he felt a pain in his lower back.

Employee was attempting to catch a sample on top of a silo when his left middle finger contacted a screw conveyor resulting in an avulsion which required sutures.

Clay build up on the track at 2A bulk made it difficult for the car to roll. The operator had to use a car jack several times to get the car to move. Employee also restacked 80-100 pallets that was knocked over by a hopper car on the same shift. Employee presented with right chest pain the following day, 10/5/05, and sought medical treatment on 10/6/05.

Employee states he was fitting a bag onto a loading shoot; once full, he detaches it and clinches it and ties it closed which he believes lead to the increasing pain and swelling of his right wrist.

A 2A Bagger operator lacerated four fingers on his right hand while assisting a co-worker in the closure of a boxcar door. Additional Comments: Engelhard/MIDGA Operations question the recordability of this incident as EE test positive for drug. Drug test was administered within 8 hours following the accident.

Employee states while working on the big bagger, the neck of the bag came off the spout causing kaolin to spill on top of the one ton bag. Employee states he felt a pull in his back while bending over to clean up the kaolin spill.

Employee opened door to the control room below the new belt filters and activated clay fell into his left eye. The clay fell from the top of the door. Employee was wearing safety glasses with side shields at the time of the accident.

When switching tubs on the treater floor the employee has to step up to change a valve. When he was stepping down he felt a pull in his groin area. Upon examination at the hospital it was found that he had a left inguinal hernia.

A tractor operator got stuck in the mud & called for assistance from another operator/the injured operator. The injured operator was attempting to connect the cable to his tractor when he states having sustained an injury to the back of his right leg. EE reported accident on 4/4/05 & diagnosed with a large herniated disc by a specialist on 4/13/05 & was placed on disability.

EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING ON THE GROUND FLOOR BETWEEN FOUR NEW TANKS. A WORKER OVERHEAD CUT INTO AN ABANDONED HOSE. WHEN THE END OF THE HOSE WAS CUT IT SWUNG DOWN, SPRAYING WORKER WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF SULPHURIC ACID THAT WAS LEFT IN THE HOSE. EMPLOYEE GOT TO THE SHOWER IMMEDIATELY.

EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING ON THE GROUND FLOOR BETWEEN FOUR NEW TANKS. A WORKER OVERHEAD CUT INTO AN ABANDONED HOSE. WHEN THE END OF THE HOSE WAS CUT IT SWUNG DOWN, SPRAYING WORKER WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF SULPHURIC ACID THAT WAS LEFT IN THE HOSE. EMPLOYEE GOT TO THE SHOWER IMMEDIATELY.

EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING ON THE GROUND FLOOR BETWEEN FOUR NEW TANKS. A WORKER OVERHEAD CUT INTO AN ABANDONED HOSE. WHEN THE END OF THE HOSE WAS CUT IT SWUNG DOWN, SPRAYING WORKER WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF SULPHURIC ACID THAT WAS LEFT IN THE HOSE. EMPLOYEE GOT TO THE EYEWASH STATION AND SHOWER IMMEDIATELY.

EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING ON THE GROUND FLOOR BETWEEN FOUR NEW TANKS. A WORKER OVERHEAD CUT INTO AN ABANDONED HOSE. WHEN THE END OF THE HOSE WAS CUT IT SWUNG DOWN, SPRAYING WORKER WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF SULPHURIC ACID THAT WAS LEFT IN THE HOSE. EMPLOYEE GOT TO THE SHOWER IMMEDIATELY.

EE WAS WASHING THE OFF-ROAD TRUCK WITH 1 1/2" FIRE HOSE. WHEN PULLING SLACK OUT OF HOSE HE STRUCK THE METAL PIPE RACK ON THE TRUCK WITH HIS LEFT THIGH. EE RETURNED TO WORK FULL DUTY ON 2/2/04 BUT STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIGH & RETURNED TO THE DR. ON 2/9/04. AT THAT TIME HE WAS GIVEN PERSCRIPTIONS & PUT ON RESTRICTED DUTY UNTIL 2/23/04.

EE REPORTED ON 2/17/04 THAT ON 1/23/04 HE & ANOTHER EE WERE OFFLOADING HAYBALES FROM A TRAILER AT CRESCENT LAKE. AFTER COMPLETING THE WORK, HE STATED HIS BACK WAS HURTING, AND LAID DOWN FOR A FEW MINUTES.

EE WAS REPLACING A RUBBER BOOT TRANSITION PIECE WHEN HE FELT SOMETHING IN HIS EYE. HE RINSED HIS EYE WITH WATER, BELIEVING IT WAS A GRAIN OF SAND. IRRITATION PERSISTED, AND MEDICAL TREATMENT S OUGHT. A SMALL METAL FRAGMENT WAS REMOVED FROM HIS RIGHT EYE, AND PRESCRIPTION ANTIBIOTIC DROPS GIVEN TO PREVENT INFECTION.

OPERATOR WAS REMOVING 6" HOSE FROM #2 VACUUM SEPTUM. THE HOSE WAS NOT ON STRAIGHT SO HE NEEDED TO PULL ON IT MORE THAN USUAL. THE HOSE CAME OFF FASTER THAN HE EXPECTED AND HIT HIM IN THE MOUTH KNOCKING TWO FRONT TEETH LOOSE.

OPERATOR WAS TAKING OUTAGES FROM PRODUCT HOPPERS. HE FLIPPED OPEN THE HOPPER LID WITH FORCE CAUSING THE LID TO CLOSE ON HIS FINGER.

EMPLOYEE WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT PULVERIZER ROOM AT LAB WHEN THE DOOR HANDLE JAMMED. HE STATES THE ROOM BECAME VERY HOT SO HE USED A PULVERIZER METAL/STEEL CUP TO BREAK THE DOOR WINDOW AND SUST AINED MULTIPLE LACERATIONS AND CUTS TO HIS RIGHT HAND.

EMP[LOYEE WAS REPAIRING MACHINE, THE MACHINE CYCLED, CAUSING CUT TO RIGHT INDEX FINGER. 6 STITCHES.

EE WAS PERFORMING HIS REGULAR, ROUTINE JOB AS A BIG BAGGER OPERATOR (PLACING BAGS ON SPOUT) AND STATES HIS NECK AND SHOULDER BEGAN TO HURT. HE WAS SEEN BY A PANEL DOCTOR ON 5/1/03 AND DX WITH IMPINGEMENT. (EE'S FIRST/INITIAL MED'L VISIT).

EE WAS COMPLETING THE UNLOADING PROCESS OF SODIUM SILICATE. WHEN HE RELEASED THE DISCHARGE LINE GOING TO THE CUSTOMER TANK, THE PRODUCT INSIDE THE DISCHARGE LINE SPLASHED ON HIM CAUSING THE PR ODUCT TO GO UNDER HIS FACE SHIELD AND SAFETY GLASSES. HE RECEIVED AN ABRASION ON THE CORNEA OF HIS RIGHT EYE FROM THE CHEMICAL, SODIUM SILICATE.

EE WAS STRUCK IN THE MOUTH BY A DUST COLLECTOR BAG CAGE WHILE ASSISTING WITH THE POSITIONING & INSTALLATION OF CAGES INTO A SPRAY DRYER. EE SUFFERED A LACERATION TO HIS UPPER LIP WHICH REQUIRE D SUTURES.

EE RECEIVED CHEMCIAL BURNS ON FACE, CHEST AND ARMS WHEN HE DISCONNECT A HOSE THAT WAS UNDER PRESSURE AND THE CHEMICAL SODIUM SILICATE SPLASHED ON HIM. THE SDS PUMP ON THE CUSTOMERS TANK WAS HU NG UP AND NOT ALLOWING THE PRODUCT TO MOVE FROM THE TRUCK/TRAILER INTO THE SDS TANK SO DRIVER DISCONNECTED HOSES NOT REALIZING PRODUCT WAS STILL IN HOSE.

TRIPPED OVER A PIECE OF GRATING - ATTEMPTED TO MOVE GRATING BACK INTO PLACE WITH HAND BUT WAS UNSUCESSFUL. USED FOOT TO KICK BACK IN PLACE- GRATING FELL AND CAUGHT TIP OF RIGHT INDEX FINGE R - SEVERED 1/2 " UNDER FINGER NAIL