Northshore Mining Company Metal/Non-Metal

An employee attempted to throw a 3 pound rail anchor into the back of a grapple truck, but the rail anchor ricocheted off the sideboard of the truck instead of landing in the back and struck another employee standing nearby in the mouth, lacerating the employee's upper lip and fracturing the employee's upper jaw.

While an employee was digging for large chunks in a rock bank with a loader, a large chunk came down the rock bank and landed on the loader's full bucket, jarring the loader and the employee. The employee was taken to the local ER/personal doctor due to back pain where it was determined the employee has thoracic compression fractures to T8, T10 and T11 of the spine.

While lifting a hoist and chains up and out of the way of a rail car truck side frame on the floor, the chains caught the frame, causing it to fall to the side and land on the employees left foot. The employee was wearing metatarsal safety-toed boots at the time. The employee suffered three fractures in their left foot and toes.

While transferring fuel from a mobile fuel tank on a tractor trailer to a grader, an employee on the ground conducting the fueling was struck by the grader tire and injured (torn muscles in right shoulder, bruised arm and bruised ankle). The operator of the grader thought the grader was in neutral when they let off the clutch, but it was in forward gear.

While a summer student was sweeping, a 20-pound tire knife oven no longer in service on a shelf on a wall approximately 4 feet above the floor fell on EE's right hand, fracturing two bones in the hand. The employee's broom caught the power cord to the oven, causing the oven to fall off a shelf.

While adjusting a coupler on a locomotive, the employee felt discomfort in their right bicep. This was originally a report only, as there was not a reportable injury at the time. This discomfort led to a few medical follow-ups and ultimately surgery on Jan 9, 2025.

While attempting to remove damaged railroad ties from underneath a rail frog, an excavator bucket was used to lift one end of the frog, so an angle bar could be put underneath in order to remove the damaged ties. The frog slipped off the excavator bucket, causing the angle bar to strike an employee in the mouth, causing damage to the employee's lip and some of employee's teeth.

While checking the oil on the 529 Haul Truck, the employee missed EE's hand placement and footing while on the engine bay stairs, causing EE to fall against the truck frame/tire. EE's lower back and left leg felt sore afterwards. Employee had knee surgery 10/15/2024.

A railroad employee was travelling down a section of rail in a piece of equipment. The piece of equipment derailed and the equipment turned onto it's side. The employee suffered a small laceration to the head.

While installing a window on a locomotive, microscopic pieces of glass chipped off the window and landed somewhere on the employee. Some of the glass made its way into the employee's eyes at some point throughout the day and the employee began to feel discomfort. The employee had to seek medical attention; eyes were numbed and the glass was extracted.

While chipping slag after a weld job, a railroad employee got debris in their eye, which had to be extracted at a local medical facility. Safety glasses were worn at the time of the incident. After the debris was extracted, EE was prescribed antibiotic eye drops as a preventive measure.

An employee pinched left pinky finger between a worn shovel tooth and the lip of a service truck bed while transferring the tooth from a shovel bucket to the bed of a truck. The pinch caused a cut to the side of pinky finger. Leather, cut resistant gloves were worn at the time and were not cut. EE went to a local clinic afterwards and received 3 sutures.

A drill operator was hit by the drill's power cable and knocked to the ground while remotely moving the drill to the next drilling site. The power cable was buried in snow and was not seen moving towards the operator while the drill was being moved. The operator suffered a shoulder injury due to the fall.

Employee alleges they contracted COVID-19 after working with another employee that had tested positive. Both employees were previously vaccinated.

Employee alleges EE contracted COVID-19 after working with another employee that had tested positive. Both employees were previously vaccinated.

Employee felt dizzy while getting out of 916 water truck. Grabbed steering wheel as lost balance and felt a pain in the right arm/shoulder.

Employee states that while stepping off a shovel bucket, they rolled their left ankle. Employee felt immediate pain in left ankle.

EMPLOYEE WAS STANDING IN BETWEEN 30" WALL LINERS HOOKING UP TO THE CRANE. ONCE THE CABLES WERE HOOKED UP THE CRANE, OPERATOR STARTED TO LIFT THE PLATES. ONE OF THE PLATES DRIFTED INTO EMPLOYEES LEFT ANKLE PINCHING IT BETWEEN THE PLATE ON FLOOR BEHIND EE'S HEEL. THE CRANE OPERATOR GRABBED THE CABLE AND PULLED THE SUSPENDED PLATE OFF EMPLOYEES ANKLE.

The number two crusher elevator stopped working with an employee inside. The sixth floor man-door closed door contact switch failed, stopping the elevator. The switch was repaired and the elevator became operational again. No injuries or health concerns. The employee was in the elevator for approximately 55 minutes.

While Northshore Mining & Cummins employees were investigating the engine faults on 530 Haul truck, a loud popping noise was heard and smoke was seen rolling out of the grid box. The fire department was called, fire was eventually seen and extinguished, and MSHA was notified due to the fire possibly lasting more than 30 minutes (they were onsite for an ongoing inspection).

The employee was using a steel wedge to remove the 5th row key on a concave. While using a sledge hammer to pound on the wedge a piece of metal shrapnel came off the edge of the key and lodged into the employee's right thigh. The shrapnel had to be removed by a physician and stitches were required to close the wound.

Employee was using a crane to move a welder. The welder hit a eyebeam which was propped up on a ledge causing it fall on employee's foot. Injuring foot.

Employee was helping to lift and position a 42x73 vulcanizing platen on a conveyor belt system with three fellow employees. The system was shoulder high. The employee twisted and felt a pop in groin followed by discomfort.

Employee was rotating an injector on the shop table to work on other side, as rotating one edge slipped off of table pinching pinky finger. This pinch required stitches.

Employee was grinding on the point of a railroad track frog at a switch. The 9" grinding wheel contacted EE's left wrist causing a laceration that needed stitches to close.

Erecting a section of rolling scaffold for abatement of a furnace hood and EE said they bumped their knee below the knee cap. EE said it was like they hit their funny bone and thought nothing of it. Next afternoon the knee began to swell up at work. EE finished the shift and went back to the hotel to ice it. Wednesday morning they notified me they were going to get it checked out.

Employee was climbing onto the 344 CAT drill to check water level and felt a pop in their right elbow.

Employee got finger pinched between anvil plate and housing a pile driver. Was helping crane operator get the pile driver position on concave for removal from 30" crusher.

Employee was taking a metal lid off of 5 gallon spike keg when the lid tore in half and slicing EE's palm through the glove. Cut required 4 stitches.

Employee was cleaning steel shavings from around a wheel lathe with a pitch fork. A piece of shavings slid up the handle, employee didn't see it and when repositioning EE's hand the shaving cut through EE's glove causing a laceration to the right hand index finger.

Employee cut left thumb and needed 2 stitches, EE was cutting a zip-tie to remove wire harness using a utility knife.

Employee was getting into pickup at beginning of shift to head out to loader the employee was assigned to operate. As employee went to sit in the driver's seat employee felt pain in left knee.

Truck shop maintenance employee was removing a retainer pin for bit on a rock breaker. As employee pulled the retainer pin out of the hole, employee lost control of it dropping it on finger. The impact broke the tip of the finger, caused a finger nail avulsion and a nail bed laceration.

Dayshift crusher employees were cutting bolts to remove racking from a non-operation bins chute deck. They filled out burn permit, quit working 2.5 hrs before end of shift, ask night shift to inspect. Night shift found fire when doing final inspection

Dropped seal ring for haul truck wheel onto left hand 5th finger. Causing slight fracture of finger.

Employee was welding on blower motor shroud. Employee finished welding as was stepping from blower motor platform to cable reel. Employee had welding helmet on but raised. Hit helmet as stepping and lost balance. Employee fell backward and landed on blower motor platform landing on right side. Restricted from work for deep tissue bruise to right thigh.

Crusher maintenance employee fractured/lacerated #3 finger left hand. Course Crusher employees were changing pan feeder wear liners. Employee pinched EE's finger between the worn liner and a pan feeder pan.

Mine RR ops employee was changing oxygen cylinder within a cabinet. Upon removing the cap ee noted ee needed to rotate the cylinder to line up the nozzle with the regulator. While turning the cylinder employee felt a pop in left bicep. Was diagnosed with a ruptured left distal bicep tendon.

EE incurred neck and back pain when lifting a portable hydraulic ram tool overhead and trying to wedge it between the truck frame and the tire.

Crusher employee was opening overhead door. Wind blew dust and debris into the shop area. Employee got dust in eyes. Flushed eyes with eye wash solution. Left eye still felt sore, safety rep brought employee to the eye dr. There was a small foreign object in employees left eye. It was removed and antibiotics were applied. Employee returned to work with no restrictions.

Dark rainy conditions with poor visibility road way was bumpy due to recent rain events. Employee was in haul truck when EE hit a bump in the road the bump bounced EE in the seat which EE had aired up quite high. EE is a tall person and the bump caused EE to strike head on the roof of the truck causing EE pain in the neck and the right arm.

Mine RR ops tech was unloading scrap in the yard off of a grapple truck from the elevated loader operators seat. While picking a piece of RR track up with the grapple, EE inadvertently swung the wrong direction. The rail hit the guard and than raised up striking the employees right arm and right knee, causing a laceration requiring stitches to employees right arm and right knee.

While loading the 520 haul truck, the 102 shovel operator suffered an apparent heart attack. First responders were dispatched to the scene and EMT's began to administer CPR. The operation technician was taken by ambulance to the local hospital and was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.

Technician was loosening bolts to remove a hydraulic cylinder on a loader. In doing so, he pulled his ratchet very hard with his right shoulder resulting in pain and a tear.

Course crusher employee was putting in a shell liner into a 30" crusher. Employee was lifting the liner into place with the crane and was going up and his foot got caught between the liner and shell of the crusher.

A mine ops employee was performing a pre-op inspection Grader. The employee was finished with his inspection and was climbing off the grader. He went to turn and was adjusting is hand grip. he tripped on the rear tire at the same time and fell onto the cement floor

Crusher employee was getting out of boom truck and slipped on ice and fell. The result of the fall was a Fibula Fracture to his left ankle.

Employee was on the bottom step, on the back of the water truck, stepping down approximately 1.5 feet. As the employee's right foot contacted the ground, the employee felt his right knee give out. The employee was diagnosed with a sprained right knee. The employee's foot did not slip or hit the ground hard before he felt pain in his right knee.

Mine ops employee was helping pick up a drill cable using the bailer. Employee was on deck and assuring the cable went into the real straight. He had one hand guiding the cable and the other hand on the hand rail. The bail swung pinching his finger between the bail and the hand rail. Employee received antibiotics for infection.

Mine ops employee was leaving the rear house of a drill, they were shutting the door behind them and got their small finger on their left hand pinched in the door mechanism.

Shovel operator was putting a busted loader tooth into the back of the supervisors pickup. When he set the tooth in the box of the truck he sliced through his glove and right index finger on a sliver/burr that he did not see on the busted tooth. The laceration required 8 stitches.

Course Crusher Maintenance Employee was removing the bolts for the support plate of a dust seal for the 60" mantle. In the process they dropped the 1" impact wrench that they were using and it landed on their left small finger. The impact caused a laceration to the finger requiring 3 stitches.

Employee was standing on a step stool leaning over a hydraulic hose pushing up on a drive shaft of a machine to install a lifting strap around the drive shaft.

Employee was walking between the truck shop and mine office to get paper work signed when he slipped and fell due to ice on the ground.

Truck shop maintenance technician was standing in parking lot guiding a haul truck out of the shop. As the haul truck came out the technician waved the driver ahead and then went to turn to get onto a loader and bring that into the shop. As the technician turned he lost his footing causing him to fall. The technician landed shoulder first into a frozen winrow.

Employee picked up a drill plug from the left side of his body to put back on the casing. He had one foot on top of the drill mound (ant hill) and one foot on the inside of the mound. When he moved the plug he felt a pull in his lower back.

While moving cable in the pit at North Shore Mining an employee fell and as a result received a laceration above his right eye and several smaller cuts on his right ear that required sutures.

Employee was installing wheel chocks on our CR Meyer Truck when he stood up, the tool box cover fell down, striking the employee just above his right eye resulting in 2 sutures.

Two employees were trapped in an elevator at our course crusher at NSM Babbitt mine site. The employees were never in danger, the elevator had gone into emergency stop.

While traveling on haul road with a loaded haul truck the front right tire blew out. In the act of the tire blowing the operator was jerked about in the cab. A couple hrs after the incident the operator stated his back was feeling a little sore. The operator was taken to the hospital to be checked out.

Employee got dirt in his eyes while watching a liner being lowered by the crane in our crusher. Incident was reported and employee flushed his eyes. On 3/31/2011 employee stated eye was still sore and went to clinic. Rust was removed and antibiotics were administered.

Employee stated that while sliding a bin wing shroud onto the forks of a forklift, just underneath the forks there was another wing shroud and finger got pinched between both shrouds.

EE was cutting a 4" pipe using a table mounted metal cutoff saw. After the EE finished the cut he shut the saw off and as the cutting wheel was winding down, the EE tried to unclamp the cut pipe and the back of his left hand contacted the wheel, cutting his glove and creating a 3" laceration on the back of his hand. Injury required surgery to repair severed tendon.

Tightening bolt on variable implement pump on Northshore Mining - Babbits #228 992G loader. Bolt in difficult access location so a short wrench was used. EE was pulling on wrench with all he had and felt a a muscle tore in his navel area. Went to emergency room and was diagnosed with a umbilical hernia (belly button). Employee may/will need surgery.

The employee had just finished fueling/servicing some railroad mainline equip and climbed into the back of his Hyrail pickup truck to coil up a fuel hose & store his fueling/servicing equipment. The employee then went to dismount the pickup truck & grabbed the edge of the tailgate with his left hand and caught his left index finger on a sharp object. Laceration required 6 sutures.

Metal entered right eye while grinding.

While jack-hammering frozen material from a P&H 120 A drill side frame, the air fitting connected to the tool broke, causing the 1/2" line to whip and strike the mechanic in the face causing a laceration and chipped teeth.

Employee sprained right hand during slip / fall while servicing equipment.

He were tasked w/transporting used railroad ties to a pipeline project. He went to the tie pile with a 992G Loader and set the bucket up to push ties into it. He was lifting the end of the tie to clear the bucket tooth & other ee was pushing the ties into the bucket when the his finger was pinched between the tie and the bucket tooth.

Employees were removing a ripper tooth from the D-11 Dozer, the tooth was worn through. In an attempt to remove the tooth with a sledge hammer, a chip flew off the tooth and contacted another employee in the shin creating a cut which required 2 stitches to close.

The Loader pulled into the shop and the mechanic went to support the bucket with a Jack to inspect the lower side of the bucket. The mechanic put the jack in place with the handle up and told operator to cut the engine and then went to fold the handle down and loader bucket drifted down and pinched the EE's left hand on the jack handle and broke the EE's left index finger.

The EE was pounding on a shovel bucket wear part with a sldge hammer when a piece of metal flew off the wear part and cut the EE's neck and embedded in the EE's neck. The EE was taken to the clinic and the metal was removed and he received 4 sutures in his neck.

Employee was unloading a roll of rubber with 3 other employees when it rolled onto his leg causing a compound fracture.

Employee was dismounting the 521 Komatsu 730E water truck when she missed the first lower step. She hung on to the handrailing with her right arm ending up with a muscle strain in her shoulder.

Employee was using a sledge hammer to loosen a loader tooth from a shank. Wwhen the tooth was struck, a chip flew off the tooth and imbedded into the leg above the right knee. The employee was taken to the clinic to have the chip removed and received 2 sutures to close the wound.

Employee states that while walking along side a suspended load, he felt something pull in his calf muscle. He noted that the leg muscle had been "tight" for 2 days prior. There was no specific incident that he can attribute the pain to.

Employee was at fuel pump fueling his truck. He stepped in some loose material and foot slid into a pothole. He turned/sprained his ankle.

End dump truck driver was being loaded by loader at rock stripping site. The first bucket from the loader contained a large boulder and was dumped into his truck, jarring the truck driver. The EE's back was jarred and his back was sore and his leg went numb.

Secondary welding exposure resulted in welder's burn to eyes.

Operating dozer, pushing rock, injured back.

Operating D10 dozer, operator aggravated a bad disk in back. Re-injured old injury, bad back.

Employee was hauling ore to crusher operating a 730E end dump when the truck contacted the berm causing the truck to roll on its passenger side. The employee received 4 acute appearing fractures to 4 ribs on her right side and an acute appearing fracture to her right clavicle.

Employee was pounding a lip shroud on a shovel bucket with an 8# sledge hammer to remove the shroud. A small piece of metal from the shroud (1/2"-11/4") flew off & embedded in his left thigh (through coveralls & jeans). The sliver was removed and he rec'd 3 stitches.

Electrician was opening a feeder on a substation. The handle is spring loaded and upon racking out the feeder, the ee did not let go of the handle and he backhanded the side of the switch housing. The ee felt he had only bruised his knuckles, his hand never got better, and he went to the clinic and found he fractured his hand.

WHILE CARRYING A 30 LB PROPANE BOTTLE TO REFILL, THE EMPLOYEE SLIPPED AND TWISTED ANKLE. HAIRLING FRACTURE WAS DISCOVERED AT LATER DATE.

EE WAS TIGHTENING A BALL HITCH ON THE BUMPER OF A PICKUP TRUCK AND IN DOING SO PINCHED HIS PINKY FINGER BETWEEN THE WRENCH AND A SHARP LIP ON THE BUMPER, CUTTING THE TIP OF HIS FINGER REQUIRING STITCHES ON THE END OF HIS PINKY FINGER.

Employee was climbing down ladder of loader when his right foot slipped on rung of ladder, hitting his right knee against the ladder and knocking his knee out of joint. Now the knee continues to pop out of joint without warning.

EE WAS CHANGING A CRACKED TRACK PAD ON A 295 BE SHOVEL WHEN THE TRACK PAD FELL ON HIS HAND AND PINCHED IT. THE TRACK PAD WAS PRYED OF EE'S HAND AND THE EE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

EMPLOYEE WAS USING A HAND HELD BANDING TOOL TO BAND A COUPLING TO AN AIR LINE. WHILE TIGHTENING THE BAND, THE TOOL SLIPPED AND TIPPED CAUSING THE INDEX FINGER OF THE LEFT HAND TO BE CAUGHT IN THE TOOL.

WHILE BEING LOADED WITH THE SHOVEL, THE BUCKET STRUCK THE FRONT OF THE BOX (CANOPY END) OF THE END DUMP. THE EE RECEIVED A MUSCLE STRAIN IN HIS BACK.

EE WAS HOLDING A BLOCK OF WOOD BETWEEN BREAKOUT WRENCH AND PIPE RACK WITNESS WAS OPERATING WRENCH CONTROLS. THE DRILL IS NOISY AND CONTROL OPERATOR THOUGHT HE HEARD EE SAY OK AND MOVED WRENCH. EE S FINGER WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN WOOD AND PIPE RACK.

WHILE BLEEDING THE BRAKES ON TRAIN CAR A PARTICAL BECAME LODGED IN THE EMPLOYEE'S EYE. THE EMPLOYEE WAS WEARING PRESCRIPTION SAFETY GLASSES WITH SIDE SHIELDS AT THE TIME. THE EMPLOYEE WENT TO THE DR THE NEXT DAY AND HAD HIS EYE FLUSHED AND A PRESCRIPTION WAS GIVEN.

EMPLOYEE WAS GRINDING METAL DURING THE SHIFT AND DIDN'T REALIZE SOMETHING WAS IN HIS EYE. WENT TO THE DOCTOR THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THERE WAS SOME UNCERTAINTY CONCERNING THE DOCTOR REPORT AND IT WAS DETERMINED ON 9/1/03 TO BE REPORTABLE.

THE EE WAS OPERATING A HAUL TRUCK, WHEN THE LOADER THAT WAS LOADING HER INADVERTENTLY STRUCK THE BOX OF THE TRUCK CAUSING THE EE'S HEAD TO STRIKE THE SIDE OF THE CAB. THE EE WAS SENT TO THE HO SPITAL AND DIAGNOSED WITH A NECK STRAIN.

MOVED LARGE PROPANE TANK & STRAINED BACK MUSCLE - DOCTOR ADVISED THAT IS STRAINED MUSCLE IN BACK & NEEDS LIGHT DUTY WORK UNTIL HEALED.

WHILE INSTALLING A FENCE THE EE RECEIVED DUST IN HIS EYE. HE WAS SENT TO THE CLINIC AND WAS GIVEN AN ANTIBIOTIC TO PREVENT INFECTION.

THE EMPLOYEE WAS CHANGING TEETH OF THE LOADER AND WHILE HAMMERING OUT THE KEEPER PIN, THE PIN DISLODGED & RICHOCHET OFF THE BUCKET AND STRUCK JIM IN THE MOUTH. THE EMPLOYEE WAS SENT TO THE CLI NIC AND RECEIVED STITCHES.

EE WAS WALKING BACKWARDS AND FELL ON A PALLET. THE EE REPORTED IT AS A NEAR MISS NON-INJURY. A MONTH LATER HE WENT TO A CHIROPRACTOR AND DID NOT INFORM US. WE DID NOT BECOME AWARE OF THE TREAT MENT UNTIL 10/22/02 WHEN WE RECEIVED A BILL.

WHILE TURNING THE HOOK ON AN OVERHEAD CRANE, AN EMPLOYEE'S HAND SLIPPED OFF THE HOOK AND STUCK HE IN THE FACE RESULTING IN A LACERATION THAT REQUIRED TWO STITCHES.

EE WAS INSTALLING A SHIM INTO A LATCH LEVER ON A SHOVEL BUCKET WHEN HIS THUMB WAS STRUCK (PINCHED) BY THE LATCH LEVER. EE WAS BROUGHT TO A DR. AND HE WAS TREATED WITH ELEVEN STITCHES AND THE T HUMB WAS IMMOBILIZED WITH A SPLINT.

WHILE ARC-AIRING DRILL STEEL, GREASE FLARED UP CAUSING THE EMPLOYEE TO GET BURNT ON HIS NECK & CHEEK.

WHILE SHE WAS STRINGING OUT WELDING LEADS FOR A PROJECT, THE LEADS GOT CAUGHT ON A HAND RAIL SO SHE PULLED ON THE LEADS TO FREE THEM UP. AS SHE DID THIS IT CAUSED A PAIN IN HER ELBOW THAT DID NOT GET BETTER SO ON 8/29 SHE STARTED PHYSICAL THERAPY.

EE WAS CHECKING COOLANT ON A GRADER. HIS FOOT SLIPPED OFF OF STEP AND FELL.

WHILE OVERSEEING A HATCH DOOR OPENING ON A DRILL, THE EMPLOYEE REACHED INTO THE OPENING TO FREE SOME ELECTRICAL WIRE, AS HE DID THIS A WELD ON THE HYDRAULIC RAM THAT WAS OPENING THE HATCHDOOR BROKE LOOSE. THIS CAUSED THE DOOR TO COME DOWN STRIKING THE EMPLOYEE ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD CAUSING A LACERATION REQUIRING 3 SUTURES.

2 EE'S WERE TORQUEING MILL HEAD BOLTS ONE EE WASHOLDING A MAGNIFIER. THE MAGNIFIER SLIPPED OFF STRIKING THE OTHER EE IN THE UPPER LIP