Fallen Miners

Alpine Silica-San Antonio

Alpine Silica, LLC · Surface · Metal/Nonmetal
San Antonio, Bexar County, TX · Active
MSHA Mine ID: 4105426

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
Fall from scaffolds, walkways, platforms

Employee unhooked lanyard and fell through roof resulting in fatal injuries.

All reportable incidents

15 on file
Fall from scaffolds, walkways, platforms

Employee unhooked lanyard and fell through roof resulting in fatal injuries.

Struck by flying object

Operator was using a 2 pound sledgehammer to remove a worn tooth from an excavator bucket. When the operator hit the worn tooth (one time) with the hammer, a metal shard broke off of the worn tooth and passed through the operator's pants and the top of EE's leather boots before penetrating the operator's left leg, just above EE's ankle.

Struck by... NEC

Miner struck by 'clay boulder' when EE crawled into a feed hopper to clear an obstruction. The miner suffered muscle damage requiring hospitalization and medication. Diagnosed with Rhabdomyolysis. No broken bones were found during the examination.

Struck against stationary object

Miner Suffered a laceration requiring 6 sutures to their left arm while removing a dryer expansion joint.

Contact with hot objects or substances

Miner suffered 3rd degree burns to the abdomen when a hose popped off the seal pump in the process of removal. Burns required debridement and an allograft.

Struck by flying object

While observing another miner removing teeth from an excavator bucket from approximately 5-6 feet away. The injured miner was struck in the hand by a shard of metal (approximately 4mm X5mm) that broke off of the excavator tooth.

Struck by... NEC

Miner suffered pinch caused laceration to 5th digit of right hand when latch sprung open from tension on rotex door. Miner was in process of inspecting screens. Laceration required 3 sutures to close wound. Miner returned to work to complete shift.

Struck by falling object

Miner suffered crushing laceration to big toe on right foot when a counterweight fell, striking EE's foot. EE was wearing steel toe boots which protected the foot from more serious injury. The miners were in process of changing a belt on wet plant machinery. A come-a-long holding the counterweight slipped allowing the weight to fall.

Struck against stationary object

While conducting inspection of a conveyor, they grasped a roller which had a sharp edge causing laceration to their hand which required 5 sutures to close the wound.

Over-exertion NEC

The employee slipped while climbing down from an Excavator's tracks. EE had three points of contact and did not fall but sprained shoulder.

Struck against a moving object

EE was traveling down the main entrance road, with EE's bucket down low and hit a pot hole. EE's bucket contacted the ground and the loader came to an abrupt stop and EE's improperly adjusted seat belt let EE bounce too far forward. EE slammed into the front of the loader causing a concussion (w/o LOC), small forehead cuts, and bruising.

Rubbed or abraded

Employee was adjusting the chain rigging on a dewatering screen motor. They hooked the rigging onto the fork of a skytrac. The skytrac operator did not wait for verbal confirmation or hand signals to begin lifting the load. Employee still had a hand on the chain and received a laceration on right hand ring finger.

Struck against a moving object

An employee was driving the manlift around the side of the plant to look into one of the main feed hoppers to check for a material cog. A front wheel loader working in the area did not see the manlift and backed into it. This caused the employee to slam into the handrail. This caused a muscle contusion on EE's left leg.

Fall to lower level, NEC

A truck driver arrived on site around 10:15PM and pulled up to MS, LLC's Safe Rach System to open the sand box hatch. Driver lowered the Safe-Rack cage properly onto the box. While opening the box hatch, Driver slipped and fell into the sand box. Local emergency response used a rescue ladder to help the driver climb out of the sand box.

Over-exertion NEC

Employee was climbing off excavator and slipped in the mud on the ground. Causing a small knee strain.