Mining Incidents

Houston PlantMetal/Nonmetal

Controlled by John H Waters
Houston, Harris County, TX · Active
MSHA Mine ID: 4104449
Fatalities
1
Total incidents
46
Years on record
2004–2025
Latest incident
Nov 2025

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
Contact with electrical current

Contributing Factors: (1)Energized equipment. (2)EE failure to follow company LO/TO procedures. (3)Outer wire jacket showed signs of heating & cooling. (4)EE grabbed the live ""C"" phase wire.

Reportable incidents

45 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2025 · 2 incidents

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was building plow assemblies on metal table, when attempting to flip it, the plow slid and flipped rapidly which caught a finger resulting in a smashed finger and laceration. Employee was wearing work gloves during time of incident.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EE was bagging on BGI when the air line for the pinch tube began to leak air. EE turned off the air line and leaned over to check the air hose & attempt to repair. The employee put EE's left hand near the pinch tube clamp and EE's right hand on the spout which activated the pinch tube clamp which closed on EE's left thumb

2024 · 2 incidents

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

While installing the drive belts on mill, they were turning the sheaves & rolling the belts over the grooves. During the 4th belt, the injured EE had left hand on the belt near the sheave. The belts were pulled toward the EE resulting in left little finger getting caught between the belt & the sheave. EE's finger was pinched between the belt & sheave as it made the rotation.

Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Employee was wrapping the pallets when one of them got stuck in the stretch hooder on the chain conveyor, employee tried to manually pull it out and strained back. Employee did not complain at that time and was off two days. Upon EE's return on 8/29, EE requested to have back checked out.

2023 · 1 incident

Fall down stairs

EE was teaching a temp to run the robot, as EE began down the stairs EE started coughing and missed the last step which led to a fall on EE's right side, in which EE rolled/twisted EE's left ankle. EE refused medical treatment initially. One Dec 28th 2023, EE called and stated EE's ankle was hurting and requested medical treatment.

2022 · 1 incident

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was attempting to close the ears on a hose camlock with a 5 lb. steel hammer when EE struck right thumb with the hammer causing the injury.

2021 · 1 incident

Struck against stationary object

Employee was sitting in a chair at the 100lb. bagging machine when employee swung to the left to catch a new bag that was falling off of the stand, causing employee to strike left elbow.

2018 · 4 incidents

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EE was overhauling Mill #5. EEs were adjusting the flanged ring that sits on top of high side by hand to line up bolt holes when the flanged ring slipped off of high side crushing EE's left index & middle fingers. The end of the left index finger had to be amputated by doctors from 1st finger knuckle to the end (approximately 1"").

Bodily reaction, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was cleaning out the wind box for Mill #3. The wind box is a tight area. The EE got a cramp in left inner thigh. The EE exited the wind box and started walking off the cramp. The EE decided to shake left leg and caused a muscle strain to left inner thigh. The EE wanted to be transported by ambulance to ER because EE said it hurt too much to walk.

Struck against a moving object

Loader operator in training injured shoulder when hitting it against the cab wall when loader turned onto its side.

Struck against stationary object

Injured person was cleaning glass beaker in the lab with the incorrect size wire brush when the top of the beaker broke causing employee to cut right index finger.

2017 · 2 incidents

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Temporary employee was assisting with mill overall using an air impact tool and bent over to loosen the nuts on the plow. As temporary employee began to straighten up EE felt pain in EE's lower back. Temporary employee is being treated for lower back pain by medical professional.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Temp employee removed a safeguard to clean out a clogged valve. EE proceeded to clean out the valve with finger. EE did not shut off or lock out the machine. EE right index finger was cut off at the first knuckle.

2016 · 1 incident

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was moving parts on a pallet by hand and pinched right hand middle finger between two metal parts causing laceration to right middle finger bottom knuckle.

2015 · 1 incident

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee finished unloading material. He went to rack his hoses on his truck. As he was racking them, he slipped on mud and lost his footing causing him to twist his body to try and catch himself from falling. He ended spraining a muscle in his lower back.

2014 · 3 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was trying to turn a shaft with a pipe wrench above his head. It broke loose and struck the employee in the head with the handle in the head.

Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Employee was working on a bagging system that had sprung a leak. Employee reach behind the machine to find out where the leak was. A clamp came down on his hand and caught his index and ring fingers in a pinch point. Employee needed stitches to close the wound on his ring finger.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was walking and tripped on a curb at a local convenience store after refueling his company vehicle. He fell on his elbows and knees bruising them and injuring his right shoulder in the process.

2013 · 3 incidents

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was rodding out mill #5 feed tank with a bar and hammer. He next went to mill #3. While climbing down mill #3 ladder he felt numbness from his left fingers and his left shoulder.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was dumping a hopper full of material, wasn't paying attention to his footing when he pushed the lever, he didn't realize his foot was underneath the hopper and when he pushed it downward the hopper fell forward and smashed his foot.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was cleaning up oil near some line blinds. He slipped and banged his shin into a product line.

2012 · 1 incident

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Conditions contributing to the accident involved a combination of inexperience and incorrect usage of tools.

2010 · 2 incidents

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

An employee, in an attempt to re-adjust the photo eye of a palletizing machine, had his right hand crushed by a bag wiper.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was transferred from warehouse location to mine site. Employee was loading 50 lb. sacks of material on to pallets from 7:15 a.m. to time of injury. When the employee stood straight after being bent over, stated experiencing a pull in lower back. 03/08/2010 employee sought a physician and diagnosis was a lumbar strain, next visit, 03/15/2010.

2009 · 3 incidents

Struck against stationary object

While attempting to clear the right hand fill spout employee hit his right hand on the end of the spout cutting the inside of his right index finger.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Twisted knee when he stepped off of bagging unit.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was replacing packing and thought the piece of equipment was turned off, the equipment cycled and pulled his left hand, pinching it between the inside casing and the actuator. The equipment had been locked out, but the employee unlocked the equipment to test it, then failed to relock.

2008 · 3 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was cleaning out a tank and while bent over the clamp from an air hose broke and the hose fell hitting him on his right ear causing his hard hat to come off and the plug in his right ear to fall out.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee used an unprotected razor bladde to cut a plastic tie wrap. The blade slipped and cut his finger.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While ""rodding"" mill 3 feed tank, employee strained right shoulder.

2007 · 5 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Victim staes the injury occurred on 11/23/07 just before leaving work at 5:00PM (CST). She said she was loading a truck and was poked with a wire in her left little finger. Reported to management on 11/28/2007. Employee was wearing leather gloves.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While cleaning out a bagging machine, EE caught his left middle finger on the impeller blade (the bagger was locked out, the blade did not move). He sustained a laceration and avulsion to his middle finger.

Struck by flying object

Employee was filling 100 lb. bags of barite when a bag burst and product sprayed into both eyes.

Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Reported that he was pushing product, which is thick and gummy in consistency, through a feeder when he exerted a pushing type force with a twisting motion in the completing the activity. Discomfort to his left low back and left hip & some discomfort to his neck between his shoulder blades. Denies numbness to his arms or legs. Able to walk without difficulty.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee slipped on mud while walking and sprained his wrist when he braced his fall.

2006 · 1 incident

Fall down stairs

Employee stumbled on stairs in the mill room as he was servicing the mill.

2005 · 7 incidents

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee injured back while stacking 100 lb. bags.

Over-exertion in wielding or throwing objects

Employee injured his wrist while swinging a hammer.

Struck against stationary object

Employee struck his hand against a bagging machine.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee tried to step over a ladder that was laying on its edge. He tripped and fell to the concrete surface. Strained and bruised left shoulder and arm.

Struck against stationary object

Employee missed placement of bag and cut hand on spout. This was initially determined to be a first aid case. Upon audit for 7000-2 preparation it was discovered that the wound was sutured.

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was bagging and stacking 100 lb. bags when he experienced a sharp pain in his chest.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

During packing, a bag burst and sprayed powder on the side of employee's head. Employee reported incident and pain on 01/24/2005.

2004 · 2 incidents

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee had bagged 21 pallets of 50 LB. bags. After taking a break at 10:00 p.m. he experienced pain in his back.

Struck by flying object

UNKNOWN PARTICLE LODGED IN EYE WHILE WELDING.