United Plant — Accidents

Total: 262 accidents | Fatalities: 1

Date Classification Injury Days Lost Narrative
01/18/2026 ENTRAPMENT ACCIDENT ONLY None EE entered into Otis freight elevator to get to another floor in the Pellet Plant while performing operational rounds. Elevator stopped operating. While on the phone with the MSHA OneCall, elevator...
12/27/2025 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None EE was exiting a Broderson mobile crane and caught their foot on the bottom edge of the Broderson doorway. The EE tripped and fell approximately 18-20 inches striking their left knee on the ground. Th...
10/14/2025 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) DYS AWY FRM WRK & RESTRCTD ACT 44d lost, 13d restricted MMG's were removing the 5B rougher drum in the east side of the Concentrator to repair the tub. They used OH crane to remove drum to set the magnetic rougher drum on ball mill floor cover. The cover b...
09/15/2025 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee was using a utility knife to cut zip ties when they slipped and cut their right thumb which required sutures.
08/28/2025 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DYS AWY FRM WRK & RESTRCTD ACT 1d lost, 31d restricted Employee was walking outside of the unload pocket when they stepped into a wash-out injuring their lower back.
07/29/2025 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee was using brass punch to remove rod screen arm bearing. During this activity a piece of the punch broke off hitting employee's tooth. The employee did not visit a dental office until 9/10/25,...
07/09/2025 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DYS AWY FRM WRK & RESTRCTD ACT 99d lost, 6d restricted Employees were positioning a roll crusher roller when the load shifted causing the roller to strike the injured employee's right foot resulting in three broken bones.
06/23/2025 NONPOWERED HAULAGE DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 4d lost Employee was pushing a 55 gallon grease drum with a drum cart when the tire struck a bolt in the grating causing the employee to hit their ribs on the cart handle. The employee was evaluated on June 2...
02/06/2025 MACHINERY DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 10d restricted Employee was holding a bolt with the left hand and started to use an impact wrench to loosen the bolt. The bolt head began to spin in the hand resulting in a laceration of the left middle finger requi...
11/08/2024 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DYS AWY FRM WRK & RESTRCTD ACT 1d lost, 1d restricted Employee was opening a sliding steel pocket door to the complete open position when they pinched their right pinky finger between a latch and the door frame.
08/26/2024 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 38d restricted Employee pinched the right thumb between a pipe support and existing steel structure resulting in a fractured thumb.
08/23/2024 OCCUPATIONAL SKIN DISEASES OCCUPATNAL ILLNESS NOT DEG 1-6 None EE was working in a hot, humid and dusty environment. Employee noticed a rash forming. The employee initially thought it was chafing or possibly a heat rash. It was later determined that the employee...
08/23/2024 OCCUPATIONAL SKIN DISEASES OCCUPATNAL ILLNESS NOT DEG 1-6 None EE was working in a hot, humid and dusty environment. Employee noticed a rash forming. The employee initially thought it was chafing or possibly a heat rash. It was later determined that the employee...
08/19/2024 POWERED HAULAGE DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 34d lost While discussing the next shift's work with other contractors, a piece of refractory fell from near the top of the stack, striking employee directly on the top of EE's hard hat, knocking EE unconsciou...
08/12/2024 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 36d restricted Injured was walking on uneven floor grating when they tripped and fell to their knees.
06/07/2024 FIRE ACCIDENT ONLY None When first starting the unit at 7:15am a cloud of white smoke came out of the engine followed by a cloud of black smoke. Employee noticed the smoke and exited the excavator. The fire burned for 12 min...
06/06/2024 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 1d lost Employee was mounting haul truck tire on a five piece rim when EE pinched the index and middle finger of right hand between the lock ring and the bead seat of the tire resulting in a break of the bone...
05/06/2024 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee was in the process of hauling a used troughing roller to a flat bed truck when they dropped the roller on their right hand resulting in a laceration.
05/01/2024 OTHER DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 287d lost Employee was installing insulation on roof. One employee was handing a piece of 4x8 to EE when the wind came up and blew it up and hit EE and knocked EE to the roof.
03/01/2024 FIRE ACCIDENT ONLY None When loading trucks on the tailings basin a newly installed by 3rs party hydraulic pump on a PC800 excavator caught on fire. Employee noticed flames in the mirror and exited the excavator. The fire bu...
12/28/2023 FIRE DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 13d restricted Employee used a personal lighter to burn off a loose thread from their coveralls when the chemical being used for belt maintenance ignited resulting in a burn to the hand.
10/17/2023 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee tripped while taking measurements which resulted in falling and cutting the employee's left knee requiring stitches.
10/10/2023 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 19d restricted Employee was assisting in positioning some steel channel in a storage location. As the channel was being moved, the employee pinched the left thumb between the two pieces resulting in a hairline fract...
06/27/2023 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 42d restricted Employee was lifting a 5' lining bar weighing approximately 20 lbs. when they dislocated their right shoulder. The affected employee has a previous history of right shoulder issues which includes prev...
05/17/2023 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 260d restricted EE was working near conveyor belt 10 as the vacuum truck operator. The employee was walking back to the vac truck and tripped on a rock causing EE to fall and land on EE's shoulder. EE dislocate EE's...
05/09/2023 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 17d restricted Employee was using a 1/2"" drive torque wrench and while in the process of torqueing bolts and felt discomfort in the right elbow. Employee was given a sling at the ER visit.
03/06/2023 MACHINERY NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None A Maviro employee was performing HPWB operations at the United Taconite mine, when a 10K PSI dump valve failed to properly dump water and cause the injured employee to lose their balance and hit the b...
01/24/2023 DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA) OCCUPATNAL ILLNESS NOT DEG 1-6 109d restricted Mechanic was diagnosed with tenosynovitis of the wrist flexor.
01/18/2023 MACHINERY NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee was cutting a rubber hose with a battery-powered, handheld cutoff tool. The wheel caught and kicked the tool back causing the cutoff wheel to cut through the employee's leather work glove and...
12/08/2022 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None While placing a scaffolding section in 4c crusher base, employee pinched their right pinky finger between the scaffolding section and some rocks at the bottom of the base. Resulting laceration require...
11/05/2022 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DYS AWY FRM WRK & RESTRCTD ACT 2d lost, 7d restricted Operator misstepped off of last rung while descending from 8 yard loader. Did not fall due to having 3 points of contact but abrupt motion caused acute lower back pain.
09/22/2022 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DYS AWY FRM WRK & RESTRCTD ACT 5d lost, 11d restricted Mechanic was installing adjustment ring for crusher and trying to position an inner spring bolt that was stuck/hung up. Bolt released and dropped downward, pinching the employee's right hand pinky fin...
08/16/2022 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 10d restricted Welder was releasing a plate magnet when their ring finger was caught in a pinch point between the handle and body of the magnet, resulting in an open non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx.
07/14/2022 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DYS AWY FRM WRK & RESTRCTD ACT 40d lost, 70d restricted Operator was diagnosed and treated for rotator cuff repair. Previously reported discomfort after shoveling material next to a conveyor belt.
07/12/2022 DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA) OCCUPATNAL ILLNESS NOT DEG 1-6 48d restricted Electrician was diagnosed with trigger thumb of the right hand. No specific incident, developed over time.
04/23/2022 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 4d lost Employee was working near the pellet furnace double-dump dust valves when an unexpected hot dust cloud contacted employee in the face.
03/15/2022 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 115d restricted Employee's foot slipped on last rung while descending ladder. Their foot landed awkwardly; they twisted their ankle resulting in a sprain.
11/08/2021 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee tripped on uneven concrete and sprained their right ankle.
08/28/2021 FIRE ACCIDENT ONLY None Rod Screen Crusher 1F caught fire. Cause was the non-drive side bearing failed and overheated. Ignited lube lines and rubber screen panels.
07/24/2021 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 5d lost Operator was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia, same area of multiple previous hernias. Employee felt pain when they attempted to open the Kiln Preheat door.
07/15/2021 FIRE ACCIDENT ONLY None Pellet Plant grate/kiln stack area of the roof caught on fire. Investigation revealed a small piece of refractory had been released onto the roof when the stack cap was opened earlier in the day.
05/11/2021 OTHER DYS AWY FRM WRK & RESTRCTD ACT 51d lost, 27d restricted Employee felt discomfort in their back and was diagnosed with lumbosacral radiculopathy.
04/30/2021 ENTRAPMENT ACCIDENT ONLY None At 8:40 AM (2) employees radioed that they were stuck in the man elevator in the Pellet Plant. Electricians cycled power and were able to get the elevator moving again. 9:13 AM both employees were out...
03/30/2021 POWERED HAULAGE DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 66d restricted EE was assisting a fork truck operator unloading steel plates from a trailer deck. The fork truck operator inadvertently tipped the plate causing it to fall off the trailer deck. The plate struck th...
03/11/2021 ENTRAPMENT ACCIDENT ONLY None Two employees were unable to exit the pellet plant man elevator for a period of approximately 1 hour due to a blown control circuit fuse.
03/01/2021 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 5d lost Coal attendant did not report to work due to irritation/inflammation of lower back. Attributed to repetitive movement which may have resulted from work at a mine.
01/07/2021 FIRE ACCIDENT ONLY None WHILE CUTTING PARTS ON WELD SHOP PLASMA TABLE, EMPLOYEE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM DUST COLLECTOR EXHAUST DUCT. FIRE WAS IN THE COLLECTOR AND WAS EXTINGUISHED. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE OUTSIDE OF COLLECTO...
01/06/2021 STRIKING OR BUMPING NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Low headroom in ductwork. Existing piece of steel angle on roof of duct. EE was on hands and knees cleaning work area when hard hat fell off. EE stood up to put hard hat back on and struck the top of...
12/21/2020 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 35d lost Section of 6"" rubber lined pipe shifted during installation crushing mechanics foot into another pipe. Mechanic suffered a fractured tibia.
12/18/2020 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee was performing Iron analysis procedure. While dispensing acid, a hairline crack developed in the bottle top dispenser and released a fine mist from the side of the dispenser. Vapors caused ir...