Fermilab Weekly Safety Report Archive – 2013

Each week, Fermilab Today will publish the safety report compiled by the Fermilab ES&H section. It includes information on injuries reported at the Medical Department as well as the overall safety performance at the lab.

Tuesday, December 17
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q Section, contains one incident. While getting out of her car, an employee lost her footing on the ice, falling and twisting her back.

Tuesday, December 10
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q Section, contains three incidents. A contract employee stepped on a piece of metal, which pierced his foot through his rubber-soled shoes. He went to the Medical Office, who recommended he visit his doctor. A contract employee's leg was lacerated by a saw whose guard malfunctioned. He went to the emergency room and received 10 sutures. A contract employee hurt his hand against the sharp edge of a piece of sheet metal while removing it from the CDF detector bore. His hands were covered with leather gloves. He received eight sutures.

Tuesday, December 02
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q Section, contains no incidents.

Tuesday, November 26
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q Section, contains one incident. While hanging cables, an employee bumped his head against a light fixture reflector, resulting in a superficial laceration to his forehead. He received first-aid treatment.

Tuesday, November 19
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q Section, contains no incidents.

Tuesday, November 12
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q Section, contains no incidents.

Tuesday, November 5
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q Section, contains two incidents. An employee was exposed to scintillator oil on her right forearm, after which a red patch appeared on her arm. She received first-aid treatment. An employee experienced electric shock from cables that were not grounded or connected to a device. He later felt mild pain in his right hand and elbow. He received medical treatment.

Tuesday, October 29
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q Section, contains one incident. An employee tripped on a stair step and hit the wall with his forearm. This incident is report-only.

Tuesday, October 22
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q Section, contains two incidents. An employee poked her right index finger with pencil tip while removing pencils from a box. A foreign object was removed and first aid was applied. An employee slipped, but did not fall, on some stairs and bumped the back of his ankle. This is a report-only case.

Tuesday, October 15
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q Section, contains one incident. An employee reported pain in his right wrist. The Fermilab Medical Office gave him restrictions on the tasks he could perform.

Tuesday, October 08
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains one incident. An employee cut her left index finger while chopping food.

Tuesday, October 01
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains two incidents. An employee bent over to take a measurement when his hard hat fell forward off his head. Catching the hard hat and then standing up, he grazed his forehead against a piece of unistrut that protruded from the wall. He received first-aid treament. An employee struck her elbow twice on the surround around her desk, and the pain increased over time. The claim is pending.

Tuesday, September 24
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains no incidents.

Tuesday, September 17
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains two incidents. An employee who filed a claim for itching trunk and extremities (see Sept. 11 issue) received first-aid treatment. On his way to a hydrant, an employee stepped into a hole full of water covered by weeds. He fell, injuring his right hip, upper thigh and knee. This is a DART case.

Tuesday, September 10
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains two incidents. An employee was struck by an insect. Several minutes later he noticed a white spot with some swelling. He received first-aid treatment. An employee experienced itching, and red spots appeared on her legs and abdomen. The employee had trimmed weeds at Tank Farm. She was examined at the Medical Office.

Tuesday, September 3
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains no incidents.

Tuesday, August 27
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains one incident. A 20-foot-by-10-foot PVC pipe shifted during transport and fell when an employee opened the hatch of the vehicle to retrieve the pipe. The pipe contacted her right ankle and caused an abrasion. She received first aid.

Tuesday, August 20
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains three incidents. A contractor suffered first- and second-degree burns when his upper arm came into contact with a bare copper line. He received treatment and prescription medication, making this a recordable case. The copper line has been insulated and warning signs have been posted. An employee’s hand was crushed between a 100-pound steel fixture and a dumpster. The employee is using a splint and will undergo occupational therapy. This case is under investigation but will likely be a DART case. An employee noticed pain in his left knee on a July 16, 2013, flight to Chile.

Tuesday, August 13
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains two incidents. An employee stepping back to avoid some wasps, tripped and fell backwards, causing an abrasion to his right shoulder. He received first-aid treatment. An employee’s left hand was lacerated several times while helping to remove a bug zapper from its hanger. Six sutures were required and antibiotics were prescribed. This case is recordable.

Tuesday, August 6
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains one incident. A visitor suffered a laceration on his index finger when the wrench he was using slipped. His finger was cut either on the floor grating or on the corner of the unistrut he was adjusting. The laceration required three sutures. This case is recordable.

Tuesday, July 30
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains one incident. A contractor was stung on the right thigh and both hands. The case is not recordable.

Tuesday, July 23
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains four incidents. An employee misstepped and fell forward, striking his abdomen on a chair and injuring his left knee. This case is not recordable. An employee's thumb was punctured by a wire when he was tightening it with pliers, breaking the wire. The employee received a prescription for medicine. While drilling a steel plate, an employee received a steel sliver in his left index finger. Approximately 1,400 pounds of sulfur hexafluoride were unintentionally released during a gas recovery operation at MI-31. The incidnt is an ORPS Significance Category 4 event.

Tuesday, July 16
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains four incidents. An employee was stung by a wasp while maintaining equipment. He received first-aid treatment. While loading a box onto a truck, a subcontractor's finger was pinched between the load and the truck bed and avulsed the end of his finger. This is a recordable injury. An employee received a superficial laceration when the wrench he was using slipped off the bolt and struck the edge of a wall-mounted suport. He received first-aid treatment. An employee reported pain in his left hip and down his leg from the previous day's work.

Tuesday, July 09
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains three incidents. An employee felt a sudden sharp pain along his left shoulder blade while entering a vehicle. The Fermilab Medical Office diagnosed the injury as a neck strain. The employee received first-aid treatment. An employee hurt his right knee after twice stepping into a depression hidden by tall grass. An immobiizer and medication were prescribed. This is a pending claim. A subcontractor violated a lockout-tagout process while working in an accelerator enclosure. The incident is an ORPS Significance Category 2E violation.

Tuesday, July 02
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains no incidents.

Tuesday, June 25
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains two incidents. An employee scraped his left calf on a pitchfork tine hidden by brush along a creek. The pitchfork appeared to have been hidden for years and exposed recently by rain. He received first-aid treatment. After misstepping, an employee hit her head and suffered an abrasion.

Tuesday, June 18
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains three incidents. An employee was splashed in the face with hydraulic fluid from a pin hole leak in a forklift hydraulic line. The employee received first-aid treatment. While returning from repairing an exhaust fan, an employee, driving off-road through 4-foot-high grass, struck a concrete shaft with a steel cap. He was uninjured. An employee has a standard threshold shift in his right ear. The case is being investigated for work relatedness.

Tuesday, June 11
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains three incidents. An employee struck his shoulder against a stock materials rack. The prescription of physical therapy makes this case recordable. An employee tripped up two steps while at CERN. The claim is pending, but the case is not recordable since it occurred outside the United States. An employee fell while entering a trench. The claim is pending until its investigation is complete.

Tuesday, June 04
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains two incidents. An employee fell and struck his upper arm and back after the top bar of a commercially procured pipe rack attached to the bed of the pick-up truck detached. He received first-aid treatment. A subcontractor sustained a sprain in his left wrist after losing his balance and falling off a stepstool.

Tuesday, May 28
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains no incidents.

Tuesday, May 21
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains four incidents. A visitor was diagnosed with a contusion and sprain of the left hand after a sling used to rig a 200-pound piece of equipment slipped and trapped her hand between the equipment and the support structure. This case is recordable. A half-inch splinter became lodged in am employee's hand. He received first-aid treatment. An employee fell and struck his left elbow on the pavement. He received first-aid treatment. An employee experienced shoulder pain and numbness while working. The claim is pending.

Tuesday, May 14
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains five incidents. An employee had a coworker remove a tick from his head while working outdoors. The Medical Office removed another tick himself the following morning. He received first-aid treatment. An employee was stung on the arm by a bee. He received first-aid treatment. An employee suffered a puncture laceration when the screwdriver he was using slipped and struck his left thumb. He received first-aid treatment. An employee backed a vehicle into a pole in the parking lot. There were no injuries. An employee experienced stinging eyes, stuffy nose and a taste of dirt after moving into his new office.

Tuesday, May 07
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains one incident. While using a strain gauge to calibrate a piece of equipment, the plastic tie-wraps holding one end of the gauge failed, causing the equipment to spin uncontrolled. A nearby employee attempted to stop the rotation with his hands, and another employee depressed the emergency stop button. There were no injuries or equipment damage.

Tuesday, April 30
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains three incidents. Two employees suffered eye irritation requiring medical treatment. Both cases are recordable. An employee fell in the parking lot. No treatment was required.

Tuesday, April 23
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains one incident. In February an employee slipped and fell in the parking lot during a snow and ice event, resulting in first-aid treatment. In the weeks after the slip and fall, he continued to have pain and followed up with his personal physician. X-ray examination indicates he suffered a fracture to his wrist.

Tuesday, April 16
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains four incidents. An employee strained his hamstring after jumping off a lift gate. Work restrictions make this case a DART. An employee received first aid after experiencing pain in his ribs while trying to straighten a ladder. An employee noted right-elbow pain, especially while working on a laptop. This claim is pending. While a subcontractor was repairing a door to the large elevator at MINOS, an incident occurred, resulting in a door falling down the elevator shaft. There were no injuries.

Tuesday, April 09
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains two incidents. An employee had a foreign object removed from his left eyelid. This is a previously pending claim. Helium over-pressurization caused a plastic bladder inside a gas storage trailer to burst.

Tuesday, April 02
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains no incidents.

Tuesday, March 26
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains one incident. An employee struck his head on a concrete stairwell while leaning over to speak to a co-worker. He received first-aid treatment.

Tuesday, March 19
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains no incidents. The claim-pending hearing loss case was determined to be occupational. A standard threshold shift is recordable.

Tuesday, March 12
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains two incidents. An employee lacerated his finger on a sharp metal chip. Medical treatment makes this case recordable. An employee slipped and fell in the parking lot, injuring his shoulder. Medical treatment makes this case recordable.

Tuesday, March 05
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains one incident. An employee suffered a minor injury to his thumb after the wind blew a truck door against it. He received first-aid treatment.

Tuesday, February 19
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains two incidents. An employee slipped on ice and fell, resulting in first-aid treatment. An employee bumped his head, resulting in first-aid treatment.

Tuesday, February 12
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains two incidents. An employee noticed increased neck pain after working long hours. Prescription medication makes this case recordable. An employee slipped and fell on ice, requiring first-aid treatment.

Tuesday, February 05
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains five incidents. An employee experienced numbness in one finger after using a computer mouse. An employee experienced pain in his left knee, requiring first-aid treatment. An employee was splashed in the face while fixing a leak in a sewer pipe. An employee has shown a standard threshold shift in both ears. This claim is pending. An employee noticed increased neck pain after working long hours. This claim is pending.

Tuesday, January 29
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ESH&Q section, contains five incidents. A subcontract employee struck his thumb with a hammer, resulting in medical treatment. A subcontract employee cut his hand with a utility knife, resulting in medical treatment. A subcontract employee slipped on ice, but did not require treatment. An employee felt back pain after moving concrete blocks. He received first-aid treatment. An employee slipped on ice. He received first-aid treatment.

Tuesday, January 15
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ES&H section, contains four incidents. Two separate employees slipped and fell on ice. They received first-aid treatment. An employee cut his finger on the sharp edge of a shelving unit. He received first-aid treatment. An employee slipped on the floor and fell against the wall. He received first-aid treatment.

Tuesday, January 08
This week's safety report, compiled by the Fermilab ES&H section, contains five incidents. Two separate employees showed a standard threshold shift in their hearing (previously pending-claim cases). Both cases have been determined to be work-related. An employee strained his back while repositioning a section of fence. He received first-aid treatment. An employee reported feeling occasional discomfort in his wrist while using his keyboard. An employee slipped and fell on the sidewalk. The claim is pending.