Soda Springs, Idaho — Recent Southeast Idaho industrial accidents injured employees at Agrium’s Conda Phosphate Operations near Soda Springs and the J.R. Simplot Co.’s phosphate fertilizer complex near Pocatello within two weeks of each other. On June 8, a Western States Equipment employee was injured while working on a piece of heavy equipment at Agrium’s Rasmussen Ridge mine shop. The unidentified worker was taken to Caribou Memorial Hospital in Soda Springs for treatment and later flown by Life Flight to Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, where he subsequently was released. “Operations were halted at the mine for a period of time to assure the accident could be thoroughly investigated and measures implemented to prevent further risk to anyone working at our mine site,” Agrium spokesman John Tippets said. “Those measures have been taken, and operations have resumed at the mine.” Agrium’s primary concern, thoughts, and prayers continue to be for the well-being of the man injured and his family, Tippets said. “While we take pride in the work we do and its role in feeding a growing world population, safety is always our first priority as we recognize the tremendous impact that injuries can have on employees, their families, friends, and co-workers,” he said. “We wish him a speedy and full recovery.” On May 25, exactly two weeks prior to the Agrium accident, a Simplot employee was injured at the Don Plant west of Pocatello. The Pocatello Fire Department responded at about noon and took the victim to Portneuf Medical Center. “The employee who was injured at our Pocatello plant was treated at a local hospital and released the same day,” Simplot spokesman David Cuoio said. The nature and extent of injuries suffered by the two employees were not divulged.
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