EE AND COWORKER WERE CHANGING BITS IN A MINER--THESE BITS HAD BEEN IN THE HEAD FOR 4 OR 5 YEARS & WERE STUCK/FROZEN TIGHT. WHILE USING AN OLD CAT PAD PIN TO KNOCK THEM OUT. COWORKER HIT IT WIT H A SLEDGE HAMMER & PIN CAME FLYING OUT & STRUCK EE IN LEFT EAR AS HE BENT OVER TO PICK UP A BIT.