On Monday, June 23, 2014, at approximately 7:35 p.m., a 58–year-old truck driver, with 5 years of mining experience, was killed when the haul truck he was operating traveled through a berm and descended approximately 75 feet into a spoil “V.”
Best Practices
- Maintain control of equipment at all times during operation.
- Ensure seat belts are provided, maintained, and worn at all times when equipment is in operation. Incorporate engineering controls that require seat belts to be properly fastened before equipment can be put into motion.
- Conduct pre-operational checks to identify and fix any defects that may affect the safe operation of equipment before it is placed into service.
- Know the truck’s capabilities, operating ranges, load limits and safety features.
- Provide and maintain adequate berms on the banks of roadways where a drop-off exists.
- Ensure all grades and haulage roads are appropriate for the haulage equipment being used.
- Train miners to understand the hazards associated with the work being performed.
- Monitor work habits routinely and examine work areas to ensure that safe work procedures are being followed.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).