Haul/Off Road/Coal/Ore/Pit/Quarry/Rock/Rubber Tire Truck Driver

On May 6, 2017 at approximately 16:55 a haul truck operator backed up to a berm to dump, the berm breeched and the haul truck and berm slid down the highwall approximately 150 ft. There were no witness to the incident.

Texto original en inglés de la MSHA

On May 6, 2017, at approximately 4:45 p.m., Michael Ramsey, a 62-year-old miner with 14 years of mining experience, received fatal injuries when the Caterpillar 777F haul truck he was operating went over a highwall. The victim was backing up his haul truck to dump his load of overburden when the ground under the truck failed. The haul truck, with the victim inside, fell backwards over the highwall edge to the bottom of the pit containing dumped overburden. The truck traveled approximately 150 feet before coming to a stop. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not ensure that haul truck drivers dumped their loads a safe distance from the highwall. Also, the mine operator had knowledge that unsafe dumping was a practice at the mine.

1. The mine operator did not ensure that trucks dumped a safe distance from the highwall. Also, the operator had knowledge that unsafe dump practices were a practice at the mine. The truck fell because it was too close to the highwall and the ground at the dumping place did not support its weight.

   Acción correctiva: The mine operator submitted a revised ground control plan, which specifically states: “Berms will not be used as a stop under any circumstances. Trucks will not dump over the highwall under any circumstances. Trucks will dump short and material will be pushed over by bulldozers in any situation where the angle of repose has not been established. The minimum distance for trucks to dump in this situation will be 25 feet from the vertical un-shot edge above any highwall. At no time shall any trucks move or work parallel within 25 feet of the highwall edge.” All truck drivers and bulldozer operators have been trained in the revised ground control plant. To ensure that the ground control plan is being followed, the mine operator has placed a bulldozer at the dump site. The bulldozer operator communicates with the truck drivers to tell them where to dump. In addition, stakes have been installed 25 feet from the highwall so that truck drivers can see where to stop their trucks.

Hallazgos del informe final de investigación de la MSHA, que sustituye la narrativa preliminar anterior.

Actividad al momento del incidente

Haulage Or Dump Truck

Subunidad / ubicación

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Tipo de accidente

Golpeado contra un objeto en movimiento

Fuente de la lesión

HGHWY ORE CARIER,LRGE TRK

Naturaleza de la lesión

CRUSHING

Parte del cuerpo afectada

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Experiencia minera total

14 years

Experiencia en esta mina

10 years

Experiencia en este puesto

10 years

Grado de la lesión

FATALITY