Bulldozer Operator

Employee maintaining equipment in mobile fuel truck lost power and brakes moving down a steep grade resulting in over-turned truck.

Brandon J. Astle, a 39-year-old contract Equipment Operator with 16 years of total mining experience, died on August 2, 2019, when the fuel/lube truck he was driving overturned. While descending the haul road, the victim called over the radio and reported that the truck’s brakes did not work. The truck traveled approximately one mile down a seven percent grade haul road, struck a berm on a runaway truck ramp, and overturned. The accident occurred because: 1) the contractor did not maintain the braking systems on the fuel/lube truck; 2) the contractor did not inspect the fuel/lube truck prior to placing it in service; and 3) the contractor did not ensure employees wear seatbelts at all times when operating equipment.

1. The Contractor did not ensure all braking components on the fuel/lube truck were in functional condition.

   Corrective action: The Contractor revised policies and procedures for ensuring all braking components are in working order on their fleet of equipment. The Contractor has trained their equipment operators on how to check braking components on the equipment they operate and the Contractor’s mechanics now have scheduled brake examinations.

2. The Contractor’s policies, procedures and controls were not adequate to ensure pre-operational inspection of all mobile equipment before use.

   Corrective action: The Contractor revised policies and procedures for ensuring all mobile equipment get a pre-operational inspection. The Contractor retrained the workforce on the revised policies and procedures.

3. The Contractor did not enforce its written policies, procedures, and controls for ensuring mobile equipment operators wear seatbelts while operating mobile equipment.

   Corrective action: The Contractor retrained its workforce at the mine in the requirements and use of wearing seatbelts while operating mobile equipment.

Findings from MSHA's final investigation report, which supersedes the preliminary narrative above.

Activity at time of incident

Utility Truck, Water Trucks

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Struck against a moving object

Source of injury

PASS CARS,PICKUP TRUCKS

Nature of injury

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

16 years

Experience at this mine

4 years

Experience in this job

6 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY