Laborer

Truck driver was hauling gold ore to the plant. While descending the roadway from the mine, the victim lost control of truck. Went up embankment & over an appox drop 20' drop landing back in the roadway. The victim was transported to the hospital & died of injuries several days later.

On December 21, 2016, Robert Aprato Jr. (age 39), was fatally injured hauling ore from the mine site to a mill. While descending the haul road, Mr. Aprato lost control of his truck, traveled over an embankment and back onto the road, landing on the driver’s side of the truck. The accident occurred because management’s policies, procedures and controls failed to assure the victim could maintain control of the truck, and did not make certain the braking systems on the truck were maintained in a functional condition.

1. ACI and Giddings management’s policies and work procedures were inadequate, and failed to ensure that operators of self-propelled mobile equipment maintained control of the equipment while in motion.

   Corrective action: All haul truck operators were retrained in safe operating procedures and maintaining control of mobile equipment. ACI’s management has instituted a policy of increased ride-along monitoring and driving audits.

2. ACI and Giddings management’s policies and work procedures were inadequate and failed to ensure that all braking systems on self-propelled mobile equipment were maintained in a functional condition.

   Corrective action: ACI management developed and instituted a policy requiring contractors to complete pre-shift examinations that include brake inspections. The new policy requires contractors to document findings and corrective actions, and present the results with corrective actions to management for review.

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

Activity at time of incident

Haulage Or Dump Truck

Subunit / location

SURFACE AT UNDERGROUND

Accident type

Struck against a moving object

Source of injury

HGHWY ORE CARIER,LRGE TRK

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

HEAD, MULTIPLE PARTS

Total mining experience

3 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY