Utility Man

An employee was fatally injured when EE was struck by a third-party truck driver who failed to stop at a posted, lighted, STOP sign and made a sudden turn off the primary travel way. Local law enforcement arrested the third-party truck driver and charged the driver in connection with the accident.

On August 3, 2021, at 5:14 a.m., Reyes Lovington Jr., a 62 year-old utility worker with approximately 15 years of mining experience, died when a tractor-trailer operated by a mine customer struck him while he walked to his assigned work area. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) establish and follow rules to provide for the safe movement of self-propelled mobile equipment where a change to the traffic pattern occurred, and 2) provide site-specific hazard awareness training to alert truck drivers of the hazards associated with a change to the traffic pattern.

1. The mine operator did not establish and follow rules to provide for the safe movement of self-propelled mobile equipment where a change to the traffic pattern occurred.

   Corrective action: The mine operator conducted a traffic flow assessment and established rules to provide for the safe movement of self-propelled mobile equipment. The mine operator trained all miners and drivers on the rules. Additionally, the mine operator now transports all miners to their assigned work areas.

2. The mine operator did not provide site-specific hazard awareness training to alert truck drivers of the hazards associated with a change to the traffic pattern.

   Corrective action: The mine operator provided site-specific hazard awareness training for the truck drivers.

Read the full report (PDF)

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

Activity at time of incident

Walking, Running

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Struck by powered moving object

Source of injury

HGHWY ORE CARIER,LRGE TRK

Nature of injury

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

14 years

Experience at this mine

12 years

Experience in this job

12 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY