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

A delivery truck driver for Stericycle Environmental Solutions arrived at Alternate Fuels to deliver drums. After opening trailer doors, the driver walked back to the cab of his truck and proceeded to climb the steps to get back in the cab when he suddenly fell backwards onto the ground striking the back of his head.

Gary Blackburn, Chemical Reclamation Services LLC., age 59, died May 29, 2015, after suffering a stroke and fall at the mine on May 18, 2015. On the day of the accident, Blackburn was delivering alternate fuel to the mine site. After arriving, he backed his truck up to Bay #5 at the Alternate Fuels area. Blackburn then exited the cab of his truck, opened the back doors of the trailer, and fell from the second step, while attempting to re-enter the cab of the truck, hitting his head on the ground. The autopsy revealed that Blackburn died of intracranial hemorrhage with herniation.

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

Activity at time of incident

Getting On Or Off Equipment

Subunit / location

MILL OPERATION/PREPARATION PLANT

Accident type

Fall from machine

Source of injury

GROUND

Nature of injury

CONCUSSION-BRAIN,CEREBRAL

Body part affected

BRAIN

Experience in this job

32 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY