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

The victim backed the truck he was driving to the edge of the overburden dumpsite and started to raise the truck's bed to dump a load of material. The bank failed and the truck overturned falling 30 feet below. The victim died in route to the hospital.

On November 25, 2014, James P. Crane, Truck Driver, age 67, was killed while operating a haul truck. Crane backed the haul truck to the edge of an overburden dumpsite and started to raise the truck’s bed to dump a load of material. The bank failed, causing the truck to overturn and fall 30 feet below. The accident occurred due to management’s failure to ensure examinations were conducted periodically at the dumping location throughout the shift as changing conditions warranted. Management also failed to ensure that loads were dumped a safe distance back from the undercut edge of the overburden stockpile. An excavator removed material from the toe area of the overburden stockpile as material was being dumped from the haul truck at the top. Removing material from the pile steepened the slope angle from 30 to 39 degrees, creating an unstable condition at the dump site. The loaded haul truck backed very close to the edge of the overburden stockpile where the weight from the truck caused a localized failure and loss of ground under the back wheels of the loaded truck. As the rear of the truck dropped, the downward and lateral momentum caused it to flip over onto the cab, landing approximately 30 feet down the slope of the overburden stockpile.

1. Management failed to inspect the dumping location periodically throughout the shift as changing conditions warranted. Material had been loaded from the stockpile directly below the dump location which steepened the slope angle and reduced the stability.

   Corrective action: Management established policies and procedures to ensure that dumping locations are inspected at the beginning of the shift and during mining operations for signs of slope instability. The top of the dump area is to be examined for cracks, unstable ground, and sunken or soft areas. The load-out area is to be examined for signs of undercutting and over steepening of the slope. All mobile equipment operators were trained in these new policies and procedures.

2. Management failed to ensure that loads were dumped a safe distance back from the undercut edge of the overburden stockpile.

   Corrective action: Management established policies and procedures to ensure that loads are dumped a safe distance back from the edge of the overburden stockpile. A front-end loader will be used to push the material over the edge. No material will be dumped over the edge while material is being removed from the toe of the stockpile. All mobile equipment operators were trained in these new policies and procedures.

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

Activity at time of incident

Haulage Or Dump Truck

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Struck against a 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

10 years

Experience at this mine

10 years

Experience in this job

10 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY