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

The driver was operating a articulated truck hauling dirt from the back of the lake. Driver lost control of the vehicle for an undetermined reason and drove the vehicle over the berm and into the lake. Operator was removed from the truck and transported to local hospital then later moved to Kearney then transferred to Omaha Hospital where he died on 3/19/15.

On March 17, 2015, Michael Jay Nickels, Haul Truck Driver, age 44, was injured operating an articulated haul truck. Nickels was operating on an elevated haul road that was on the embankment adjacent to the mine’s dredge pond when he drove off into the pond. The rescue team extricated Nickels from the truck and administered CPR. Nickels succumbed to his injuries and died on March 19, 2015. The accident occurred because mine management failed to install a berm along the elevated roadway where a drop-off hazard existed and failed to conduct workplace examinations to identify and correct hazardous conditions. Mine management also failed to ensure that the victim maintained control of the truck he was operating at all times and failed to ensure that the victim was wearing a seat belt.

1. Management failed to install a berm along an elevated roadway where a drop-off hazard existed for heavy mobile equipment travel.

   Corrective action: Management constructed adequate berms where the roadway hazardous drop-off existed.

2. Management failed to complete a workplace exam to identify and correct hazardous conditions in the working area.

   Corrective action: Management will develop a thorough training procedure on complete workplace examinations under variable workplace conditions.

3. Management failed to ensure that the equipment operator maintained control of the haul truck at all times.

   Corrective action: Management shall develop a task training process that will monitor newly trained equipment operators when new to the operation.

4. Management failed to ensure that the equipment operator wore his seat belt when operating the haul truck.

   Corrective action: Management retrained employees on the requirement of wearing seat belts while operating equipment. Management will monitor truck drivers to ensure seat belts are worn.

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

Activity at time of incident

Haulage Or Dump Truck

Subunit / location

DREDGE

Accident type

Drowning

Source of injury

WATER

Nature of injury

SUFFOC,SMOK INHILAT,DROWN

Body part affected

BODY SYSTEMS

Total mining experience

0 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY