Mine Manager

Employee was in an articulating haul truck, was traveling down the haul road at the Quarry. The victim was moving the haul truck down a steep grade, around a turn, when the haul truck traveled through a berm and off a short drop-off. The victim was found hours later by the owner of the company, the victim was not wearing a seat belt.

Jerry Baller, a 63-year-old Quarry Manager with 17 years’ experience, died on October 19, 2018, when the haul truck he was operating traveled through a berm while descending a ramp at the bottom of the quarry road. The accident and fatality occurred because the mine operator did not: (1) maintain the haul truck’s retarder system in a functional state; (2) ensure miners wear seatbelts at all times when operating equipment, and (3) inspect equipment prior to placing it in service.

1. Management did not have policies, procedures, and controls for removing equipment from service when a defect affecting safety is found.

   Corrective action: The Company developed policies and procedures for removing equipment from service when a defect is found. The workforce at the mine was retrained using the new policies and procedures.

2. Management did not enforce its written policies, procedures, and controls for ensuring all miners wear seatbelts while operating mobile equipment.

   Corrective action: The Company retrained the workforce at the mine in the use and requirements of wearing seatbelts while operating mobile equipment.

3. Management did not enforce its written policies, procedures, and controls for ensuring mobile equipment operators complete pre-operational examinations prior to operating equipment.

   Corrective action: The Company retrained the workforce at the mine in performing pre-operational examinations of mobile equipment prior to operating any equipment.

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

CRUSHING

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

17 years

Experience at this mine

17 years

Experience in this job

17 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY