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

For unknown reason an independent driver lost control of belly truck which caused it to jack knife, throwning driver from the cab. Driver was then run over by same truck.

On September 21, 2021, at 1:50 p.m., Gerardo Herrera, a 68 year-old contract truck driver with 20 years of experience, died while operating a haul truck. The victim was found lying in front of his haul truck near the edge of the haul road. The haul truck was upright and facing the opposite direction of the expected travel route. The accident occurred because the contractor did not: 1) maintain the trailer brakes in a functional condition, and 2) assure that the contract truck driver performed an adequate pre-operational inspection on the haul truck to identify defects prior to placing equipment into operation.

1. The contractor did not maintain the trailer brakes in a functional condition.

   Corrective action: Lara Truck informed MSHA that the trailer involved in the accident will never be placed into service on mine property. Lara Truck is no longer a contractor or providing haulage services at mines. As an additional precaution, the mine operator developed written procedures to assure that contractors perform adequate pre-operational inspections on mobile equipment, including inspecting brakes. The mine operator will observe contractor truck drivers perform inspections of their haul trucks and brakes as soon as they enter the mine property.

2. The contractor did not assure that the contract truck driver performed an adequate pre-operational inspection on the haul truck to identify defects prior to placing equipment into operation.

   Corrective action: Lara Truck is no longer a contractor or providing haulage services at mines. As an additional precaution, the mine operator developed written procedures to assure that contractors perform adequate pre-operational inspections on mobile equipment. The mine operator will observe contractor truck drivers perform inspections of their haul trucks as soon as they enter the mine property. The mine operator will assure that contractor truck drivers have the skills necessary to perform tasks in a safe manner. All miners and contractors have been trained in these procedures.

Read the full report (PDF)

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

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary 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

20 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY