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

Truck driver entered empty bulk trailer tank for unknown reason, and was later discovered unresponsive inside the trailer.

On June 17, 2014, Ronald Dwayne Dunn, Customer Truck Driver, age 41, parked his bulk tanker truck at a tanker top access platform, went to the top of the platform, and opened the bulk hatch on the trailer in preparation to get loaded with cement. Another driver noticed the victim was not on top of the truck. The driver found that the victim was inside the tank of the truck but could not get him out and called for help. A responder team arrived and found the victim unresponsive. He was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. On September 3, 2014, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) referred the accident to the Chargeability Review Committee. On February 2, 2015, the Chargeability Review Committee determined that this death should be charged to the mining industry. The autopsy report indicated that the manner of death was accidental and that the cause of death was asthma exacerbated by environmental dust exposure. The toxicology screen detected levels of theophylline, the active ingredient in the asthma inhaler. It appears Dunn may have accidentally dropped his asthma inhaler into the tank, proceeded to climb into the tank to retrieve it, and was unable to get out.

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

Activity at time of incident

Unknown

Subunit / location

MILL OPERATION/PREPARATION PLANT

Accident type

Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Source of injury

PULVERIZED MINERAL (DUST)

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

9 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY