Maintenance Man

Employee was working on removing a pin from a leveling cylinder on the back of the rock truck. While the employee was performing this work, the haul truck bed fell on top of the employee.

On October 19, 2021, at approximately 1:50 p.m., David Steen, a 58 year-old mechanic with 17 years of mining experience, was fatally injured when the haul truck dump body fell and pinned him against the truck frame. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) assure that the equipment was blocked against motion before the miner performed maintenance, and 2) train the miner on how to perform the task assigned to him.

1. The mine operator did not assure that the equipment was blocked against motion before the miner performed maintenance.

   Corrective action: The mine operator developed a new written procedure for blocking against motion. The procedure requires a supervisor to confirm the blocking arm is properly placed in the socket when the dump body must be raised to perform work on or around an articulated haul truck. The mine operator trained all miners on the new procedure.

2. The mine operator did not train the miner to perform the task assigned to him.

   Corrective action: The mine operator created a Job Safety Analysis (JSA), as required by the approved training plan. The mine operator trained all miners on their assigned tasks and how to use the JSA.

Read the full report (PDF)

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

Activity at time of incident

Machine Maintenance

Subunit / location

SURFACE AT UNDERGROUND

Accident type

Struck by falling 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

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY