On Friday, August 16, 2013, a 24-year-old utility person with nearly 3 years of mining experience was killed when the Ford F350 utility pickup truck he was driving was crushed by a P&H 2800 electric shovel. A bulldozer and two pickup trucks were following the shovel while traveling up a grade (approximately 9%). The shovel rolled backward down the grade and hit the bulldozer and the two trucks. The driver of the first truck was killed, and the driver of the second truck sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital.
Best Practices
- Ensure the grade is within equipment capabilities and equipment braking and steering systems function as designed.
- Establish procedures that require smaller vehicles to maintain a safe distance from large mobile equipment. Provide training in those procedures.
- Use clear communication at all times. Utilize radios to communicate when visual contact cannot be maintained.
- Ensure road widths are sufficient for equipment movement.
- Designate specific roadways or provide alternate routes for light duty vehicles in high activity or congested areas.
- Ensure sufficient clearance is available for equipment movement.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf).