On November 25, 2014, a 67-year-old truck driver with 10½ years of experience was killed at a sandstone mine. The victim backed a haul truck to the edge of the overburden dumpsite and started to raise the truck’s bed to dump a load of material. The bank failed, causing the truck to overturn and fall 30 feet below. The victim died en route to the hospital.
- Task train all persons to understand safe job procedures.
- Establish and discuss safe work procedures before beginning work.
- Identify and control all hazards associated with the work to be performed.
- Conduct adequate pre-operational checks prior to operating mobile equipment.
- Always wear a seat belt when operating self-propelled mobile equipment.
- Examine dumping locations for stability prior to dumping the first load and as ground conditions warrant during the work shift. Where trucks are loaded out of the stockpile or ground conditions may fail to support the weight of the truck, dump loads a safe distance back from the edge.
- Maintain berms or similar impeding devices at dumping locations where there is a hazard of overtravel or overturning.
- Travel in a straight line when backing a truck toward a dump location. Do not approach on a turn.
- Monitor persons routinely to determine safe work procedures are followed.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf)