First published by MSHA
MINE FATALITY – On September 21, 2021, a 68-year-old contract truck driver with 20 years of experience was fatally injured while operating a haul truck. The victim was found lying in front of his truck near the edge of a haul road. The truck was upright and in the opposite direction of the expected route of travel

- Establish a site traffic plan to include traffic routes, speed limits, and access points. Train miners to follow all traffic controls.
- Conduct pre-operational examinations to identify and repair defects that may affect the safe operation of equipment before placing equipment into service.
- Operate mobile equipment at speeds consistent with conditions of roadways, grades, curves, and traffic.
- Maintain control while operating mobile equipment. Never exceed a vehicle’s design capabilities, operating ranges, load limits, and safety features.
- Always wear a seat belt when operating mobile equipment.
- Never exit a moving vehicle. Remain in the seat with your seat belt secured.
This is the 27th fatality reported in 2021, and the twelfth classified as “Powered Haulage.”
McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.