UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION


North Central District
Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health


Accident Investigation Report
Surface Nonmetal Mine
(Sand and Gravel)


Fatal Powered Haulage Accident


Algonquin Sand and Gravel
Material Service Corporation
Algonquin, McHenry County, Illinois
(I.D. No. 11-01117)


June 19, 1996


By


Jerry L. Spruell
Mine Safety and Health Inspector


Originating Office
Mine Safety and Health Administration
Federal Building, U.S. Courthouse
515 West First St., #228
Duluth, MN 55802-1302


James M. Salois
District Manager

GENERAL INFORMATION

Raymond Remillard, contract truck driver, age 35, was fatally injured on June 19, 1996 at about 10:30 a.m. when a mine haulage truck ran him over. Eugene McPheron, also a contract truck driver, was injured in the same accident. They had parked their trucks on both sides of a haul road intersection, waiting to be loaded from stockpiles. While waiting, they were standing in the intersection between their trucks when they were run over by a Material Service Corporation Euclid 35 ton haul truck. Remillard had no mining experience but had been driving over-the-road trucks since 1984. McPheron had driven trucks for a sand and gravel operation and at coal mines. He had also driven over-the-road trucks since 1970. Neither of the truck drivers had received training in accordance with 30 CFR Part 48.

Randall Mucha, manager of safety for the mining company, notified MSHA on the day of the accident at 11:35 a.m. The investigation was started the same day.

Algonquin Sand and Gravel, a surface sand and gravel mine, owned and operated by Material Service Corporation, was located at Algonquin, McHenry County, Illinois. The principal operating official was Jeff Braswell, plant superintendent. A total of 23 employees worked a nine to ten hour shift, five days a week, at the mine and plant. The mine had been in operation since 1954.

A dragline and front-end loader were used to mine raw material in the pit. The pit run material was then conveyed to the plant where it was sized, washed, and stockpiled for sale as construction aggregate.

Raymond Remillard (victim) owned and operated Stephcor, Inc., a trucking firm located in Carpentersville, Illinois. The truck he owned and operated was sub-leased to Horizon Cartage, a trucking firm contracted to haul aggregate from the Algonquin mine.

The last regular inspection of this operation was conducted April 10-24, 1996. Another regular inspection was conducted at the conclusion of this investigation.

PHYSICAL FACTORS INVOLVED

The company haulage truck involved in the accident was a 1965, Euclid R-35 rear dump truck, serial number 41508 (Co. #546502). It was 12 feet wide at the front, 11 feet 3 inches wide at the rear wheels, and 28 feet in length. The cab roof was 11 feet, 5 inches from the ground. The operator had blind spots to the right front, sides, and rear of the truck. Two exhaust mufflers, 10-1/4 inches in diameter, were mounted vertically through each side of the hood, creating additional obstructions in the driver's field of vision.

The Euclid truck was normally used to haul finished product from the mill bins to various stockpiles. The empty truck was returning to the mill area for loading when the accident occurred.

The Euclid truck driver's pre-operation examination sheet did not list any safety defects on the truck prior to the accident. MSHA's inspection of the truck during this investigation indicated the seat belt and service brake system were functional and no other safety defects were found.

Traffic control signs regulating speeds and traffic pattern were posted in the yard. A notice requiring that all traffic control signs be followed was also posted.

The contracted haulage trucks routinely arrived at the plant stockpiles to be loaded by a front-end loader. The trucks would form a line while waiting their turn to be loaded. One of the over-the-road trucks parked near the intersection further impaired the vision of the haulage truck driver who had to turn between it and the truck parked 65.5 feet away, on the other side of the intersection. The haulage road and intersection were level where the accident occurred. Remillard's truck was parallel parked about 4 feet from the mill wash plant the Euclid truck was hauling product from.

Several other contractor trucks were parked in the stockpile area waiting to be loaded, however, there were no witnesses to the accident.

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT

On the day of the accident, Raymond Remillard (victim) and Eugene McPheron (injured) started their work day at about 6:00 a.m., hauling aggregate products from the mine to customers. Work progressed normally until mid-morning when they parked on opposite sides of a haul road intersection, waiting to be loaded. The two truck drivers were aware the intersection had to be open for the Euclid trucks that were hauling to stockpiles. Both drivers had previously hauled product from the operation. McPheron wanted to make sure he was in the right waiting line for the "binder" product he was supposed to haul on his next trip. He got out of his truck and began a conversation with Remillard while standing in the haul road intersection between their trucks.

About 10:30 a.m., Robert Bauman, Euclid truck driver, had dumped his loaded truck and noticed two tractor-trailer rigs parked adjacent to the wash plant as he returned for another load. He drove past Remillard's truck, which was on his right side and restricted his view of the intersection, and made a right turn into the intersection. His field of vision to the right side of the truck was restricted because of blind spots inherent to the design of the truck. His vision was also obstructed by the two mufflers which had been installed outside the cab windshield, through the engine hood of the truck. After making the turn, he felt a slight bump in the roadway and looked into his right rear-view mirror. Seeing both truck drivers laying on the ground, he stopped the truck and ran back to them. Both over-the-road truck drivers were found laying on the ground. They were about 30 feet southwest of the rear tailgate of McPheron's truck and 35 feet northwest of Remillard's truck's front bumper. Reportedly, the Euclid haul truck involved in the accident stopped about 44 feet northwest of the accident victims.

Recognizing that he needed help, Bauman ran toward Bill Riely, who was operating the stockpile loader. Riely saw there was an emergency before Bauman reached him and radioed for assistance. Bauman returned to the accident victims to provide assistance. Rescue personnel arrived a short time later and transported McPheron to a local hospital. The county coroner pronounced Remillard dead at the scene.

CONCLUSION

The accident was caused by a combination of factors, including: the obstructed vision of Bauman due to the parking of vehicles adjacent to the intersection at the wash plant; the large mufflers installed near the cab of the haulage truck; the blind spots inherent to the design of the truck; traffic patterns mixing off-road and over-the-road haulage vehicles; lack of traffic control; and failure to ensure outside truck drivers stayed in their vehicles.

VIOLATIONS

Citation No. 4416239

Issued on June 25, 1996, under the provisions of Section 103(j) and 104(a) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR: 50.12

The mine operator allowed an accident site to be altered without approval of the District Manager or MSHA representative. The operator failed to prevent the movement of a Euclid R-35 truck (Co. #546502) before the MSHA accident investigator had a chance to review its location. The truck was involved in an accident that resulted in one nonfatal and one fatal injury on 6/19/96. The truck was moved prior to an investigation by MSHA.

This citation was terminated on June 26, 1996.

The mine operator has made employees aware equipment is not to be moved after an accident.

Citation No. 4416240

Issued on June 25, 1996, under the provisions of Section 104(a) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR: 56.9100(b)

Signs or signals to warn of hazardous conditions were not placed at appropriate locations on the property. There was nothing posted on the mine site to alert contract truck drivers to stay in their vehicles or that mine equipment have the right-of-way during load-out procedures. On 6-19-96, two contract truck drivers were injured, one fatally, when they were struck by a Euclid R-35 truck (Co. #54-5602) as it was in the process of turning into the area. These drivers could not be seen by the haul truck driver prior to the accident. In the area where the accident occurred there was no warnings of truck travel or to remain in your vehicle.

This citation was terminated on June 25, 1996.

The company installed a sign requiring truck drivers to stay in their trucks at all times, without exception, while on mine property. Failure to do so will result in them being expelled from the property.

Citation No. 4416777

Issued on November 13, 1996, under the provisions of Section 104(a) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR: 56.9100(a)

Rules governing right-of-way were not established and followed at this property. On 6/19/96 a Euclid R-35 haul truck (Co. #546502) turned between two parked trucks and struck two contract drivers as they stood in the road between their vehicles, talking. One contract driver was fatally injured and the other required hospitalization. The mine operator failed to establish traffic rules to control right-of-way, a safe traffic pattern, and reduce traffic congestion where the Euclid truck normally traveled. They mixed off-road and over-the-road truck vehicles without adequate allowance for the difference in vehicle size. The company allowed a vehicle to be parked in an area that prevented their haul unit driver from seeing the men on the ground before he struck them.

[FAB96M25]