Accident Report: Fatality Reference
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COAL MINE FATALITY -On Saturday, December 12, 2009, a 52-year old contract truck driver/mechanic, with 30 years experience, was fatally injured while driving a truck, loaded with coal, on a mine haul road. The victim apparently lost control of the loaded coal truck and either jumped or was thrown from the cab of the truck. The truck ran into the berm on the outer edge of the road and struck the victim before overturning onto the haul road.
Best Practices
- Conduct pre-operational checks to identify safety defects and perform necessary repair work before placing equipment in service.
- DRIVERS: your chances of survival are much greater when you are restrained in the cab.
- Observe all speed limits, traffic rules, and ensure that grades on haulage roads are appropriate for haulage equipment being used.
- Adjust the speed to match the road and weather conditions.
- Select the appropriate gear before descending grades and utilize auxiliary retarders to the fullest extent possible.
- Post recommended gear ranges at the top of grades for haul trucks.
- Make sure all brakes are properly adjusted before operating the equipment.
- Don't overload the truck.
- Always scan the road ahead of yourself and continually plan an emergency path in the event of a runaway condition.
Additional Information
This is the seventeenth fatality reported in calendar year 2009 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 2008, there were 29 fatalities reported in the coal mining industry. This is the seventh powered haulage fatality in 2009. At this time in 2008, there were 10 fatalities in this classification.