METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On March 27, 1995, a mechanic with 20 years of mining
experience was killed at a boron minerals pit. The
employee was driving a service vehicle following a 170-ton
unit-rig dump truck traveling downhill into the pit. A
second 170-ton unit-rig dump truck was traveling uphill on
the same road. As the unit-rig trucks were passing each
other, one driver signaled the other to stop to
communicate as they were unsuccessful at communicating by
radio. The trucks stopped tail end to tail end. When the
truck driver who was traveling downhill backed up his
truck to talk to the other truck driver, he ran over the
service vehicle. The victim died from sustained injuries.
This is the thirteenth fatality reported in calendar year
1995 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of
this date in 1994, there were twelve fatalities reported
in these industries. This death is the sixth fatality
classified as powered haulage this year. There were five
powered haulage fatalities during the same period in 1994.
For more information:
MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL95M13]
