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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

Northeast District
Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health

Accident Investigation Report
Surface Nonmetal Mine
(Sand and Gravel)

Fatal Exploding Vessel Under Pressure Accident

Douglas R. Rushford Trucking
Seymour Road Pit
Beekmantown, Clinton County, New York
I.D. No. 30-02851

Date of Injury: August 28, 1998
Date of Death: August 30, 1998

by

Randall L. Gadway
Supervisory Mine Safety and Health Inspector

Joseph F. Judeikis
Mechanical Engineer

Originating Office:
Northeastern District Office
230 Executive Drive, Suite 2
Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania 16066-6415

James R. Petrie
District Manager

GENERAL INFORMATION

Nile K. Arnold, mechanic/welder, age 64, was fatally injured at about 3:45 p.m. on August 28, 1998, when a wheel rim exploded while he was inflating a truck tire. He died on August 30, 1998. Arnold had a total of 30 years experience as a mechanic/welder at this employer's construction and mining operations. He had not received training in accordance with 30 CFR Part 48.

MSHA learned of the accident at 2:40 p.m., on September 1, 1998, by a telephone call from the local office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. They had been notified by the New York State Police. An investigation was started the following day.

The Seymour Road Pit, a surface sand and gravel operation, owned and operated by Douglas R. Rushford Trucking, was located at Beekmantown, Clinton County, New York. The principal operating official was Douglas R. Rushford, owner. The plant was normally operated one, 8-hour shift a day, five days a week. A total of three persons was employed.

Sand and gravel were extracted by front-end loader from single bench pits. The material was loaded onto trucks and transported to the plant where it was crushed and sized. Processed material was used in Rushford's construction business. The last regular inspection of this operation was completed on July 10, 1990. Since that time, the mine has operated intermittently. MSHA had not been notified that it was currently operating. A regular inspection was conducted following this investigation.

PHYSICAL FACTORS INVOLVED

The vehicle involved in the accident was a 1967 Chevrolet, model C-50, fuel truck. It was used as a stationary storage tank to fuel mobile equipment at the mine. The mine operator stated that the truck had not been moved for at least three years, although it was started each time they pumped fuel. The truck had dual wheels on each side of the rear axle.

The two-piece wheel rim which exploded (see photograph Appendix II was the rear outside rim on the driver's side. The rim was a Firestone, Type RH-5, 20 x 6.0, manufactured in 1965, consisting of a center section and an outer ring. The inner surface of the center section was corroded and had rusted through in several spots. The corrosion may have been caused by water entering the inside of the rim of the deflated tire through a disassembly notch located on the outer ring. The outside of the wheel was not noticeably rusty through the paint. An advisory letter published by Firestone, and listed on the Internet, cautioned users never to use any rim or wheel component that is worn out, cracked, rusted, pitted, damaged, or otherwise unserviceable, and to make sure they are in serviceable condition before being used.

The rim was mounted with a recapped Goodyear, 10-ply, 8.25 X 20, tire with tube and stem. The tire was not marked with a maximum inflation pressure and had been flat for an unknown length of time prior to the accident. The tire's inner tube had burst when the rim failed. It could not be determined if the inner tube had been overinflated. The rear inside tire on the driver's side was found inflated at 60 PSI air pressure.

As the tire was being inflated, the force of the expanding inner tube caused the center section of the rim to come apart where it had corroded. A section along the perimeter of the rim, measuring about half its circumference, exploded outward hitting Arnold in the head. Arnold was kneeling with his head close to the wheel, possibly to have a better view of the valve stem. The rim's outer ring had not separated and remained attached to the center section.

A portable, 8-HP, air compressor, with a 20-gallon reservoir, was used to inflate the tire. The compressor's maximum pressure setting was 120 PSI. The air hose was equipped with a standard hand-held inflation valve which required constant hand pressure on the valve stem. A stand-off inflation device was not available at the mine site.

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT

On the day of the accident, Nile Arnold (victim) reported for work at about 7:00 a.m., his regular starting time. Arnold and Mark Goddeau, truck driver, were to repair the portable screen while Rushford and two other employees repaired the crushers. Rushford instructed Goddeau to inflate a tire on the screen plant.

Work progressed without incident throughout the day. At about 3:45 p.m., Arnold asked Goddeau to bring the fuel truck around to fuel the generator for the welder. They noticed that the truck's left rear tire was flat, but decided to wait and inflate it after they moved the truck to the welder. Goddeau reported that they had inflated this same tire the week before, but that it had gone flat again.

After Goddeau arrived at the welder with the fuel truck, Arnold fueled the welder, while Goddeau went over and inflated another flat tire that was on the screen plant. After Goddeau finished, he brought the air compressor over to the fuel truck in the bucket of the front-end loader. Before Goddeau could dismount the loader, Arnold grabbed the air hose and began inflating the flat tire on the fuel truck. Goddeau had an air-pressure gauge, so he climbed off the loader and went over to assist Arnold. Arnold hit the tire a few times with his hand, presumably to check the pressure, but did not use the gauge. Arnold was kneeling directly in front of the tire putting more air into it when the rim exploded, knocking him backwards onto the ground.

Goddeau saw that Arnold had sustained a serious head injury and ran over to inform Rushford, who was loading trucks with another front-end loader. They immediately called the local emergency assistance number and then returned to help Arnold. Rushford administered first-aid treatment until the local emergency squad arrived a few minutes later. Arnold was transported to a local hospital where he died on August 30, 1998.

CONCLUSION

The primary causes of the accident were the deteriorated condition of the wheel rim and failure to provide a stand-off device for inflating tires. Possible contributing factors may have been overinflating the tire and not using a gauge to progressively check the pressure..

VIOLATIONS

Order No. 4433621 was issued on September 2, 1998, under the provisions of Section 103(k) of the Mine Act:

A mechanic/welder was fatally injured at this operation on August 28, 1998, when he was struck by a section of wheel rim which exploded while he was inflating a tire on a Chevrolet, model 50, fuel truck. This order is issued to assure the safety of personnel in the affected area until it can be returned to normal mining operations as determined by an authorized representative of the Secretary. The mine operator shall obtain approval from an authorized representative for all actions involving the fuel truck.

This order was terminated on September 4, 1998, after it was determined that the mine could resume normal operation.

Citation No. 7716903 was issued on September 22, 1998, under the provisions of section 104(d)(1) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR 56.14104(b)(2):

A mechanic/welder was fatally injured at this operation on August 28, 1998, when he was struck by a section of wheel rim which exploded while he was inflating a truck tire. A stand-off inflation device was not used. The mine operator's failure to provide and require the use of a stand-off device for inflating tires is a lack of reasonable care constituting more than ordinary negligence and is an unwarrantable failure to comply with a mandatory standard.

This citation was terminated on September 24, 1998, after the mine operator provided a stand-off inflation device for use when inflating tires and posted a notice to all employees requiring them to use the device when inflating tires.

Citation No. 7716904 was issued on September 22, 1998, under the provisions of section 104(a) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR 50.10:

A mechanic/welder was fatally injured at this operation on August 28, 1998, when he was struck by a section of wheel rim which exploded while he was inflating a truck tire. He died on August 30, 1998. The mine operator failed to notify MSHA of the accident.

This citation was terminated on September 24, 1998, after the mine operator committed to future compliance with the reporting requirements of 30 CFR 50.10.

Citation No. 7716905 was issued on September 22, 1998, under the provisions of section 104(a) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR 50.12:

A mechanic/welder was fatally injured at this operation on August 28, 1998, when he was struck by a section of wheel rim which exploded while he was inflating a truck tire. The mine operator had altered the accident site by moving the truck involved in the accident before MSHA was notified and initiated its investigation.

This citation was terminated on September 24, 1998, after the mine operator committed to future compliance with the requirements of 30 CFR 50.12.

Citation No. 7716908 was issued on September 22, 1998, under the provisions of section 104(a) of the Mine Act for violation of 30 CFR 56.1000:

A mechanic/welder was fatally injured at this operation on August 28, 1998, when he was struck by a section of wheel rim which exploded while he was inflating a truck tire. The mine operator had been opening and closing intermittently for over five years at this site. MSHA was last notified on May 13, 1993, of the operator's start of the mine.

This citation was terminated on September 24, 1998, after the mine operator committed to future compliance with the notification requirements when commencing operations or closing the mine.

Related Fatal Alert Bulletin:
Fatal Alert Bulletin Icon FAB98M37