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COAL MINE FATALITY - On January 20, 1999, a 39 year old rock truck driver with 18 years experience was fatally injured at a surface coal mine. The victim was dumping a load of rock at a spoil dump, when the berm and spoil collapsed, causing the rock truck to plunge down the steep embankment to the bottom of the valley fill. The truck fell about 670 feet down the slope with 350 feet of vertical drop. The victim was wearing his seat belt.

BEST PRACTICES
  • Dumping locations should be physically and visually examined periodically, especially during periods of changing weather.
  • All foreman and miners should be trained to recognize hazardous conditions at the dump sites.
  • Adequate berms should be provided to prevent over-travel at dump locations.
  • Trucks should dump one truck length back from tension cracks and the edge of unstable embankments, and a dozer should be used to push material.
  • Trucks should back perpendicular to the berm and not run up on the berm when dumping.

    • This is the second coal mine fatality in 1999. As of January 20 of last year there had been two fatalities. This death is the first classified as Powered Haulage in 1999.

    For more information:

    Fatal Alert Bulletin Icon MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL99C02]