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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION Rocky Mountain District Accident Investigation Report Surface Fatal Powered Haulage Accident Kilauea Crushers, Inc. (mine) I.D. No. 02-02479 Kilauea Crushers, Inc. Wickenburg, Maricopa County, Arizona April 26, 1997 By Wayne J. Wasson Supervisory Mine Safety & Health Inspector Eldon E. Ramage Mine Safety & Health Inspector Rocky Mountain District Office P.O. Box 25367, DFC Denver, CO 80225-0367 Robert M. Friend District Manager GENERAL INFORMATION John Eugene Meyer, welder, age 56, was fatally injured on April 26, 1997, at approximately 1:00 p.m., when he was run over by the front-end loader he was operating. Meyer had a total of 25 years experience as a welder, the last 15 weeks at this operation. He had a total of 15 weeks mining experience. The victim had not received training in accordance with 30 CFR, Part 48. Charles W. Nichols, president, notified the Mesa, Arizona field office of the accident by telephone on April 28, 1997, at about 7:25 a.m. An investigation was started on that day. The Kilauea mine, owned and operated by Kilauea Crushers, Inc., was located about 8 miles north of mile marker 11, off Highway SR 74, southeast of Wickenburg, Maricopa County, Arizona. Rhyolite was drilled, blasted, loaded into haul trucks and transported to the plant for crushing and sizing. The material was stockpiled onsite and was sold to customers for use as decorative stone. Total mine employment was 12 persons working one, 11 hour shift on four days and one, 10 hour shift on two days of each week. Principal operating officials for Kilauea Crushers, Inc. were: Charles W. Nichols, President The last regular inspection of this operation was conducted on September 24 and 25, 1996. Another inspection was conducted at the conclusion of the accident investigation. PHYSICAL FACTORS INVOLVED Raw materials were mined from multiple pits. Two principle pits were described as the Apache Pink and the Palomino Gold pits for the colors of the stone they produced. The accident occurred on the haul road leading to the Palomino Gold pit on a portion of the road that inclined about 19 percent. The one mile roadway was well maintained, about 34 feet wide and the inclined section of the road was approximately 1,200 feet in length. A substantial berm was provided along the right shoulder of the road. A 1973 Caterpillar 910 front-end loader, Serial Number 80U0832, was involved in the accident. The mine operator had purchased the loader at an auction. A Balderson Quick Coupler had been installed by the previous owner. The loader was equipped with a roll-over- protective-structure, as well as a seatbelt. The seatbelt was found to be defective, however, it did not cause or contribute to the cause or severity of the accident. A citation on the seatbelt was issued separately. The service brakes were hydraulically actuated, caliper disc type, mounted on the front and rear wheels. In the event engine power is lost, the service brakes can still be applied through mechanical linkage by increased effort on the brake pedal. A mechanical drum-shoe park brake was mounted on the drive shaft. Adjustment of the park brake was accomplished with a twist knob on the end of the brake lever, which was located under the left instrument panel. The park brake lever was difficult to reach because the operating controls for the Balderson Quick Coupler were located between the loader operator's seat and the lever. In order to apply the park brake lever, operators would normally have to stand up, reach over the Balderson controls, and then down to the park brake lever which was under the instrument panel. The Balderson Quick Coupler installed on the loader allowed for the removal of the bucket so the loader could be utilized as a forklift or crane. At the time of the accident the loader was equipped with the fork attachment. The loader and the accident site were inspected during the investigation and revealed the following conditions: 1. The service brake and park brake were tested and were operational. Also involved in the accident was a diesel-powered Dualweld 500 welder, Serial Number 1104721, manufactured by Multi-Quip, Inc. The welder weighed 2,240 pounds and was mounted on a single axle chassis that was equipped with a ball hitch. DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT John Eugene Meyer (victim) reported for work at 6:00 a.m., his normal starting time. He performed various welding and fabrication tasks until approximately 11:30 a.m., when James W. Nichols, operations manager, instructed Meyer to perform a minor welding repair on the drill. Nichols informed Meyer that the drill was located in the Apache Pink pit. Meyer was told to contact Nichols for instructions on the task when he was ready to do the work. At about 1:00 p.m., Meyer had not contacted Nichols, so Nichols went to the drill but could not find the employee. While returning to the main plant from the drill, he saw the welding machine and an object laying on the inclined section of the road leading to the Palomino Gold pit. He then saw the loader laying on its' side in a ravine, approximately 240 feet back down the road from the welding machine. Nichols turned around and started toward the area, picking up a haul truck driver on the way. The two men saw Meyer in the road, checked for vital signs, but found none. Nichols phoned 911 for assistance. Paramedics from the local rescue squad responded. Meyer was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Death was the result of blunt injuries. CONCLUSION The equipment operator/welder was moving a welding machine using a front-end loader which had been adapted to function as a forklift. The loader was being used to carry the welding machine up a 19% grade when one of the wheels of the welding machine struck the ground. The loader stopped. This caused the loader to descend backward down the grade. The engine of the loader either stalled or was turned off. Engine coolant on the ground indicated that the loader may have overheated. A warning notice posted on the equipment indicated that the service brake would not function when the engine was not operating. The factors of this accident include failure to examine the equipment prior to use; altering equipment in a manner which affected access to the parking brake; and the victim leaving the moving loader. VIOLATIONS Order No. 4702020 Issued at 1545 hours on 4/28/97, under the provisions of Section 103(k) of the Mine Act: Citation No. 7925205 Issued under the provisions of Section 104(a) on 5/30/97, for a violation of 30 CFR 50.10: Citation No. 7925206 Issued under the provisions of Section 104(a) on 5/30/97, for violation of 30 CFR 56.14100(a): Citation No. 7925207 Issued under the provisions of Section 104(a) on 5/30/97, for violation of 30 CFR 56.14100(b): Citation No. 7925204 Issued under the provisions of Section 104(a) on 5/30/97, for violation of 30 CFR 56.18006: /s/ Wayne J. Wasson Supervisory Mine Safety & Health Inspector /s/ Eldon E. Ramage Mine Safety & Health Inspector Approved by: Robert M. Friend, District Manager Related Fatal Alert Bulletin:  [FAB97M25]
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