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UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

REPORT OF INVESTIGATION

SURFACE AREA OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINE

FATAL POWERED HAULAGE ACCIDENT
July 27, 2001

A. & G. Trucking, Inc. (TSH)
Clinchco, Dickenson County, Virginia

at

Dacoal Mining, Inc.
No. 1 (I.D. 44-07016)
Dante, Russell County, Virginia

Accident Investigator

Wade T. Gardner
Mine Safety and Health Specialist - Surface

Originating Office - Mine Safety and Health Administration
District 5
P.O. Box 560, Wise County Plaza, Norton, Virginia 24273
Ray McKinney, District Manager

RELEASE DATE: 09-12-2001



OVERVIEW


On Friday, July 27, 2001, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Gregory T. Turner began hauling coal from Dacoal Mining, Inc., No.1, underground mine. Turner was the driver of the Ford tandem coal truck involved in the accident, and also the owner and the only employee of A. & G. Trucking, Inc. Turner transported his fourth load of coal to a load-out facility approximately eight (8) miles from the mine, and returned to the mine site . He parked his truck in a turn-around area approximately 300 feet from the coal stockpile to make adjustments to the truck's brakes. Turner placed an improvised metal stand beneath the rear of the truck bed in order to lever the truck's rear wheels off the ground with the hydraulic hoist cylinder as the bed raised. When Turner had achieved enough clearance to facilitate the work, he crawled under the truck, positioned himself between the rear axle of the truck and metal stand and started to make adjustments to the right rear brake chamber. The truck either rolled or slipped off the stand pinching him between the stand and the rear truck axle, causing crushing injuries to his chest. The victim succumbed to his injuries on Friday, August 10, 2001.

The accident occurred because Turner was performing work on his truck with the transmission in neutral, park brake disengaged, and the truck not blocked against motion. The victim placed himself in a hazardous position beneath the truck between the axle and an improvised metal stand.

GENERAL INFORMATION


Dacoal Mining, Inc., No. 1, is located 15 miles East of Dante in Roll Pone Branch, Russell County, Virginia. Coal production began on January 22, 2001. Coal from the underground mine is hauled by contract truck carriers. The coal truck haulage route includes approximately 2 miles of mine access road, with the remaining being state maintained highways. Employment is provided for seven (7) persons working 1 shift per day, five( 5) days a week. Approximately 1,000 tons of coal are produced per week.

The mine became active on January 11, 2001. A complete regular safety and health inspection was completed on May 10, 2001.

The latest National Non-Fatal Days Lost (NFDL) rate for underground mines is 6.63. The latest NFDL incidence rate for this mine is 0.

The principal officer in charge of the mine at the time of the accident:
David Stevenson ............... President
The mailing address is P. O. Box 1066, Grundy, Virginia, 24614.

A. & G. Trucking, Inc, located in Clinchco, Dickenson County, Virginia, is one of several contractors employed to transport the coal produced at Dacoal Mining, Inc. to the Clinchfield Coal Company, Moss No. 3 Prep Plant load-out facility. Gregory Turner was the owner and driver.

The principal officer in charge of the trucking company at the time of the accident was:
Gregory Todd Turner ............... President
The mailing address is Route 1, Box 126, Clinchco, Virginia, 24226.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCIDENT


On Friday, July 27, 2001, Gregory Todd Turner, truck driver, began hauling coal at 6:30 a.m. from Dacoal Mining, Inc., No. 1 underground mine located in Dante, Russell County, Virginia. The Ford (Model U900) tandem coal truck was owned solely by Turner himself under the contractor name A. & G. Trucking, Inc., which is located in Clinchco, Dickenson County, Virginia. Turner transported coal to the Clinchfield Coal Company, Moss No. 3 Prep Plant load-out facility located approximately eight (8) miles from the mine. After dumping his fourth load, Turner returned to the mine to continue hauling coal. When Turner arrived at the mine site, he parked his truck in a turn-around area approximately 300 feet from the coal stockpile. This area is normally used for trucks to turn and then back the remaining distance to the coal stockpile.

Turner placed an improvised metal stand underneath the rear of the truck bed to use the hydraulic hoist cylinder to lever the rear truck tires off the ground as the bed was raised. When he had achieved enough clearance to facilitate the brake adjustments, Turner made preparations to work on the right rear brake chamber. With the bed in a raised position, he crawled under the truck, positioned himself between the rear axle of the truck and metal stand and started to make adjustments to the right rear brake chamber. The truck rolled or slipped off the stand, pinning Turner's upper body between the truck axle and metal stand. At approximately 12:10 p.m., Turner's brother, Kimble, driver and owner of Turner Trucking Company, Inc., arrived at the mine site, and observed Greg sitting beneath the back of the coal truck. Realizing that his brother Greg was pinned between the truck axle and metal stand, Kimble parked his truck and summoned Cecil Ennis, night watchman for Dacoal Mining Inc. Cecil summoned David Stevenson, mine operator. Kimble ran to Greg's aid, and finding him alert, removed the metal stand which was lying on its side near the rear axle semi-perpendicular to the truck bed. He then immediately called the Russell County 911 system by cellular phone.

The dispatcher notified the Cleveland Rescue Squad and Virginia Med-Flight. David Stevenson was holding Greg in an upright position while Kimble moved the truck forward approximately twenty five feet to allow better access to the victim. Stevenson summoned Gary Bartley, mine foreman, (advanced first-aid person) from the underground mine, and instructed him to bring the first-aid equipment.

The Cleveland Rescue Squad arrived approximately 12:45 p.m. at the mine site. Due to heavy fog and overcast skies, the Med-Flight Helicopter was unable to land at the mine site. They were able to land at another site approximately 1.5 miles away. Paramedics were transported to the accident scene and administered first-aid to the victim. Greg Turner was taken by Cleveland Rescue Squad to the Med-Flight Helicopter, and then transported to Holston Valley Medical Center, Kingsport, Tennessee, where he was treated for crushing injuries to the chest. He remained there until he succumbed to his injuries on Friday, August 10,2001.

INVESTIGATION OF THE ACCIDENT


At approximately 12:45 p.m., on July 27, 2001, David Stevenson of Dacoal Mining, Inc., reported the accident to Roy Davidson, Supervisory Coal Mine Safety and Health Inspector at the Mine Safety and Health Administration(MSHA), in Norton, Virginia. Arnold D. Carico, Mining Engineer, and Thomas McLoughlin, Geologist, were dispatched, arriving at the accident scene at approximately 2:30 p.m.

Preliminary information concerning the accident was gathered, and a 103-k order was issued for the safety of persons until an investigation could be conducted. The accident scene was observed, photographed, and preliminary measurements for a sketch were taken. Company officials were informed that the investigation would continue on July 30, 2001.

MSHA resumed the investigation on July 30, 2001, at approximately 9:30 a.m. MSHA officials met with the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy (DMME) personnel at the accident scene. MSHA and DMME conducted a joint investigation. The accident site was inspected, and additional measurements and photographs were taken. The vehicle was inspected for required safety features and safe operation. Training records were also checked.

Interviews were conducted on July 30, 2001 at the Clinchfield Coal Company Training Center, at Clinchfield, Virginia. David Stevenson, President of Dacoal Mining, Inc., and Kimble Turner, driver/owner of Turner Trucking Company, Inc., were interviewed.

DISCUSSION


1. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident.

2. The tandem coal truck, owned by A. & G. Trucking, Inc. was being used by the victim.

3. The 1975 Ford ( Model 900) truck, (V I N: V90LVX45633) involved in the accident, was registered in Virginia under License No. TH 1 67434.

4. The victim had returned for the fifth load of coal.

5. The accident occurred approximately 300 feet from the mine coal stockpile and out of site from the surface area of the mine.

6. An improvised metal stand (3 truck tire rims welded together) was placed beneath the edge of the truck bed, and the hydraulic hoist cylinder was used to lever the rear wheels off the ground as the bed was raised.

7. The metal stand (3 welded rims) measured twenty-eight inches in height, and twenty-three inches in diameter. The metal stand was brought to mine property by Greg Turner.

8. The truck measured twenty-nine feet in length and eight feet in width.

9. An approximate slope of 1.4 percent was present where the accident occurred.

10. The truck was not blocked against motion.

11. The victim was found pinned between the truck rear axle and the metal stand with the truck bed in a raised position.

12. The truck bed had not been securely blocked in position to perform work beneath the truck.

13. Tools which were to be used to adjust the brakes were present at the accident scene. These included a small hammer, 9/16 inch combination wrench, and pliers.

14. During the accident, the air hose fitting on the right rear brake chamber was broken, the license tag was bent, and the 1/8 inch metal bracket for the brake lights was bent.

15. The truck had all new brake shoes installed on the rear axles. The vehicle stopped properly when tested.

16. Heavy rains had occurred for several days in the area of the accident, causing the roadway to soften. This may have contributed to the instability of the metal stand against the roadway.

17. The truck transmission was in neutral, and the park brake disengaged.

18. Testimony indicated that it was a common practice for the victim to use the truck's hydraulic hoist cylinder to lever the truck wheels off the ground with a metal stand beneath the edge of the truck bed. After adjustments were made to the brakes, his procedure was to rotate the wheels by hand to check the drag on the brake shoes.

CONCLUSION


The accident occurred because Greg Turner was performing mechanical work on his truck with the transmission in neutral, park brake disengaged, and without blocking the truck against motion. The victim placed himself in a hazardous position beneath the truck between the axle and an improvised metal stand.

ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES


1. 103-k Order No. 7322055: The contractor has experienced an injury accident involving himself the driver/owner and a Ford tandem coal truck (VIN:U9OLVX45633) at the turn- around area approximately 300 feet from the mine coal stockpile area. This order is issued to ensure the safety of any person or persons involved with this truck until an examination or investigation is made to determine that the truck is safe to operate and to ascertain the factors involved in the accident. Only those persons selected from MSHA, Company, State, and contract officials who are involved in the investigation and other persons deemed to have information related to the accident are permitted in or around the truck until the investigation is completed.

2. 104(d) Citation No. 7301213, a violation of 77. 404(c), The Ford tandem coal truck (VIN: U90LVX45633), being used to transported coal from the underground mine to a load-out facility, was parked in the turn-around area after the fourth load by the driver/owner, to make adjustments to the rear brakes. The driver placed an improvised metal stand under the edge of the truck bed using the truck's hydraulic hoist cylinder to lever the truck wheels off the ground. The transmission was in neutral, park brake disengaged, and the truck wheels not blocked against motion. The truck rolled or slipped off the metal stand, pinching him between the stand and the rear truck axle, causing crushing injuries to his chest. The victim placed himself in a hazardous position beneath the truck between the axle and an improvised metal stand. The roadway where the truck was parked for repairs had a 1.4 percent slope.

3. 104(d)1 Order No. 7301214, a violation of 77.405(b), The Ford tandem coal truck(VIN:U9OLVX45633), being used to transport coal from the underground mine to a load-out facility, was parked in the turn-around area after the fourth load, by the driver/owner to make adjustments to the rear brakes. The driver placed an improvised metal stand under the edge of the truck bed using the truck's hydraulic hoist cylinder to lever the truck wheels off the ground. After enough ground clearance had been achieved, the hydraulic hoist cylinder was used to assist in holding the truck off the ground. The driver entered beneath the truck bed to adjust the rear brakes without blocking the truck frame in position. The truck rolled or slipped off the metal stand pinching him between the stand and the rear truck axle, causing crushing injuries to his chest. The victim placed himself in a hazardous position beneath the truck between the axle and an improvised metal stand.
  • Appendix B
  • Appendix C
  • Related Fatal Alert Bulletin:
    Fatal Alert Bulletin Icon FAB01C13




    APPENDIX A


    List of persons providing information and/or present during the investigation:

    DACOAL MINING, INC.
    David Stevenson ............... President
    TURNER TRUCKING, INC.
    Kimble Turner ............... President
    VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF MINES, MINERALS, AND ENERGY
    John Thomas ............... Coal Mine Inspector Supervisor
    Clarence Ball ............... Coal Mine Inspector
    Vernon Johnson ............... Coal Mine Inspector
    MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION - DISTRICT 5
    Roy D. Davidson ............... Supervisory Coal Mine Safety and Health Inspector
    Arnold D. Carico ............... Mining Engineer
    Thomas McLoughlin ............... Geologist
    James Hackworth ............... Educational Field Services Specialist
    Wade T. Gardner ............... Mine Safety and Health Specialist - Surface
    LIST OF PERSONS INTERVIEWED
    David Stevenson ............... President of Dacoal Mining, Inc.
    Kimble Turner ............... President of Turner Trucking, Inc.