MINE FATALITY – A contract haul truck driver was injured while dumping a load of material at the top of a stockpile. The ground under the truck failed causing the truck to overturn onto its cab. The driver died later from his injuries.

Best Practices:

• Construct substantial berms, bumper blocks, safety hooks, or similar impeding devices at dumping locations where there is a hazard of overtravel or overturning.
• Conduct workplace and ground condition examinations before beginning work in an area.
• Always dump material from a stable and safe location.  If examinations indicate the ground conditions are not reliable, dump loads at a safe distance and push the material over the edge using a bulldozer.
• Never load material from the toe of a stockpile that is below an active dump point.  This typically leads to a slope that is unstable and too steep.
• Maintain stockpile slopes no steeper than the angle of repose.

Miners and mine operators can find safety and health information on MSHA.gov.