# Presentation: 877899

## This presentation is for illustrative and general educational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for the official MSHA Investigation Report analysis nor is it intended to provide the sole foundation, if any, for any related enforcement actions. 

## GENERAL INFORMATION

- Operator:		Sassy Coal Co., Inc.
- Contractor:	TBK Haulage, Inc. (RCT)
- Mine:		No. 4
- Accident Date:	January 23, 2006
- Classification: 	Powered Haulage
- Location: 		Dist. 6, Pike County, Kentucky
- Mine Type: 	Surface Area of Underground Coal Mine
- Employment:	8
- Production:	150 Tons/Day

**1984 Ford 9000 Dump Truckoverturned on driver's sidel**

**Victim Location**

## ACCIDENT DESCRIPTION

- At approximately 10:30 a.m. on January 23, 2006, a 72-year old truck driver for TBK Haulage, Inc., was fatally injured while operating a loaded Ford LT 9000 coal truck on the Sassy Coal Co., Inc. underground mine access/haul road. The victim fell from the coal truck while hauling the sixth load of the day down the graded mine road. The rear tandem wheels of the truck ran over him, resulting in fatal injuries.

- Hydraulic Oil Puddle

## ACCIDENT DESCRIPTION

- The accident occurred because the driver fell from the cab while the truck was in motion. A defect with the cab door window crank mechanism contributed to the circumstances leading to the accident.

## ACCIDENT DESCRIPTION

- Based on combined facts from the investigation, the most likely accident scenario was as follows:
- After loading the truck in the stockpile area, the victim entered the truck and began driving down the mine haul road. He rolled down the window to clean the rear view mirror mounted to the outside of the door. After cleaning the mirror using folded paper towels, he began to roll the window back up. He reached across his body with his right hand to pull up on the window glass while turning the window crank with his left hand. The door latch handle was inadvertently tripped, while his weight was shifted against the door. When the door opened, he fell from the cab of the truck.

## ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

_*Causal Factor*_: The contractor had no policies or procedures to ensure the truck was being maintained in safe condition. A practice of performing routine pre-operational checks had not been established and records of safety examinations or maintenance measures were not maintained._*Corrective Action*_: The contractor has developed an accident prevention policy to require truck drivers to: “do a pre-shift examination of the equipment before moving the equipment on a daily basis. A record of the daily examination is to be kept in the end loader.”.
_*Causal Factor*_: The contractor had no policy for the use of seat belts.
_*Corrective Action*_: The contractor has developed an accident prevention policy which states: “Truck drivers will be required to wear seat belts on mine property when trucks are in motion.”

## ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS

**§104(a) Citation No. 7426830** was issued to TBK Haulage, Inc. for a violation of 77.1606(a).
- Condition or Practice: "Inspections of the Ford LT 9000 truck were not being conducted by a qualified person before the truck was placed in operation. Defects affecting safety were not being recorded and reported to management.“
**§**** ****104(a) Citation No. 7426831** was issued to TBK Haulage, Inc. for a violation of 77.404(a).
- Condition or Practice: "The Ford LT 9000 truck was not being maintained in safe operating condition. The driver's side window crank did not operate properly and the window crank knob was missing."

## ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS, Cont’d.

**§104(a) Citation No. 7426842** was issued to TBK Haulage, Inc. for a violation of 77.1607(b).
- Condition or Practice: "The driver of the Ford LT 9000 truck did not have full control of the truck while it was in motion. While traveling down the mine haul road, the driver had cleaned the outside rear view mirror and was then using both hands to roll up the cab door window due to a malfunction of the window crank mechanism."

## BEST PRACTICES
Maintain equipment braking systems in good repair and adjustment. 
Trucks should be loaded within the safe operating range based on the load rating of the truck, the road grade, weather conditions, and any other pertinent factors. 
Use seat belts when operating equipment. 
Conduct pre-operational checks for defects affecting safety and report defects to management prior to placing equipment in service. Checks should include the function of door latches and window cranks, adjustments of mirrors and cleaning of window glass. 

- Maintain equipment braking systems in good repair and adjustment.
- Trucks should be loaded within the safe operating range based on the load rating of the truck, the road grade, weather conditions, and any other pertinent factors.
- Use seat belts when operating equipment.
- Conduct pre-operational checks for defects affecting safety and report defects to management prior to placing equipment in service. Checks should include the function of door latches and window cranks, adjustments of mirrors and cleaning of window glass.