By Jonathan Hrica, general engineer, Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Accidents involving powered haulage and mobile equipment often account for the greatest number of fatalities in mining each year. There is a need to better understand the events leading up to these types of accidents, what lessons may be learned, and what strategies can be employed to prevent fatal accidents from occurring. Researchers from NIOSH captured first-hand accounts from 21 haul truck operators involved in previous near-miss events from mine sites of various sizes and commodities across the US. These accounts provide rich and detailed narrative from the perspective of haul truck operators and reveal insights into what decisions haul truck operators can make to help to inform future research.