15 December 2021

A CAT 789 dump truck was to be serviced by a mechanic in a truck parking area during a lunch break.

What happened?

The mechanic arrived and parked their light vehicle (LV) about 3m in front and slightly off to the left-hand side of the truck.

The driver of the adjacent truck was having a break in the cab. The truck driver finished their break, started the truck, and drove forward and to the right out of the parking area.

As the truck operator drove out from the park the front wheel of the truck just missed the rear of the LV. However, the back wheel ran over the back of the tray. The truck operator drove off not knowing of the collision.

No one was hurt in this incident.

How did this happen?

The dump truck was having mechanical issues and it was arranged for work to be done on the truck during a lunch break in the truck parking area. When the mechanic arrived, there were several dump trucks parked parallel
at the parking area.

The mechanic parked in front and slightly adjacent of the truck to be serviced (shown in photo) and began work on the truck.

After completing the break, the driver of the adjacent truck, tooted the horn, started-up his truck, then tooted twice and drove forward. The operator turned right as can be seen by the wheel marks behind the LV. The rear truck tyre drove over the rear of the LV.

The driver of the truck being serviced (DT 239) who had also completed their break had walked over to the truck being serviced and was standing beside the driver’s door of the LV and saw the incident unfolding.

This operator had tried to alert the adjacent truck driver of the presence of a LV but failed to get attention. This operator was in the vicinity of the LV area as the truck drove forward over the LV.

The mechanic servicing the truck was on the catwalk, and was alerted of the potential incident when the driver tooted to start. The mechanic had tried but had not been able to get the attention of the truck driver and saw the incident occur. The mechanic was able to get on the RT to tell the driver of the departing truck what had happened.

The truck driver was unaware that an incident had occurred and had driven approximately 500m before been notified on the RT. This truck can be seen in the photo (just above the LV) where it stopped.

What can be learnt from the incident?

Servicing of trucks in a truck park is a high-risk task. To reduce the risks the hierarchy of controls should be used.

Consideration should be given to:

• Servicing trucks in a separate area adjacent from other parked trucks.
• Windrow the separate service area. A windrow for the truck to separate it from other vehicles. Another windrow for the LV separating it from the vehicle being serviced and from other vehicles.
• If the truck cannot be moved to the separate service area. Conduct a risk assessment to determine a safe way to service the vehicle. The risk controls may include removing all other vehicles from the truck
  park before servicing the truck. Constructing a temporary windrowed area.
• Use windrowed truck parking that allows for separation between adjacent trucks. These windrows being long enough for the LV to park also in the windrowed area.

More information

Information on safe parking can be found in section 11.3.4 of our good practice guidelines Health and safety at opencast mines, alluvial mines and quarries

Vehicle collisions in mines and quarries