The Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum has released a significant incident report asking all minesites to perform regular documented traffic management audits after a light vehicle operator was killed when he collided head-on with an unloaded Caterpillar 789C haul truck at a controlled mine intersection.
According to the report, the combination of the alignment of the haul road as it intersects the main haul road and the converging speeds of both vehicles placed the light vehicle behind the right side ‘A’ pillar of the haul truck’s roll over protection structure (ROPS), where it may not have been clearly visible to the haul truck driver.
Similarly, further investigation into the incident showed that the light vehicle driver’s view of the haul truck as he approached the intersection may have been obscured by the light vehicle’s internal rear vision mirror.
The Department of Mines and Petroleum is asking all mine sites to develop a site traffic management plan and ensure that traffic signage is regularly maintained and not obscured by vegetation.