Summary of incident
In August 2016, a drill offsider was tramming a tracked vehicle on his own, returning to the shore of a salt lake to refuel. Both of the vehicle’s control levers were strapped in position so the vehicle could move forward without the offsider continuously holding the controls.
As another tracked vehicle approached, the offsider alighted from his vehicle and walked over to talk to the two occupants. After a brief conversation, the offsider returned to his vehicle, which was still moving forward on its own.
He slipped and fell while trying to climb back into the cab. The vehicle ran over him, with one of the tracks passing along the length of his body. A person from the other vehicle managed to stop the unmanned vehicle, which was clear of the offsider.
Fortunately, the ground was very soft and the offsider was pushed down into the ground by the vehicle's track. He had injuries to his head and face, and a fractured hand.
Direct causes
- The offsider bypassed the “return to neutral” safety function of the control levers and climbed off the vehicle while it was still moving.
- The offsider fell while trying to climb back into the cab and was unable to get out of the way of the moving vehicle.
Contributory causes
- The vehicle’s control levers (enabling devices or dead-man control levers) were modified, allowing the vehicle to move by itself without a person continuously holding the controls.
- The vehicle’s safe operating procedure (SOP) was not followed.
- The ladder to access the control cab had been removed for maintenance.
