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The incident occurred on December 21 last year when a 62 year old maintenance worker with 33 years experience was injured while attempting to install a tire on a shuttle car.
As the victim was attempting to tighten the lug bolts, the metal rings and tire blew off of the rim, striking the victim in the head and chest. The victim died on January 4, 2005.
MSHA has issued the following best practices:
Consult and follow the manufacturer's guidelines for wheel replacement and removal.
Clean all rust and dirt from mating surfaces before assembly.
Don't mix components from different wheel manufacturers or models.
Never beat on a pressurized multi-piece wheel/tire assembly.
Provide comprehensive tire and rim safety training to maintenance personnel who service tires and rims.
Never attempt to use broken or worn parts.
