The hazards of complex intersection design in open cut mines were highlighted when a light vehicle operator had to take evasive action to prevent a collision with a haul truck at a site on 28 June 2018.
The light vehicle was stationary and waiting to proceed through an intersection. The driver of an approaching haul truck incorrectly identified the roadway he intended to travel and turned into the roadway where the light vehicle had stopped. When reviewing the wheel marks, the vehicles would have made heavy contact.
The light vehicle driver expected the haul truck to pass. The light vehicle driver radioed ‘stop’ several times and reversed. The haul truck driver heard the calls for ‘stop’ and then saw that the light vehicle was in front of him.
Pit operations had been stopping intermittently during the morning as fog was reported to be rolling in and out. Road conditions were also wet and visibility was reported to be between 50 and 100 metres. The incident occurred on the haul truck’s third load for the shift.
An east/west haul road intersects three other haul roads, all in a north/south orientation. All three roads were segregated, resulting in six individual roads. Refer to figure 2 below.
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