Around 4:45 pm, a loaded dumper headed up the track from a quarry bottom towards the initial processing station for extracted materials. Over a slightly downward straight section, the driver lost control of his vehicle, striking the bund wall and rolling 10 m downslope onto the bench of the lower step. The zone was inaccessible to vehicles. Employees sounded the alarm and remained by the driver’s side. Specialized fire-fighters raised the injured man (who sustained cranial trauma and an elbow fracture). After surgery, he was placed on leave for 139 days (5 months).

The inspection authorities for classified facilities investigated this accident. The victim indicated working on very little sleep prior to the accident and could not recall putting on his seat belt. He also declared dozing off for 5 or 6 seconds while behind the wheel. The dumper driver had apparently started this job at the beginning of the year. His driving licence had been issued before being trained. The in-house training he received was insufficient (9 hours total behind the wheel). Moreover, his aptitude at driving heavy equipment had never been verified. Inspectors noted that the bund wall height was less than the radius of the largest vehicle wheels. A technical evaluation of the dumper did not reveal any equipment defects.