In an open pit quarry under redevelopment, a loader fell into a washing water recovery pit during a backfilling operation. The loader was empty at the time of the accident. The protective wall around the pit had been dismantled. The loader fell into the pit during a reversing manoeuvre. Given the shallow depth of the pit, the rear of the loader collided with the bottom while its front wheels remained outside.

The loader, which entered service in 1981, was not equipped with a seatbelt. The driver, an employee of the company, suffered bruises from the accident. He was not licensed to drive the machine, nor did he have a certificate of aptitude in safe driving (CACES), or a medical clearance.

The employer is not in a position to present a certificate of compliance with the General Regulation of Extractive Industries (RGIE) for the machine. A report by the labour inspection was drawn up against the employer.