CHIP DUMPER DAMAGED

June 2001
01-S-19

[Go Back]

BACKGROUND: At a Pacific Northwest mill, a seriously overweight chip truck, with a crowned load, was being elevated on a dumper.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The chip truck driver had eight years of experience hauling chip loads.

UNSAFE ACT OR CONDITION: A malfunction of the sawmill's bin, where the driver collected the load of chips, caused the overweight load. At that location, the driver observed that the chips were hung up in the bin, then suddenly broke free. The driver closed the bin gates as quickly as possible, but not before his load was crowned. The driver proceeded with the load to the pulp mill. At the pulp mill, he discovered that his load weighed 110,000 pounds -- considerably over the legally allowed weight.

ACCIDENT: The crowned load put too much pressure against the dumper's cross piece and broke it off.

INJURY: Fortunately, no one was injured.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION:

• In the resulting investigation, it was found that the sawmill's chip bin doors did not close properly and that the problem was systemic, rather than being an isolated instance of chips hanging up in the bin. Improperly closing bin gates, or doors, must be repaired promptly.
• Drivers must not haul crowned loads.
• Loads must not exceed legal highway weights.

(Both the sawmill and the carrier were notified of these inadequacies in equipment maintenance and poor decision-making.)

Forest Resources Association Inc.
600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 350, Rockville, Maryland 20852
Phone: (301) 838-9385     Fax: (301) 838-9481