RENO, Nev. (AP) — Federal mine safety officials have cited Newmont Mining Corp. in the death of a Nevada miner who was run over by his truck after he left the engine running and failed to set the parking brake on the unattended vehicle.
The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration says 45-year-old Romney Natapu of Elko was killed in November when he exited the 33-foot-long loader-hauler he was operating without properly securing it at Newmont's Pete Bajo gold mine in northeast Nevada.
The agency says the accident occurred because company policies, procedures and controls were not followed to ensure the safe parking of the unattended vehicle
Contrary to management policy, the truck was left on a grade with the engine running, the parking brake wasn't engaged and the tires weren't turned at an angle. The company has since retrained all its drivers.
