A 1.2 tonne wheel came off a dump truck, the incident was captured on video. Thankfully, nobody was injured.

KEY FINDINGS

• R&M contractors were responsible for maintenance of the mobile equipment, but not the tyres.
• It has been suggested that the wheel nuts had become loose  and when the dumper turned, the weight transfer caused the last few threads to strip out; the photo on the video show limestone build in the threads and stretching / stripping of the threads.
• This would indicate that the wheel had been removed recently, but there is no record of this.

There is a PowerPoint which shows the incident and includes key points that could be used as a toolbox talk. Please view the video  and share as appropriate.

Questions to ask

• Are traffic management plans designed to minimise risks from the likes of vehicle runaway or overturn, with suitable gradient, bunds, pedestrian exclusion zones etc?
• Where R&M contractors are engaged, do you have access to inspection, defect and repair records. Are they monitored appropriately?
• Are machine operators trained and competent to carry out the full range of inspections and checks expected of them, and is competence assessed? This maybe particularly relevant for new, more inexperienced operators.
• Do you have formal policies / procedures to ensure the torque of wheel nuts is checked at the required intervals by a competent person after a wheel has been refitted, with records being maintained.