Davis, Shane William

29y · Male·Multiple injuries from being struck by a tyre and rim assembly when attempting to remove them from a truck hauling coal, caused by failure and uncontrolled release of stored energy in the tyre due to a crack in the multi-piece rim assembly

Shane Davis, a 29-year-old truck driver, died from injuries sustained when attempting to remove a doughy tyre from a multi-piece rim on a coal haulage truck. The rim failed due to fatigue cracking, causing explosive release of stored energy in the tyre, propelling the tyre and rim fragments with fatal force. The death was preventable through multiple interventions: deflating tyres before wheel removal (a standard practice in tyre fitting but not implemented by Korn drivers), establishing adequate safety operating procedures specific to multi-piece rims, non-destructive testing of rims, proper training in mining-specific hazards for transport workers, and effective contractor safety management. Contributory failures included inadequate safety procedures, insufficient worker training on stored energy hazards, lack of rim maintenance protocols, poor communication between mine operator and contractor, and delayed development of the contractor's safety management system.