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A Grass Valley tire technician died this week when a big-rig tire exploded while he was installing it along Interstate 80.
Les Schwab Tire Center employee Richard Riley, 24, had been called out Monday morning to replace the tire on a truck that had a flat on Interstate 80, near Gold Run. Riley was killed on impact, according to the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The accident occurred at about 10:45 a.m. Monday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
After an Oklahoma-based semi truck got a flat tire as it was traveling west on Interstate 80, the driver called Les Schwab, and Riley was dispatched to repair the flat, according to the state OSHA office.
Managers at Les Schwab declined to discuss the accident.
While he was putting on a new tire and rim, the tire exploded and struck Riley in the head, said Renee Bacchini, a spokeswoman for Cal-OSHA.
"These people who work with tires are trained for the proper precautions," she said.
The safety administration will take about six months to complete its investigation into Riley's death, and investigators plan to test the tire and rim to find out if they were faulty, Bacchini said.
Riley, a Nevada City resident, had worked for Les Schwab for four years, she said.
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To contact staff writer Roman Gokhman, e-mail romang@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
Les Schwab Tire Center employee Richard Riley, 24, had been called out Monday morning to replace the tire on a truck that had a flat on Interstate 80, near Gold Run. Riley was killed on impact, according to the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The accident occurred at about 10:45 a.m. Monday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
After an Oklahoma-based semi truck got a flat tire as it was traveling west on Interstate 80, the driver called Les Schwab, and Riley was dispatched to repair the flat, according to the state OSHA office.
Managers at Les Schwab declined to discuss the accident.
While he was putting on a new tire and rim, the tire exploded and struck Riley in the head, said Renee Bacchini, a spokeswoman for Cal-OSHA.
"These people who work with tires are trained for the proper precautions," she said.
The safety administration will take about six months to complete its investigation into Riley's death, and investigators plan to test the tire and rim to find out if they were faulty, Bacchini said.
Riley, a Nevada City resident, had worked for Les Schwab for four years, she said.
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To contact staff writer Roman Gokhman, e-mail romang@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
