Drill Operator

Employee was operating a DM45 Highwall Drill on a drill bench. Employee was traveling parallel to the edge and the outside edge gave way. The drill slid off the bench and landed 25 feet below.

Texto original en inglés de la MSHA

On February 12, 2025, at 9:22 a.m., Edward Blomquist, a 73-year-old highwall drill operator with over 46 years of mining experience, died when the ground beneath the drill he was positioning failed, causing the drill to fall off the highwall. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) have a policy or procedure in place to ensure safe drilling and work practices near the edge of the highwall, and 2) correct or barricade the loose and unconsolidated material along the edge of the highwall.

1. The mine operator did not have a policy or procedure in place to ensure safe drilling and work practices near the edge of the highwall.

   Acción correctiva: The mine operator revised their GCP to address safe drilling and work practices near the edge of the highwall:

2. The mine operator did not correct or barricade the loose and unconsolidated material along the edge of the highwall.

   Acción correctiva: The mine operator provided training to all certified foreman on the methods to correct, post, or barricade hazardous ground conditions when identified. The mine operator also revised their GCP to include the following:

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Hallazgos del informe final de investigación de la MSHA, que sustituye la narrativa preliminar anterior.

Actividad al momento del incidente

Surface Equipment, Nec

Subunidad / ubicación

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Tipo de accidente

Golpeado contra un objeto en movimiento

Fuente de la lesión

SURFACE MINING MACHINES

Naturaleza de la lesión

UNCLASSIFIED,NOT DETERMED

Parte del cuerpo afectada

HEAD,NEC

Experiencia minera total

47 years

Experiencia en esta mina

23 years

Experiencia en este puesto

47 years

Grado de la lesión

FATALITY