Blaster

Employee was driving on work site when a tree fell off the High Wall into the cab of employee's pickup.

On January 11, 2022, at 2:45 p.m., Cecil Collett, a 32 year-old blaster with approximately ten years of mining experience, died when a tree fell from the highwall adjacent to the mine road and struck the cab of the pickup truck that he was driving. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) follow their Ground Control Plan that required all trees be removed a safe distance from the top of the highwall, and 2) conduct adequate examinations of all roadways and highwalls.

1. The mine operator did not follow their Ground Control Plan that required all trees be removed a safe distance from the top of the highwall.

   Corrective action: The mine operator removed all trees near the highwall edge. On January 19, 2022, the mine operator revised their Ground Control Plan to address the removal of trees to a safe distance from the highwall edge by specifying a minimum distance of 20 feet.

2. The mine operator did not conduct adequate examinations of all roadways and highwalls.

   Corrective action: The mine operator retrained all miners and foremen regarding examinations of highwalls, including the revised Ground Control Plan, on January 27, 2022. This training was monitored by MSHA personnel.

Read the full report (PDF)

Findings from MSHA's final investigation report, which supersedes the preliminary narrative above.

Activity at time of incident

Utility Truck, Water Trucks

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Struck by falling object

Source of injury

PLANTS,TREES,VEGETATION

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

10 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

0 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY