Rotary Bucket Excavator Operator

Investigation is ongoing. *A miner died after being engulfed by a collapsing highwall.

On November 13, 2023, sometime between noon and 12:30 p.m., James Hightower, a 54 year-old contract excavator operator with 29 years of mining experience, died when a highwall collapsed, engulfing him. Hightower was found between the cab of the excavator and the highwall. The accident occurred because the contractor did not prevent miners from working or traveling between equipment and the highwall where equipment may hinder escape from falls or slides of highwalls.

1. The contractor did not prevent miners from working or traveling between equipment and the highwall where equipment may hinder escape from falls or slides of highwalls.

   Corrective action: The contractor developed and implemented a new written procedure that includes training of contractors’ activities to ensure contractors are complying with MSHA regulations. The procedure requires that equipment operators remove equipment from the area of the highwall before exiting the machine.

Read the full report (PDF)

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

Activity at time of incident

Idle

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Caught in, under or between collapsing material or buildings

Source of injury

CAVING ROCK,COAL,ORE,WSTE

Nature of injury

MULTIPLE INJURIES

Body part affected

MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)

Total mining experience

29 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

29 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY