Rotary Bucket Excavator Operator

The injured employee was working in the North East corner of the pit loading shot rock. While waiting for the haul truck to return to the muck pile, the excavator was struck by several large rocks. No one witnessed the accident. The haul truck driver discovered the accident scene and rescue/recovery efforts begun. The excavator operator was fatally injured.

On July 25, 2016, James T. Lynn (age 59) was killed when rock from a highwall, approximately 80 feet above, fell on the operator's cab of the hydraulic excavator that he was operating.The accident occurred because the operator's mining methods did not maintain wall stability where the victim was working. The operator failed to take down or support hazardous ground conditions before work commenced in the area and failed to identify hazardous ground conditions during examinations in the work area prior to work commencing.

1. The operator's mining methods did not maintain wall stability in places where persons work or travel.

   Corrective action: The operator has revised their mining methods to alter the mining direction with respect to jointing and has revised the shot pattern to reduce back-break.

2. The operator failed to take down or support hazardous ground conditions before work commenced in the area.

   Corrective action: The operator has instituted and trained all employees in a plan for taking down hazardous ground conditions with equipment that can reach all areas of the highwall face.

3. The operator failed to conduct an adequate workplace examination. The operator failed to identify hazardous ground conditions in the work area prior to work commencing.

   Corrective action: The mine has instituted written highwall inspection procedures which include conducting examinations from the top of the highwall before work commences. All miners have been trained in these inspection procedures.

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

Activity at time of incident

Power Shovel, Dragline

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Struck by falling object

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

17 years

Experience at this mine

8 years

Experience in this job

17 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY