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.

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.

   Corrective action: 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.

   Corrective action: 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:

Read the full report (PDF)

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

Activity at time of incident

Surface Equipment, Nec

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Struck against a moving object

Source of injury

SURFACE MINING MACHINES

Nature of injury

UNCLASSIFIED,NOT DETERMED

Body part affected

HEAD,NEC

Total mining experience

47 years

Experience at this mine

23 years

Experience in this job

47 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY