Drill Operator fatality
IT APPEARS WHILE DRILLING THE FRONT HOLES ON THE HIGHWALL (APPROX. 92') THE CHAIN THAT LIFTS THE DRILLHAMMER BROKE, WHEN THE THE HAMMER WAS NEAR THE TOP OF THE MAST ALLOWING IT TO FALL. THE HA MMER APPRENTLY STRUCK THE DRILLER WHO WAS NOT WEARING SAFETY BELT AND PUSHED HIM OFF THE WALL. THERE WAS A SAFETY HARNESS ON THE MACHINE BUT DRILLER DID NOT HAVE IT ON AT TIME OF ACCIDENT.
- Classification
- MACHINERY
- Accident type
- Fall to lower level, NEC
- Activity at time
- Surface Equipment, Nec
- Subunit / location
- STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT
- Source of injury
- GROUND
- Nature of injury
- MULTIPLE INJURIES
- Body part affected
- MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)
- Total mining experience
- 9 years
- Experience at this mine
- 8 years
- Experience in this job
- 9 years
- Mine type
- Surface
- Sector
- Metal/Non-Metal
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July 1, 2026 · Warrior Met Coal BC, LLC · AL · Electrician
Employee was discovered at shield 74. The employee was found caught between the shield resulting in a head crushing injury. Employee was transported to the surface and EMS performed CPR until time of death was called.
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May 20, 2026 · Pine Branch Mining LLC · KY · Maintenance Man
EE and another employee were pulling the engine and removing nose cone on the radiator. EE was on the bottom under the 992g wheel loader. The other employee was on top of the machine. EE was taking the radiator nose off, accidentally took bolts out of counter weights and it fell on EE. Resulting in a fatality.
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March 12, 2026 · Kennecott Utah Copper LLC · UT · Maintenance Man
At approximately 05.12am on the 12th March 2026, a mechanic was struck by a drill boom in a surface workshop, causing fatal injuries.