CADIZ, Ohio — The death of a coal mine drill operator in Harrison County earlier this year was the result of inadequate safety procedures and a failure to secure unstable ground along a highwall, according to a federal investigation released by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
Edward Blomquist, 73, a seasoned highwall drill operator with 46 years of mining experience, was killed on February 12 while working at CCU Coal and Construction LLC’s Sexton Strip mine near Cadiz. The mine, which employs 13 workers and operates five days a week, was the site of a fatal incident that occurred while Blomquist was preparing a blast pattern above the 021 Pond Pit.
According to MSHA’s report, Blomquist had just completed drilling one blast hole and was reversing his drill to reposition for the next when the ground beneath the machine gave way. Positioned parallel to the highwall’s edge, the drill plunged approximately 30 feet to the pit floor after the collapse.
Two coworkers located in the pit rushed to the scene and found Blomquist outside the cab of the drill. He was unresponsive and without a pulse. Emergency responders were called, and Harrison County Coroner Dr. Porsche Beetham pronounced Blomquist dead at 9:45 a.m., just 24 minutes after the incident occurred.
MSHA investigators concluded the accident was preventable.
“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,” the report states.
MSHA report
The investigation was conducted jointly by MSHA’s accident team and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mineral Resource Management.
No further details have been released regarding potential enforcement actions or penalties related to the findings.
