Mining Incidents

Fall of Face/Rib/Pillar/Side/Highwall

Every reportable mining accident MSHA has classified under Fall of Face/Rib/Pillar/Side/Highwall. Fatalities and serious injuries are the bulk of these records; some categories also include reportable non-injury events.

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Fatalities recorded
72
Total incidents
2,367
Fatal rate
3%

Top operators by fatality count

  1. 01 Genwal Resources Inc 9fatal
  2. 02 Lone Mountain Processing LLC 3fatal
  3. 03 Armstrong Coal Company, Inc. 2fatal
  4. 04 Brody Mining LLC 2fatal
  5. 05 MLC 2fatal
  6. 06 McElroy Coal Company 2fatal
  7. 07 Tri-Star Mining Inc 2fatal
  8. 08 Andalex Resources Inc 1fatal
  9. 09 Asarco Inc 1fatal
  10. 10 B G Hoadley Quarries Inc 1fatal

Recent fatalities

February 28, 2025 WV · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Marfork Coal Company, LLC · Struck by falling object

EE had been jack hammering to set a water trap for seals and traded off with coworker to take a break went over to rib sat down when rib roll 68"L x 24" W x 8" T came off at spad #3002/7483 on EE striking EE in the chest and abdomen area.

January 29, 2025 WV · Coal drill operator Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Lexington Coal Company, LLC · Struck by falling object

The employee was drilling a test hole in the surface pit floor to see if the rider coal seam was under the seam they were taking. Due to the freezing and thawing of the highwall a large chunk of rock approximately 4'x2'x3' came down striking the enclosed cab of the mobile drill, ripping the cab off and striking the employee.

August 22, 2024 MA · Metal/Non-Metal rotary bucket excavator operator Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Onyx Corporation · Caught in, under or between collapsing material or buildings

A miner died when a highwall collapsed on the excavator the miner was operating.

November 13, 2023 GA · Metal/Non-Metal rotary bucket excavator operator Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
KaMin LLC · Caught in, under or between collapsing material or buildings

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

March 2, 2022 PA · Coal scoop tram operator, load/haul/dump operator Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
LCT Energy, LP · Struck by falling object

In the Main A section, number 5 entry in the intersection of crosscut 139 at station spad #2994. While walking past a rib, a rock measuring approximately 5'x2'x18" fell out striking the victim.

June 2, 2021 WV · Coal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Marion County Coal Resources, Inc. · Struck by falling object

An EE was fatally injured when coal and rock material fell from the mine rib while rib bolting, and pinned the injured against the continuous mining machine. The rock and coal material measured approximately 6.3'x3.2'x2.0'. The miner was trained in the task being performed.

August 29, 2019 PA · Coal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Consol Pennsylvania Coal Company LLC · Struck by rolling or sliding object

The employee was walking off the face at the G1HG longwall section. As employee passed the head gate drive, the previously bolted and meshed rib unexpectedly failed and the material struck employee resulting crushing type injuries.

December 11, 2018 AL · Coal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Cedar Lake Mining, Inc. · Struck by falling object

Victim was operating front-end loader in coal pit area, when a highwall failure occurred, covering the front-end loader completely.

February 6, 2018 WV · Coal electrician, lineman Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Wolf Run Mining LLC · Struck by rolling or sliding object

The victim was servicing/working on the C/M around the scrubber motor area when a piece of the coal rib measuring approx. 3'L x 2'H x 15"T rolled out crushing the victim against the machine.

September 28, 2017 WY · Coal longwall operator, chock operator, shear operator, plow operator Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Bridger Coal Company · Struck by falling object

On September 28, 2017, employee was helping in the roof bolting activities on the longwall face. During this activity, coal came from the longwall face fatally injuring the employee.

March 30, 2017 KY · Coal auger operator, auger crew supervisor Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Green Hill Mining Inc · Struck by falling object

While changing work cutter head bits on the coal auger machine, ee was struck by a rock approx 4 feet by 5 feet by 30 inches that fell from the bottom section of the highwall. EE was pronounced deceased at the scene.

January 25, 2017 IA · Metal/Non-Metal truck driver Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Linwood Mining and Minerals Corporation · Caught in, under or between collapsing material or buildings

EE was reported missing and was later discovered under a rib failure several hours later. The miner was found in an abandoned section of the mine beyond a barricade berm, along the top of a 20 foot high, waste material spoil pile. The victim was recovered on 1/26/17 at approximately 3:30am. and officially pronounce dead by the local medical examiner.

July 25, 2016 TN · Metal/Non-Metal rotary bucket excavator operator Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck by falling object

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.

March 25, 2016 KY · Coal examiner, fire boss, pre-shift examiner, mine examiner Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Lone Mountain Processing LLC · Struck by rolling or sliding object

While workers were cleaning up material that was removed from a new coal transfer borehole using a continuous miner, a section of rib/brow fell from the inby portion of the entry and continued outby pulling rib bolts. The material rolled down the rib and struck the miner operator causing fatal crushing injuries to chest and abdomen.

March 16, 2015 VA · Coal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Paramont Coal Company Virginia LLC · Struck by falling object

Employee was in the process of conducting his pre-shift exam on the section when he was found by another miner. He was pinned between a fallen rib and shuttle car that had been parked in the crosscut. The incident was not witnessed. Material that dislodged from the rib appeared to have struck the foreman on the right side of his body which resulted in fatal injuries.

March 8, 2015 WV · Coal assistant mine foreman, assistant mine manager Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
McElroy Coal Company · Struck by falling object

The 12 East longwall had mined out of seam from 3-10 shield. Shield tip to face had been roof bolted so the coal floor could be removed. The victim was standing with his back to the face. A rib struck the victim measuring 12' long by 4' wide by 1' thick. The victim was a trained and experienced longwall supervisor. The roof control and protective equipment were compliant.