A haul truck and an excavator collided at Mt Arthur North open cut coal mine on 20 February 2025.
The Resources Regulator has issued an investigation information release into the incident that occurred near Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley.
The haul truck reversed towards the excavator without positive communications established between the operators. The excavator operator tried to move the excavator out of the truck’s path but was unable to do so because of the large size of the truck and the position of the excavator on the bench.
The rear of the truck and its tailgate collided with the side of the excavator’s cabin. This caused the front left side pillar of the excavator to be pushed inward towards the operator and the cabin roof forced upward. Extensive damage was occasioned to the excavator’s cabin and the operator was unable to exit the cabin using the normal means of egress.
An emergency was called and an operation was commenced to free the excavator operator. The excavator operator was eventually freed from the cabin uninjured.
