NIOSH Mining Safety and Health Research

Number and Rate of Fatalities in Mining, 2003-2007

Per 100,000 Full-time Equivalent1 Employees by Type of Employer, Commodity, and Work Location (Excludes office employees)


Type of Employer and Commodity Underground Mines Surface Mines Total
Underground Surface areas Strip/Open Pit/Quarry2 Dredge Mills/plants
Coal operator No. 92 7 27 0 6 132
Rate 46.8 48.6 16.3 0.0 12.8 31.2
Metal operator No. 5 2 4 0 7 18
Rate 23.1 NC3 7.0 0.0 12.1 12.7
Nonmetal operator No. 4 0 2 0 2 8
Rate 33.3 0.0 NC 0.0 NC 8.0
Stone operator No. 4 2 25 0 19 50
Rate 39.4 NC 14.7 0.0 10.7 13.9
Sand & gravel operator No. NA4 NA 28 10 NR5 38
Rate NA NA 19.7 38.6 NR 22.6
Coal contractor No. 9 5 4 NA 11 29
Rate 69.1 34.2 8.5 NA 48.2 29.7
Noncoal contractor No. 2 1 15 1 14 33
Rate NC NC 18.6 NC 34.4 24.9
 
Total   No. 116 17 105 11 59 308
Rate 44.7 41.2 15.3 39.1 14.4 21.6
Caution should be used when interpreting rates based on a small number of events.
1Full-time equivalent employees based on reported number of employee hours (2,000 hours = 1 FTE).
2Also includes culm banks, auger mining, independent shops and yards, and surface mining not elsewhere classified.
3NC=Not computed for 3 or fewer fatalities.
4NA=Not applicable for this commodity.
5NR=Not reported separately. Sand and gravel operators report mill employment under strip or dredge operations.
 Data Source: MSHA
 
Page last updated: July 15, 2009
Page last reviewed: March 30, 2009
Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)