NIOSH Mining Safety and Health Research

Number and Rate of Lost-time Injuries in Mining, 2003-2007

Per 100 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. 11,161 589 2,697 2 1,030 15,479
Rate 5.7 4.1 1.6 NC3 2.2 3.7
Metal operator No. 750 114 1,147 11 1,256 3,278
Rate 3.5 2.7 2.0 1.8 2.2 2.3
Nonmetal operator No. 407 92 445 12 1,534 2,490
Rate 3.4 5.1 1.9 3.8 2.5 2.5
Stone operator No. 270 95 4,527 11 6,003 10,906
Rate 2.7 4.4 2.7 5.7 3.4 3.0
Sand & gravel operator No. NA4 NA 3,189 703 NR5 3,892
Rate NA NA 2.2 2.7 NR 2.3
Coal contractor No. 974 212 841 1 434 2,462
Rate 7.5 1.4 1.8 NC 1.9 2.5
Noncoal contractor No. 165 85 1,013 6 725 1,994
Rate 2.7 2.1 1.3 0.8 1.8 1.5
 
Total   No. 13,727 1,187 13,859 746 10,982 40,501
Rate 5.3 2.9 2.0 2.6 2.7 2.8
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 injuries.
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: April 6, 2009
Page last reviewed: March 30, 2009
Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)