Mining Program Area: Surveillance

Overview

The mission of the Surveillance and Statistics Program is to:

• Collect and analyze health and safety data related to mining occupations in order to report on the overall incidence, prevalence, and significance of occupational safety and health problems in mining;
• Describe trends in the incidence of mining-related fatalities, morbidity, and traumatic injury;
• Conduct surveillance on the use of new technology, engineering controls, and protective equipment in the mining sector;
• Coordinate surveillance activities with other NIOSH surveillance initiatives;
• Provide statistical support for surveillance and research activities of the mining program; and
• Assist in the development of research protocols.

Highlights

The Office of Mine Safety and Health Research recently conducted the first comprehensive survey of the U.S. mining population in more than 20 years.  The National Survey of the Mining Population captured the current demographic profile of the U.S. mining workforce. Randomly selected mining operations in the coal, metal, nonmetal, stone, and sand and gravel sectors were surveyed.

Two sets of data were collected.  There were questions about the mining operation, including employee training, work schedules, the use of independent contractor employees, and mine communication and safety systems.  The employee questions included demographic and occupational questions about individual employees. The survey sample data were weighted in order to provide national estimates of mine and employee characteristics.

Projects & Contracts