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Mining Fatalities Skyrocket in August, September

 

 

October 10, 2024 - Mining fatalities were trending down through seven months of the year. But seven fatal incidents reported by the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) in August and another six in September more than doubled the total from the previous seven months combined.


Based on the fatality reports available on MSHA’s website, the mine fatalities total for 2024 is up to 24. The agency reported 29 fatal mining accidents in 2023.


About August and September


According to MSHA, eight of the 13 mining fatalities across August and September happened at metal/nonmetal sites. The other five occurred at coal mines.


MSHA attributed the 13 in August and September to a range of causes, with four of the incidents characterized as powered haulage accidents. Three of the 13 were attributed to “slip or fall of person,” with “fall of roof or back” as the source of another two.


MSHA classified the other four accidents as involving drowning, electrical, machinery and “fall of face, rib, side or highwall.”


By state, three of the 13 August-September fatalities took place in West Virginia. Two miners died across August and September in Pennsylvania. One miner each died over the last two months in Alabama, Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.


On the Year


The all-time-low mark for mining fatalities in a single year is 25. That was the total in 2016.


Until August, the industry was on pace to reset the all-time-low fatalities mark this year. August (7) and September (6) are now the deadliest 2024 months in mining, with May (4), July (2) and January (2) trailing behind.