Mining Incidents

Machinery

MSHA records classify 529 US mining fatalities under Machinery, across 87,292 reportable incidents.

Every reportable mining accident MSHA has classified under Machinery. Fatalities and serious injuries are the bulk of these records; some categories also include reportable non-injury events.

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Fatalities recorded
529
Total incidents
87,292
Fatal rate
1%

Top operators by fatality count

  1. 01 Consolidation Coal Company 8fatal
  2. 02 Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC 5fatal
  3. 03 Peabody Coal Company 4fatal
  4. 04 Bridger Coal Company 3fatal
  5. 05 Chevron Mining Inc 3fatal
  6. 06 Clinchfield Coal Company 3fatal
  7. 07 Drummond Company, Inc. 3fatal
  8. 08 Florida Rock Industries Inc 3fatal
  9. 09 Holnam Inc 3fatal
  10. 10 Mosaic Fertilizer LLC 3fatal

Recent fatalities

July 1, 2026 AL · Coal electrician, lineman Fatality · MACHINERY
Warrior Met Coal BC, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was discovered at shield 74. The employee was found caught between the shield resulting in a head crushing injury. Employee was transported to the surface and EMS performed CPR until time of death was called.

May 20, 2026 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · MACHINERY
Pine Branch Mining LLC · Struck by falling object

EE and another employee were pulling the engine and removing nose cone on the radiator. EE was on the bottom under the 992g wheel loader. The other employee was on top of the machine. EE was taking the radiator nose off, accidentally took bolts out of counter weights and it fell on EE. Resulting in a fatality.

March 12, 2026 UT · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · MACHINERY
Kennecott Utah Copper LLC · Struck by powered moving object

At approximately 05.12am on the 12th March 2026, a mechanic was struck by a drill boom in a surface workshop, causing fatal injuries.

March 5, 2026 IL · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator Fatality · MACHINERY
Patton Mining LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

The IE was moving the miner to the face in entry #3 when we found the IE pinned between the miner tail and the solid rib.

January 6, 2026 CA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · MACHINERY
National Cement Company Of California Inc · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

During preparation for dismantling of motor and gear box on slide gate. Employee didn't follow given instructions and removed all bolts from gearbox. That cause released of stored energy on slide gate and motor with gear box start spinning. Employee got caught by the equipment and started spinning with it. During spinning their head hit the handrail which caused a fatal injury.

December 10, 2025 FL · Metal/Non-Metal crane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, rigger Fatality · MACHINERY

EE died after the dragline EE was operating slid into a water-filled pit.

December 10, 2025 FL · Metal/Non-Metal crane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, rigger Fatality · MACHINERY

EE died after the dragline EE was operating slid into a water-filled pit.

July 29, 2025 CA · Metal/Non-Metal rotary bucket excavator operator Fatality · MACHINERY
Cold Spring Granite Company · Struck against a moving object

Operator was backing up close to the edge at a berm and was facing the opposite way. Operator was pulled backwards by the counter weight, operator attempted to turn the machine to stop it from rolling into the ditch.

June 15, 2025 OK · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · MACHINERY
P&K Stone LLC · Struck by falling object

It rained and the mining pit needed to be dewatered. EE was at the mine site alone. It was reported that EE's spouse, was in the truck on the mine site while EE went into the pit. EE moved the telehandler into the pit, parked it on the bottom of the pit parallel on the ramp. EE exited the tele. While standing outside of the tele facing east, the tele fell over onto EE, crushing EE.

February 12, 2025 OH · Coal drill operator Fatality · MACHINERY
CCU Coal and Construction LLC · Struck against a moving object

Employee was operating a DM45 Highwall Drill on a drill bench. Employee was traveling parallel to the edge and the outside edge gave way. The drill slid off the bench and landed 25 feet below.

January 30, 2025 TX · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman Fatality · MACHINERY
Ellinger Sand & Gravel · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Miner did not follow protocol. Therefore causing the death of the same.

November 16, 2024 OH · Metal/Non-Metal rotary bucket excavator operator Fatality · MACHINERY
Ervin Hill Enterprises Inc · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Employee died when they became entangled in the log washer.

September 28, 2024 WV · Coal electrician, lineman Fatality · MACHINERY
ICG Tygart Valley · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was standing on 172 shield and advancing 173 shield towards the face. The employee was found with an injury to the back of the head at 171 shield.

May 16, 2024 WV · Coal rotary bucket excavator operator Fatality · MACHINERY
CM Energy Operations LP · Struck against stationary object

Employee was operating an Excavator assisting Dozer operator in removing a big rock on the DC8A pit area. Excavator was between the rock and the top of highwall. Excavator went over the highwall ejecting the employee.

March 1, 2024 FL · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · MACHINERY
White Springs Ag Chems Inc dba Nutrien · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

During a pipe breaking operation by the float crew on the #5 Matrix line near the #8 Lift Pump, the Leaderman was struck by a pipe and suffered fatal injuries. The investigation of the accident by MSHA and the company is ongoing. Autopsy results are also pending.

December 14, 2023 OK · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · MACHINERY
Bison Materials LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Miner was moving a rinse bucket to access a piece of metal that needed to be repaired and welded. As EE pulled the pin from the rinse bucket somehow the hydraulic cylinder gave way pinning the miner in between the bucket and a handrail. Resulting in the death of the miner.

December 14, 2023 UT · Metal/Non-Metal miner, prospector, nec Fatality · MACHINERY
Staker & Parson Companies · Struck by falling object

EE STARTED THE DAY AND HAD WORKED AT THE SHOP LOCATED IN LEHI, UTAH FOR THE MAJORITY OF EE'S WHOLE SHIFT. THERE WERE MATERIALS THAT NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO OUR CREW TO CONTINUE WORKING. EE DROVE TO THE WORKSITE. WHILE EE WAS THERE, EE WAS WALKING AND WHILE WALKING EE WAS STRUCK BY THE FORKS OF A PEICE OF EQUIPMENT THAT FELL OVER, WHICH RESULTED IN EE'S LIFE ENDING.

November 13, 2023 MT · Metal/Non-Metal miner, nec Fatality · MACHINERY
Stillwater Mining Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Tangled in drill steel while installing ground support.

August 24, 2023 MN · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman Fatality · MACHINERY
Cemstone Products Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

While attempting to lower feed box on wash plant employee was trapped between feed box and hand railing causing fatal injuries to employee.

August 21, 2023 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman Fatality · MACHINERY
A & S Construction Co · Struck by falling object

While lifting a VSI lid a strap broke. The lid struck the victim causing severe head trauma.