Mining Incidents

Newmont USA Limited: 13 recorded fatalities operator

Controlled by Newmont Corporation
MSHA operator ID: L15317

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Fatalities
13
Total incidents
4,058
Mines on record
23
Years on record
1983–2019
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
5,849
citations
1,097
significant & substantial
$5,463,797
proposed penalties
$4,312,994
paid to date
79% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,150,803 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
1,473
inspections on record
64,426
inspection hours
9.1
citations per 100 inspection hours
This rate is recorded citations divided by MSHA inspection hours, per 100 hours. It reflects inspection effort, not mine size or production.
5,849 citations across 64,426 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Penalty disposition
Differences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$5.5M
proposed penalties
$4.3M
current assessed
$4.3M
paid to date
$7K
outstanding
5,709 assessments are final orders; 355 contested dockets.
Of $3.9M in penalties contested before the Commission, $2.4M was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2019-07-11.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.
Violation severity profile
Shares are computed over citations that carry the MSHA gravity and negligence coding; a small share of records are uncoded.
19.1%
significant & substantial
8.3%
high negligence or reckless
19.3%
reasonably likely or greater
48.0%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 14.3% low, 77.4% moderate, 8.3% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
Injury rate, 2019
This rate is reportable injury cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers per year, computed as 200,000 times cases divided by MSHA operator-reported employee-hours. Cases are injuries MSHA graded degree 01 through 07; accident-only events that hurt no one are excluded, and so are contractor injuries, whose hours do not attach to a single mine. Rates begin in 2000, when quarterly employment reporting starts, and are withheld below 20,000 hours in a year.
1.16
total case rate
0.37
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.94 and the all-US-mining average was 2.32 cases per 100 workers.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2019 1.16 0.37 0.000
2018 0.65 0.32 0.021
2017 0.87 0.30 0.000
2016 0.95 0.32 0.000
2015 1.44 0.40 0.000
2014 1.35 0.58 0.000
2013 2.00 0.36 0.026
2012 1.56 0.27 0.024
Source: injury cases from MSHA accident and injury records; employee-hours from MSHA quarterly employment reports. Rate is cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers, operator employees only.
Health sampling
A sample is a point in time compliance measurement, not an individual exposure history. These figures describe MSHA sampling records and do not establish causation or personal dose.

Metal and nonmetal contaminants (personal samples)
Many samples are screening measurements of substances with no applicable exposure limit; they are counted as samples but excluded from every over-limit figure. Over-limit shares use only limit-tested samples.

Last sampled: 2019-05-29, 7 years ago
31%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
697
samples
582
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Diesel particulate (total carbon)15854 over
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz19338 over
  • Total Carbon,calculated from elemental carbon.4528 over
  • Silver dust & soluble compounds5327 over

Area samples (mill and shop air)

Last sampled: 2018-06-19, 8 years ago
30
samples
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly. Metal/nonmetal contaminant figures come from MSHA's Personal Health Samples and Area Samples files (public record), updated weekly.
When citations were contested
Contesting a citation before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission is a lawful right. These figures state the public outcomes of that process, from MSHA's Contested Violations file.
1,243 citations taken to the federal commission · 21% of citations on record
  • Settled 1,176 · 95%
  • Stood as issued 60 · 5%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 7 · 1%
71%
S&S designation survived the contest
Counts a Significant & Substantial citation as surviving when a settlement or judge's decision kept the designation, or the contest was dismissed or defaulted so the citation stands as issued. Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.
of 591 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
32%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$3.4M proposed, $2.3M after decisions · industry: 39%
Source: MSHA Contested Violations file (public record), updated weekly. A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record. Latest contest filed 2019-04-16. Vacated and withdrawn citations are removed from the file this view attributes through, so that outcome is slightly undercounted here.
Contested penalties
A reduction or dismissal at the Commission is a lawful outcome of contesting a proposed penalty. Figures are the proposed amount and the amount upheld in the docket's decision.
Largest penalties this operator contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
WEST 2013-130M Settlement Manning 2013 $210K → $112K
WEST 2014-0617 Settlement Manning 2016 $122K → $95K
WEST 2010-432M Settlement Lewis 2011 $105K → $65K
WEST 2011-252M Settlement Manning 2011 $101K → $39K
WEST 2012-1256M Settlement Manning 2014 $94K → $66K
WEST 2006-168M Settlement Barbour 2006 $85K → $11K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

Top causes

Incident timeline

2019
31
2018
38 (1f)
2017
65
2016
67
2015
77 (1f)
2014
61
2013
104 (1f)
2012
109 (1f)
2011
106 (1f)
2010
90
2009
82 (1f)
2008
110 (1f)
2007
126
2006
152
2005
173
2004
148
2003
106
2002
88
2001
98 (2f)
2000
131
1999
111
1998
139
1997
168
1996
137
1995
147
1994
164
1993
166 (1f)
1992
156 (1f)
1991
185
1990
191 (2f)
1989
144
1988
155
1987
101
1986
55
1985
62
1984
8
1983
7

Mines on record

Fatalities under this operator

13 recorded
November 11, 2018 NV · Metal/Non-Metal miner, nec Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Newmont USA Limited · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

A miner was fatally injured when the miner was run over by the LHD loader the miner was operating underground.

January 11, 2015 NV · Metal/Non-Metal shaftcrew, shaft repair, skip tender, station tender Fatality · HOISTING
Newmont USA Limited · Struck against stationary object

The employee was fatally injured when he was travelling on a shaft conveyance and came in contact with the shaft furnishings.

June 2, 2013 NV · Metal/Non-Metal scoop car/scooptram operator, load/haul/dump (lhd) operator, teletram operator Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Newmont USA Limited · Struck against a moving object

Employee was in the procees of building a berm when his loader went into the stope.

August 31, 2012 NV · Metal/Non-Metal driller operator Fatality · SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Newmont USA Limited · Fall down raise, shaft or manway

A fatal accident occurred at the Exodus underground mine on Friday August 31st at approximately 13:30. The employee was preparing the top cut of the 4410-315 long hole stope, when he fell into the stope.

October 28, 2011 NV · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · OTHER
Newmont USA Limited · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

While performing a section repair in sidewall of a large earthmover tire the associate was discovered unconscious and unresponsive inside the tire by a mining company worker.

June 6, 2009 NV · Metal/Non-Metal drill operator Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Newmont USA Limited · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Surface Mine Engineering Sampler was backing up his flatbed pickup on a a drill pattern. A Drill Operator had dismounted his drill and was walking on the pattern. The drill operator walked behind the pickup and the sampler was not aware the the driller was there. The driller stopped walking and was run over by the flatbed pickup, resulting in fatal injuries.

October 9, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) Fatality · FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS
Newmont USA Limited · Struck by falling object

Two employees (welders) were dismantling a large tool rack. The welders were cutting 8'X4"X1/4" plate steel from the frame. The rack became unstable and tipped over on top of the employees. One employee sustained fatal injuries and the other received injuries to his back and legs.

February 16, 2001 NV · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Newmont USA Limited · Struck by falling object

EMPLOYEE WAS CONDUCTING TESTS ON HAUL TRUCK 085. WHILE THE TEST WAS BEING CONDUCTED, THE TRUCK ROLLED OVER THE CHOCK BLOCKS AND STRUCK THE DOORS OF THE SHOP. THE DOORS FELL AND STRUCK THE EMPL OYEE CAUSING FATAL INJURIES.

January 9, 2001 NV · Metal/Non-Metal stoper miner Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Newmont USA Limited · Struck against a moving object

A FATAL ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE 5520-237 LONGHOLE STOPE WHEN A WATER TRUCK OPERATOR BACKED OVER THE BERM AND INTO THE STOP WHICH AT THE TIME WAS BEING BACKFILLED.

October 22, 1993 NV · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Newmont Mining Corporation · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

TWO EMPLOYEES WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED ONE FATALY WHILE UNHOOKING A SLING FROM A CONVEYOR SECTION MOVED INTO PLACE BY A 235C BACKHOE(CAT) TWO TEMPOARARY DRILL STEEL LEGS HAD BEEN WELDED ONTO THE CONVEYOR EE FOR SUPPORT ONE LEG FAILED CAUSING THE CONVEYOR EE TO ROLL RT THEN FALL TO THE GROUND PINNING BOTH MEN BENEATH IT SECOND PERSON SERIOUSLY INJURED WITH LOSS OF ONE LEG TO DATE

May 10, 1992 NV · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator Fatality · OTHER
Newmont USA Limited · Unclassified, insufficient data

13017PROX 1010 THE GYRO CRUSHER OPERATOR OBSERVED EMP LAYING FACE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM DECK OF THE CRUSHER. INSPITE OF EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF MINE ER PERSON, HE WAS UNABLE TO BE REVIVED PRONOUN 35404EAD AT HOSPITAL. PER FAILED TO REVEAL CAUSE OF DEATH

November 2, 1990 NV · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman Fatality · ELECTRICAL
Newmont USA Limited · Contact with electrical current

CONTR USING 20 TON CRANE TO MOVE LARGE PIPE.EMPL WORKING AS SPOTTER WITH HAND ON PIPE TO GUIDE IT WHEN BOOM OF CRANE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH 60,000 VOLT POWER LINE.

May 25, 1990 NV · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Newmont USA Limited · Fall from machine

EMPL DRIVING EMPTY TRUCK BACK TO SHOVEL FOR A LOAD,APPARENTLY WENT TO SLEEP & TRUCK LEFT THE ROADWAY,CLIMBED THE BERM THEN FELL DOWN 45' TO NEXT BENCH LANDING ON LEFT SIDE ROLLING ONTO THE TOP .DRIVER FELL FROM CAB AND WAS CRUSHED BY ROLLING ROCKS.

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

Where Newmont USA Limited stands on silica, penalties, and injury rate

MSHA's standard limits respirable silica to 50 micrograms per cubic metre, but MSHA publishes dust and quartz as separate files and never the silica figure itself. We derive it per sample, score it against the limit, and set the operator's injury rate against a benchmark built from the full MSHA operator record. With the 26-year penalty trail, contest posture, and fatality history. Delivered as a PDF with the underlying data as CSV.

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