Powered haulage: 30% of US mining deaths since 2000

Since 2000, MSHA has recorded 1,202 mining fatalities in the United States. The single largest classification is powered haulage - haul trucks, front-end loaders, conveyors, shuttle cars and other mobile equipment in motion - with 361 deaths, 30.0% of the total.

The classifications most people associate with mining run far behind. Roof falls account for 88 deaths (7.3%) and gas or dust explosions for 75 (6.2%). Disasters cluster, which is why they dominate the picture: 29 of those 75 explosion deaths came on a single day, April 5, 2010, at Upper Big Branch.

The haulage share is persistent. In every 5-year window since 2000 it has been the leading classification: 31.4% (2000-04), 28.7% (2005-09), 25.9% (2010-14), 35.0% (2015-19), 30.3% (2020-24).

Add machinery accidents (250 deaths, 20.8%) and machines account for 611 of the 1,202 deaths on record - more than every other classification combined.

Method: MSHA accident records, degree of injury = fatality, accident dates 2000-01-01 through the current weekly release, grouped by MSHA's accident classification. Every underlying record: miningincidents.org/search?severity=fatal