Mining Incidents

Minnesota mining incidents

Every reportable accident on file with MSHA at a Minnesota mine. Operators below are ranked by recorded fatality count in this state alone.

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Fatalities recorded
15
Total incidents
4,268
Most recent fatality
2023

Top operators in Minnesota by fatality count

  1. 01Unimin Minnesota Corporation1fatal
  2. 02Knife River Corporation North Central1fatal
  3. 03United Taconite LLC1fatal
  4. 04Tri-City Paving, Inc.1fatal

Recent fatalities in Minnesota

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.

Struck against a moving object

Employee was driving Service truck SR136 on the main haul road heading east towards the pit. For unknown reasons at this time it appears the truck hit the berm on the south side of the road causing it to tip sideways ending up on the drivers side. EE was found outside of the vehicle.

Fall from machine

Full details are not yet known. Employee was lubricating a conveyor and the conveyor was started. Injuries are either from being thrown from the conveyor or being trapped in machinery.

Struck by falling object

Employee was placing removable legs on a transfer conveyor. Conveyor was held in place by a loader. Removable leg fell and struck employee in the face, fatally injuring the employee.

Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

A miner' s arm was caught in the components of a conveyor head pulley and conveyor scraper blade assembly, resulting in fatal injury.

Fall from scaffolds, walkways, platforms

Incident is still under investigation. Cause of death is unknown, awaiting autopsy report. The victim was working from an elevated location that was provided with handrails. He was using an 8 foot stepladder. While preparing to weld on an overhead vent pipe, he fell going over the handrail and landed on a railroad track 47 feet below.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

The deceased was fatally injured when a P&H Omega 20 ton mobile crane tipped on top of him while he attempted to exit the crane. The crane was attempting to postion a de-watering pipe when the accident occured. This accident is still under investigation by MSHA and Hazmat and United Steelworkers.

Fall from machine

Employee fell from cab of drill when drill tipped over. Employee fell approximately 40 feet from the dab to the next lower bench. Fall resulted in fatal injuries.

Struck by falling object

Employee was in the process of moving a stacking conveyor, hooking chains to the axle frame to be connected to a loader. Conveyor buckled in half landing on him in his attempt to run from the falling conveyor.

Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Electrical explosion.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Worker was preparing to remove a transmission from a machine. The operator's cab had to be removed prior to removal of transmission. Some or all of the fastners holding the cab were removed. Cab tipped pinning worker between cab, lower deck and hand rail.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Two employees were repositioning a conveyor. One was on the loader which was pulling the conveyor. The victim was directing and somehow got caught under the conveyor tire, crushing him.

Contact with electrical current

INDIVIDUAL CAME INTO CONTACT WITH OVERHEAD POWERLINE CAUSING DEATH BY ELECTRICUTION.

Contact with hot objects or substances

EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING A CRAWLER TRACTOR ON THE #1039 STOCKPILE IN THE MINE PIT. A FLASH FIRE OCCURRED. THE OPERATOR EXPERIENCED EXTENSIVE BURNS AS HE EXITED THE OPERATOR'S CAB. INVESTIGATION CONTINUES. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR 2 1/2 WEEKS IN THE BURN UNIT. ON NOVEMBER 2, 2000, MSHA WAS NOTIFIED THAT HE EXPIRED AT HOME.

Contact with electrical current

WHILE CUTTING WITH ARCH WELDER, INDIVIDUAL WAS ELECTROCUTED.

Source: US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) accident records, kept current weekly. State assignment uses MSHA's FIPS state code on the accident record.