Mining Incidents

Mining Incidents in Kentucky

Kentucky has 454 recorded mining fatalities on file with MSHA, across 85,878 reportable incidents (1983–2026).

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

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Fatalities recorded
454
Total incidents
85,878
Fatal rate
1%
Years on record
1983–2026

Year-over-year fatalities

  1. 1983 15
  2. 1984 39
  3. 1985 18
  4. 1986 20
  5. 1987 30
  6. 1988 15
  7. 1989 32
  8. 1990 25
  9. 1991 18
  10. 1992 10
  11. 1993 20
  12. 1994 13
  13. 1995 12
  14. 1996 13
  15. 1997 7
  16. 1998 13
  17. 1999 10
  18. 2000 13
  19. 2001 6
  20. 2002 10
  21. 2003 11
  22. 2004 6
  23. 2005 11
  24. 2006 17
  25. 2007 2
  26. 2008 9
  27. 2009 8
  28. 2010 7
  29. 2011 8
  30. 2012 5
  31. 2013 6
  32. 2014 2
  33. 2015 2
  34. 2016 3
  35. 2017 2
  36. 2018 1
  37. 2019 5
  38. 2020 3
  39. 2021 1
  40. 2022 2
  41. 2023 3
  42. 2026 1

Top mines in Kentucky by fatality count

  1. 01 Pyro #9 Slope William Station 14fatal
  2. 02 Dotiki Mine 6fatal
  3. 03 Ovenfork Mine 5fatal
  4. 04 CARDINAL 5fatal
  5. 05 Black Thunder Mine No. 1 5fatal

Top operators by fatality count

  1. 01 Pyro Mining Company 14fatal
  2. 02 Lone Mountain Processing LLC 7fatal
  3. 03 Manalapan Mining Co., Inc. 7fatal
  4. 04 Warrior Coal LLC 7fatal
  5. 05 South-East Coal Company Inc 6fatal
  6. 06 Andalex Resources Inc 5fatal
  7. 07 Blue Diamond Coal Company 5fatal
  8. 08 Costain Coal Inc 5fatal
  9. 09 Kentucky Darby Llc 5fatal
  10. 10 Nally & Hamilton Enterprises Inc 5fatal

Recent fatalities

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.

July 26, 2023 KY · Metal/Non-Metal hand scaler Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Lexington Quarry Company · Fall from machine

Employee evacuated truck on mine ramp and hit head on ramp floor causing serious head injury. *EE died on 3/19/2024.

June 9, 2023 KY · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · MACHINERY
NEV LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While assisting in the offloading of a tank from the RGN trailer, the equipment being used to crane the tank struck JD's Custom Transport employee, causing EE's death.

March 1, 2023 KY · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer Fatality · MACHINERY
Mountain Aggregates Inc · Struck against a moving object

OUR EMPLOYEE WORKING AT MOUNTAIN AGGREGATES QUARRY MINE SITE WAS FATALLY INJURED WHILE OPERATING A DOZER ON AN ACCESS RD IN WHICH THE EQUIPMENT LEFT THE ACCESS RD AND ROLLED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT.

March 20, 2022 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) Fatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
INMET Mining, LLC. · Struck by falling object

The employee and co-workers were in the No.8 entry at x-cut No.47 on the 3 South Mains preparing to remove a permanent stopping. The injured employee was in the process of walking outby to turn off a water valve, when the roof collapsed resulting in a fatality. MSHA was notified. The injured employee was pronounced dead by the coroner on at 10:48pm on 3/21/2022.

December 4, 2021 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · MACHINERY
River View Coal LLC · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Employee placed self on the bumper of the miner below the unsupported conveyor tail boom with the machine still energized. EE apparently was trying to trouble shoot issues with the stab jack by utilizing the remote control functions and in the process inadvertently lowered the tail onto self resulting in fatal crushing injuries.

December 15, 2020 KY · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · MACHINERY
Rapid FM Aggregates, LLC · Struck by falling object

Changing the rear tire on a 992D Loader. Jack kicked out and and loader fell down crushing employee.

October 13, 2020 KY · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Warrior Coal LLC · Struck by powered moving object

The victim was fatally injured when struck by a battery powered scoop which had trammed through a line curtain in the #6 Entry of the #5 Unit (MMU 009-0) outby the working place where the continuous mining machine was being operated.

October 9, 2020 KY · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman Fatality · MACHINERY
Double Mountain Mining LLC · Struck against stationary object

Employee was on Hydro seeder and changed barrels on the gun and pointed the gun at self and engaged the clutch. The pressure knocked employee back against the rails on the truck. CPR was provided but had no effect.

September 5, 2019 KY · Coal continuous miner helper, coal mole helper, bridgeman Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Warrior Coal LLC · Struck by powered moving object

The victim was fatally injured when EE was struck by a battery powered scoop which had trammed through a translucent line curtain in the #3 Entry of the #6 Unit (MMU 005) just outby the working place where the continuous mining machine was being operated. Co-workers observed the victim in a sitting position stretching EE's legs prior to the accident.

July 31, 2019 KY · Coal welder (shop) Fatality · IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST
KenAmerican Resources Inc · Struck by concussion

FMC employees were attempting to seal the hoist shaft at the Bremen Portal at Ken American Paradise Mine No. 9. Steel beams were welded in place metal decking was secured covering the shaft. Methane accumulated in the shaft and caused a series of two explosions 4-5 seconds apart. The second explosion killed FMC employee. No other fatalities or injuries occurred.

January 14, 2019 KY · Coal transit man, surveyor/transit worker Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
TENNCO INC. · Struck by powered moving object

While the surveyor was setting up the instrument in #4 belt entry, the other surveyor was getting height measurements down #3 entry. A shuttle car loaded with coal coming from #2 entry tramming to the feeder struck and killed the surveyor near spad 24.

March 28, 2018 KY · Coal belt foreman, maintenance foreman, maintenance supervisor Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Blackjewel L.L.C. · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

The belt Foreman & 1 other employee made a belt splice on #7 mainline belt. Belt came on & foreman was dragged approx. 6-7 crosscuts before the belt stopped by a person making belt checks.

March 30, 2017 KY · Coal auger operator, auger crew supervisor Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Green Hill Mining Inc · Struck by falling object

While changing work cutter head bits on the coal auger machine, ee was struck by a rock approx 4 feet by 5 feet by 30 inches that fell from the bottom section of the highwall. EE was pronounced deceased at the scene.

January 26, 2017 KY · Coal beltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor rider Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
R & C Coal, LLC · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Death

August 9, 2016 KY · Metal/Non-Metal steel worker, iron metal worker, iron worker Fatality · MACHINERY
KOSMOS CEMENT CO. · Struck by falling object

Employee was changing a cable pulley that raised and lowered a load spout. While installing the new pulley, something broke. The cable struck the employee in the head area fatally injuring the employee. The investigation is still ongoing to determine the exact cause.

March 25, 2016 KY · Coal examiner, fire boss, pre-shift examiner, mine examiner Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Lone Mountain Processing LLC · Struck by rolling or sliding object

While workers were cleaning up material that was removed from a new coal transfer borehole using a continuous miner, a section of rib/brow fell from the inby portion of the entry and continued outby pulling rib bolts. The material rolled down the rib and struck the miner operator causing fatal crushing injuries to chest and abdomen.

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