Mining Incidents

Mining Incidents in Wisconsin

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

Fatalities recorded
8
Total incidents
3,872
Years on record
2000–2026

Year-over-year fatalities

  1. 20051
  2. 20211
  3. 20221

Top operators in Wisconsin by fatality count

  1. 01Michels Pipeline Construction Inc1fatal
  2. 02Dennis Ovyn Trucking Inc1fatal
  3. 03Badger Mining Hixton, LLC1fatal

Recent fatalities in Wisconsin

Struck against a moving object

UNKNOWN AT TIME OF REPORT. A miner died when the front-end loader EE was operating went over a highwall and fell approximately 70 feet.

Struck by falling object

As a large piece of steel framing structure was being slid out of a cargo container, it tipped over and crushed employee.

Drowning

A miner was servicing a floating pump. While working, the pump capsized, trapping the miner underwater.

Caught in, under or between collapsing material or buildings

A miner entered a surge bin to free stuck material. The material collapsed and engulfed the miner.

Drowning

The victim was using an excavator to free a dragline from an ice-covered pit floor. The excavator traveled over an ice-covered, 10 feet deep ditch and broke through the ice. The victim was ejected and was recovered from the water about 6 hours after accident.

Struck by falling object

(MSHA Report of Investigation: Loading a steel plate (5' wide x 10' long x 3/4"" thick; approx. 1,500 lbs.) onto flatbed truck using chain attached to front-end loader. The victim was on bed of the truck steadying & guiding plate onto the truck when the hook (no safety latch) became detached from the plate, and the victim & plate fell to the ground. Plate crushed victim.)

Struck by flying object

GAS BUILDUP IN SCALE PIT- EXPLOSION- THAWING OUT SCALE.

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

THE INDIVIDUAL WAS DRILLING BLASTHOLES. HE TIED DOWN THE HYDRAULIC LEVER SO IT CONTINUED TO OPRATE (ROTATE) BY-BY PASSING A SAFETY DEVICE. HE THEN WENT IN FRONT OF THE DRILL AND STEPPED OVER THE DRILL AUGER. HE BACAME ENTANGLED WITH SOME PART OF HIS CLOTHING HE GOT PULLED INTO THE DRILL AND BECAME SO ENTANGLED THAT HE COULD NOT BREATH. THIS ACCIDENT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION

Related states

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.