Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 

Harry Verakis and Thomas Lobb 

U.S. Dept. of Labor, MSHA, Technical Support 

Abstract 

Blasting accident data over a 30-year period (1980-2010) are summarized and presented for all 

types of surface and underground mining operations in the USA. The historical record of 

injuries from blasting accidents in all types of mines continues to show a significant decline. 

The overall decline in mine blasting injuries in the U.S.A. has resulted from advancements in 

blasting technology, training and improvements in blasting products and blasting processes. 

Some of the technology advancements such as safer blasting agents and computerized bulk 

vehicle loading, electronic detonators and remote operated blasting systems, and computerized 

blast design have and continue to significantly contribute to improvements in the historical 

blasting safety record. Also, the progress of significantly improving the safety of mine blasting 

has resulted from the combined efforts of miners, mine companies and operators, miners, unions, 

explosive and blasting product manufacturers, associations such as the International Society of 

Explosives Engineers and the Institute of Makers of Explosives and various government 

agencies. 

The blasting accident data were examined and analyzed to identify the primary causes, injuries 

and the historical trend. The cause or the activity that took place when the blasting accident 

occurred was separated into categories such as blast area security and misfires. The review of 

historical blasting accidents over the past 30 years indicates where the record stands and the 

progress in improving safety. The presentation of blasting accident data is also provided to 

emphasize the continuing need for safe blasting practices and the challenges faced such as the 

need to further improve blast area security and to further reduce the safety hazard created by 

flyrock. Also important to the continual progress in mine blasting safety is education and 

training, the development of improved technology, and the observance of Federal, State, and 

local requirements for mine blasting operations 

Introduction

Notwithstanding the fact that many billions of pounds of explosives and blasting agent have been 

used by the mining industry, the accident safety record has improved significantly in the past 30 

years. Over the past 10 years, approximately 5 billion pounds of explosives and blasting agents 

were used annually in the United States. In 2010, the U.S. mining industry used 88.4 percent of 

the industrial explosives and blasting agents manufactured for commercial use. Figure 1 depicts 

the industrial use of explosives and blasting agents by percentage for 2010. Surface coal mining 

consumed 71 percent of the total amount of commercially produced blasting agents and 

explosives in 2010. Surface coal mining consumed approximately two-thirds of the annual 

average of 5.1 billion pounds of explosives commercially produced in the USA over the past 

decade. Surface coal mining continues to be the dominant user of blasting agents. In 2010, 

metal and nonmetal mining, including quarrying consumed about 17 percent of the total 

Copyright © 2012 International Society of Explosives Engineers

2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 1 of 11
commercial production of explosives and blasting agents. In 2010, Wyoming, West Virginia, 

and Kentucky accounted for 63 percent of the total consumed for coal production. Blasting 

agents and oxidizers represented 99 percent of the total of commercial explosives produced for 

use in 2010. The use of industrial explosives and blasting agents in 2010 was compared to 

industrial use that occurred three decades earlier in 1980. Figure 2 show the commercial usage 

of explosives and blasting agents in 1980. In a three decade period, surface coal mining use of 

blasting agents and explosives increased about 12.5 percent from 1980 to 2010. Metal mining 

and quarry and nonmetal mining use of blasting agents and explosives decreased about 5 to 5.5 

percent from 1980 to 2010. 

The use of permissible explosives in underground coal and gassy mines in 2010 declined 39 

percent from 2009 to a level of 2,182, 574 pounds [Explosives, August 2010]. This level of use 

represents a decline of over 90 percent over the past three decades (1978-2010). The extraction 

of coal in underground mines by the use of permissible explosives has almost been replaced by 

the use of longwall and continuous mining methods. 

The historical record of blasting accidents in all types of mines continues to show an overall 

decline in fatalities and injuries. The overall decline of injuries from mine blasting accidents in 

the USA in the past 30 years has resulted from advancements in blasting safety and training, as 

well as improvements in technology and blasting products. The significant decline in fatalities 

and injuries from mine blasting accidents is a result of the combined efforts and the 

accomplishments of mining companies and operators, miners, unions, explosive manufacturers 

and suppliers, explosive and blasting associations such as the International Society of Explosives 

Engineers and the Institute of Makers of Explosives and government agencies. Many mining 

companies have improved safety and training programs and continue to place emphases on 

blasting safety in their mining operations. Also, explosive and other manufacturers continue to 

develop and offer products to industry such as electronic detonator systems, computerized blast 

design, and laser profiling which are products to improve blasting safety. 

The blasting accident data for all mining operations were examined and analyzed to identify the 

primary causes, injuries and the historical trend over the past three decades. The cause or the 

activity that took place when the blasting accident occurred was separated into categories such as 

blast area security and misfires. The review of historical mine blasting accidents indicates where 

the safety record stands from 1978 though 2010 and the progress in improving safety. The 

review of mine blasting accidents is intended to emphasize the continuing need for safe blasting 

practices, education, development of improved technology, and the observance of Federal, State, 

and local requirements for mine blasting operations. 

Causes of mine blasting accident injuries 

 

Table 1 shows the historical categorization of blasting accident injuries for coal and metalnonmetal mine operations for over three decades from 1978-2010. The blasting accident data 

were categorized according to the cause of the accident or activity that occurred when the 

accident happened. The major categories are: (1) blast area security, (2) flyrock, (3) premature 

blast, (4) misfires, (5) fumes, (6) transporting explosives, (7) disposing, (8) miscellaneous and 

Copyright © 2012 International Society of Explosives Engineers

2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 2 of 11
(9) surface accident at an underground mine. 

 

As shown in Figure 3, the primary cause of almost 50 percent of all mine blasting accidents are 

attributed to blast area security, while flyrock (11.8 percent) ranked second and premature blast 

(11.5 percent) ranked a very close third with misfires at fourth (9.3 percent). Fumes from 

blasting represented 8.6 percent of the causes of all mine blasting accidents. These five causes of 

blasting accidents represent 90 percent of all types of mine blasting accidents. As indicated in 

Table 1, underground coal and underground metal-nonmetal operations combined represent 60 

percent of the total mine blasting accidents involving fatalities and injuries. 

Both recently and historically, blast area security and flyrock (surface mining operations) 

continue to be the two primary causes of mine blasting accidents. As shown in Table 1 and 

Figure 3, blast area security and flyrock represented 61 percent of all mine blasting accidents. It 

is apparent there is a continuing need to address and emphasize blast area security and the 

hazards of flyrock to further reduce blasting accidents and injuries. An examination of the 

factors to determine the bounds of the blast area and the measures to secure the blast area have 

been published with ways to mitigate incidents [Bajpayee, Verakis, Lobb, 2005]. More recently, 

mine blasting accidents were addressed on the continuing safety hazard of flyrock [Verakis, 

2011]. 

Analysis of mine blasting accident data[1]

 

A compilation and review of coal and metal/nonmetal mine blasting accident from 1978 through 

2010 was made to identify the primary causes, injuries and the historical trend. Table 2 lists the 

blasting accident fatalities for all mining operations from 1978 through 2010. The blasting 

accident data in Table 2 are listed separately for surface coal mining, surface metal-nonmetal 

mining, underground coal and underground metal-nonmetal mining. 

An analysis and comparison of mine blasting accident data is shown in Table 3 in four-year 

periods from 1978-2009 for coal and metal-nonmetal mining operations. The blasting accident 

data for surface coal mines indicate a combined total of 212 injuries occurred for the period from 

1978 through 2010 compared to 415 injuries for underground coal mines as shown in Table 3. 

Of this total as shown in Table 2, there were 22 fatalities in surface coal mines and 32 fatalities 

in underground coal mines. The trends as shown in Table 2 and Table 3 are a significant 

decrease in the number of fatalities and injuries from blasting accidents for surface and 

underground coal mines. 

An analysis and comparison of accident data was also made for metal-nonmetal mines. The 

accident data in Table 3 for surface metal-nonmetal mines indicate a combined total of 266 

injuries occurred for the period from 1978 through 2010 compared to 291 injuries for 

underground metal-nonmetal mines. Of this total as shown in Table 2, there were 26 fatalities in 

surface metal-nonmetal mines and 29 fatalities in underground metal-nonmetal mines. The 

trends as shown in Table 2 and Table 3 are a significant decrease in the number of fatalities and 

injuries from blasting accidents for surface and underground metal-nonmetal mines. 

 

Copyright © 2012 International Society of Explosives Engineers

2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 3 of 11
The trend from 1978 through 2010 has been a continuing and significant decrease in fatalities 

and injuries from mine blasting accidents. As indicated in Table 4, combining the accident data 

in four-year increments from 1978-2009 for all mine blasting accidents show the significant 

decrease by a large percentage. The percentage went from 36.4 to 2 percent of the total number 

of fatalities and injuries from 1978 through 2009. In fact, for all mining operations except for 

surface metal-nonmetal mining there was only one blasting-related fatality each in surface coal, 

underground coal and underground metal-nonmetal mining in an 11-year period from 2000 

through 2010. No blasting-related fatality has occurred in surface metal-nonmetal mining in an 

11-year period from 2000 through 2010. This is a very significant achievement in the reduction 

of fatalities. 

Revisiting a recent fatal accident

A revisit of a more recent blasting accident that resulted in a fatality in an underground metal 

mine highlights the continuing need to address and improve blasting safety. There had been no 

fatality involving blasting in an underground metal-nonmetal mine since 1993. The fatality 

occurred on May 28, 2010, during a blasting operation at an underground gold mine located near 

the Forks of Salmon, California [Fitch, James, et. al. 2010]. The victim had 20 years of mining 

experience. Another miner with 20 years of mining experience was also injured in the blasting 

accident. On the day of the accident, the face of a drift was drilled, loaded and detonated. The 

two miners waited about 15 to 20 minutes before reentering the blast area. The two miners 

discussed that the blast did not sound right. When the two miners were about 20 to 25 feet from 

the face area, several of the still loaded holes detonated. Both miners were struck by broken 

rock and debris from the blast. An ANFO blasting agent used in the blast had an expired shelf 

life and sat for a long period of time in moist conditions. A delayed detonation occurred and the 

two miners were struck by rock and the concussion from the blast. Mine management knew the 

requirements if explosive material is suspected of burning at the blast site, were aware of 

multiple recent failures at this mine of charges to explode when expected, were aware of an 

obvious and improper audible report from this blast, and had reason to suspect burning 

explosives at the blast site, yet failed to ensure that miners waited the proper period of time 

before returning to the area [Fitch, James, et. al. 2010]. The accident occurred because 

management failed to ensure that policies and procedures to protect miners in blast areas were 

followed. The procedures did not ensure that miners did not return to the blast site for at least 

one hour after the suspected burning stopped. 

After this paper was prepared another fatal blasting accident occurred on September 7, 2011, at 

an underground gold mine operation in Juneau County, Alaska. Details of the accident are not 

available at this time. However, preliminary information will be posted on MSHA’s website, 

www.msha.gov as it becomes available and a report on the accident will be prepared by MSHA 

and also posted after completion of its accident investigation. 

Summary

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2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 4 of 11
Reports and more details on blasting accidents from 1995 to the present may be found on 

MSHA’s Internet Site at http//:www.msha.gov under Fatalgrams/Reports. Also, MSHA’s 

blasting regulations for underground coal mines, Part 75, Subpart N–Explosives and for 

underground metal-nonmetal mines, Part 57, Subpart E and Subpart T-Explosives may be found 

on MSHA’s Internet Site under Compliance Assistance, Statutory and Regulatory Information, 

Title 30, Code of Federal Regulations (30 CFR). 

This summary of blasting accident data can be used to more effectively respond to the challenges 

that affect the mining industry in the effort to ensure and improve blasting safety. Even though 

fatalities and injuries from mine blasting accidents continue to decline, miners and personnel 

employed by the mining industry continue to suffer fatal and disabling injuries from blasting 

accidents. The blasting and explosives industry and their associated organizations, along with 

labor and Government agencies have made great progress in making blasting safe in the mining 

industry. Today, there is more awareness about the need to address safety in all mine blasting 

operations. A constant vigilance, a high degree of awareness and prudent efforts are needed to 

continue the decline of blasting accidents in the U.S. mining industry. As a reminder there is no 

place for complacency in any mine blasting operation. Each and every blast must be conducted 

with vigilance and attention. Each and every blast is not routine. Once complacency starts a 

blasting issue or incident will occur somewhere down the road. Stringent measures must 

continue to be taken to maintain good blasting practices and to avert blasting accidents. The lofty 

goal of zero injuries will not be reached if complacency is allowed to occur. 

 

MSHA is committed to conferences, such as held by the International Society of Explosives 

Engineers, in which industry and industry associations, labor, management, government, and 

academia join to share their experiences and work toward common goals of improving blasting 

safety. MSHA will continue to emphasize blasting safety and the reduction in mine blasting 

accidents, and to be involved in the mining community and public segments that address 

explosives and blasting safety. 

Footnote 

1

Due to incomplete recording information some earlier accidents could not be categorized as 

accurately as desired resulting in some tabulation differences. 

References 

Bajpayee, T.S., Verakis, Harry, and Lobb, Thomas, 2005, “Blasting Safety: Revisiting Site 

Security,” Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique, 

Orlando, Florida. 

Siskind, David E. and Kopp, John W., 1995, “Blasting Accidents in Mines, A 16-Year 

Summary”, Proceedings of the 21st Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique, 

International Society of Explosives Engineers, Vol. II, pp. 224-239. 

Verakis, Harry and Lobb, Thomas, 2006 “An Examination of Mine Blasting Accidents Over a 

Copyright © 2012 International Society of Explosives Engineers

2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 5 of 11
Quarter of a Century,” Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting 

Technique, Dallas, TX 

Verakis, Harry, 2011, “Flyrock: A Continuing Blast Safety Threat,” Proceedings of the 37th 

Annual conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique, San Diego, CA 

Fitch, James, Breland, Brad and Lobb, Thomas, 2010, MSHA Accident Investigation Report, 

Fatal Explosives Accident, Discovery Day Mine, Gold run Enterprises LLC, Forks of Salmon, 

Siskiyou County, California, May 28, 2010, 8 pages. 

MSHA Accident Data Abstracts, Underground and Surface Mine Blasting Fatal and Nonfatal 

Accident Reports, 1978-2010. 

“Explosives”, U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook, 2010. 

“Explosives, Annual”, U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Industry Surveys, revised October 1981. 

Copyright © 2012 International Society of Explosives Engineers

2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 6 of 11
Table 1--Causes of fatal plus nonfatal injuries from blasting accidents in mining, 

Figure 2 - Explosives & Blasting Agents Consumption in 1980

Total of 4,274,462,000 pounds (1,938,866 metric tons)

Coal mining 

 58.6% 

Quarry & nonmetal 

minin

14.6

Metal mining

13.1%

Constructio

9.7

All other

4

Total of 5,908,381,600 pounds (2,680,000 metric tons)

Coal mining 

 71%

Quarry & nonmetal 

minin

9

Metal mining

8

Constructio

9

All other

3

Figure 1 - Explosives & Blasting Agents Consumption in 2010 

Copyright © 2012 International Society of Explosives Engineers

2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 7 of 11
1978-2010 

Cause Surface 

M-NM 

Surface 

Coal 

Underground 

M-NM 

Underground 

Coal 

Total Percent 

Blast area 

security 

97 95 76 315 583 48.91 

Flyrock 80 61 0 0 141 11.83 

Premature 

blast 

37 34 52 14 137 11.49 

Misfires 26 10 50 25 111 9.31 

Fumes 0 0 82 21 103 8.64 

Transporting 

explosives 

0 0 11 0 11 0.92 

Disposing 3 2 2 0 7 0.59 

Miscellaneous 26 10 18 30 84 7.05 

Surface 

Accident@ 

Underground 

Mine 

0 0 5 10 15 1.26 

Total 269 212 296 415 1192 100.00 

Percent 22.57 17.79 24.83 34.82 100.0 

Table 2 – Blasting Acci Copyright © 2012 International Society of Explosives Engineers dent Fatalities, 1978-2010

2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 8 of 11
Table 3 – Historical decline in fatalities and injuries for coal and 

Year Coal Metal-Nonmetal 

 Under- Surface Under- Surface Total 

 ground ground 

1978 3 0 5 2 10 

79 0 2 5 0 7 

80 7 1 5 2 15 

81 3 2 5 3 13 

82 3 1 2 2 8 

83 0 0 0 0 0 

84 1 1 1 3 6 

85 6 0 0 0 6 

86 0 3 1 0 4 

87 0 1 0 0 1 

88 2 0 0 0 2 

89 0 2 1 3 6 

90 3 1 0 2 6 

91 1 2 2 0 5 

92 0 1 0 3 4 

93 0 1 1 0 2 

94 0 1 0 2 3 

95 0 0 0 1 1 

96 0 0 0 1 1 

97 1 0 0 1 2 

98 1 0 0 0 1 

99 0 2 0 1 3 

2000 0 0 0 0 0 

01 0 0 0 0 0 

02 0 0 0 0 0 

03 1 0 0 0 1 

04 0 0 0 0 0 

05 0 0 0 0 0 

06 0 0 0 0 0 

07 0 1 0 0 1 

08 0 0 0 0 0 

09 0 0 0 0 0 

10 0 0 1 0 1 

Total 32 22 29 26 109 

Copyright © 2012 International Society of Explosives Engineers

2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 9 of 11
 metal-nonmetal surface and underground mine blasting accidents

Period Coal 

Surface 

Coal 

Underground

M-NM 

Surface 

M-NM 

Underground

Total 

(fatalities 

& injuries) 

1978-81 62 

(29.2%) 

173 

 (41.7%) 

59 

(22.2%) 

137 

(47.1%) 

431 

1982-85 33 

(15.6%) 

90 

 (21.7%) 

43 

(16.2%) 

40 

(13.8%) 

206 

1986-89 48 

(22.6%) 

77 

 (18.6%) 

45 

(16.9%) 

45 

(15.5%) 

215 

1990-93 28 

(13.2%) 

44 

(10.6%) 

40 

(15.0%) 

28 

(9.6%) 

140 

1994-97 17 

(8.0%) 

13 

(3.1%) 

34 

(12.8%) 

22 

(7.6%) 

86 

1998-2001 8 

 (3.8%) 

10 

(2.4%) 

20 

(7.5%) 

9 

(3.1%) 

47 

2002-05 10 

(4.7%) 

4 

(0.96%) 

18 

(6.8%) 

3 

 (1.0%) 

35 

2006-09 6 

(2.8%) 

4 

(0.96%) 

7 

(2.6%) 

7 

(2.4%) 

24 

Totals 212 415 266 291 1184 

2010 0 in 2010 0 in 2010 2 in 2010 5 in 2010 7 in 2010 

 

Table 4 – Historical decline in fatalities and injuries for all mine blasting 

accidents combined 

Period Total (fatalities & injuries) Percentage 

1978-81 431 36.4 

1982-85 206 17.4 

1986-89 215 18.2 

1990-93 140 11.8 

1994-97 86 7.3 

1998-2001 47 4.0 

2002-05 35 3.0 

2006-09 24 2.0 

Totals 1184 100 

2010 7 --- 

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2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 10 of 11
 Figure 3 – Causes of fatalities plus injuries for all mine blasting accidents 

 combined, 1978-2010 

 

0.5

0.9

8.6

9.3

11.5

11.8

48.9

8.3 Misc. including 

surface accident 

at undergrd. mine

Transporting 

explosives 

Fumes

Misfires

Premature blast 

Blast area security

1978 - 2010

Flyrock

Disposal

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2012G - Mine Blasting Safety: Decades of Progress 11 of 11