Surface Mining Facts – 2003

1. Data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) indicate that a total of 241,502 employees

worked in surface mining locations in 2003, corresponding to 212,113 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers.1,2 

• Surface employees accounted for 84.6% of all mining employees. 

• The majority of surface employees (73.7%; n = 177,927) were mine operator employees as opposed to

contractor employees. 

• Stone operator employees comprised the greatest percentage (27.2%; n = 65,743) of surface employees.3

2. In 2003, 40 occupational mining fatalities occurred at surface work locations. The surface work location 

fatality rate was 18.9 per 100,000 FTE workers. 

• Eleven surface fatalities occurred among coal operator employees, followed by 10 in sand and gravel operator 

employees and 8 in stone operator employees.

• Sand and gravel operator employees had the highest surface fatality rate (30.8 per 100,000 FTE employees; 

n = 10). Coal contractors, coal operators, and noncoal contractors had surface fatality rates of 28.1, 26.8, 

and 22.1 per 100,000 FTE employees, respectively. 

3. Within surface work locations, 5,504 nonfatal lost-time injuries resulting in 273,449 lost work days were 

reported to MSHA in 2003.4

 The nonfatal lost-time injury rate was 2.6 per 100 FTEs.

• Stone operators had the highest surface injury rate (3.4 per 100 FTE workers). 

• The highest percentage of nonfatal lost-time injuries was due to handling materials (36.5%; n = 2,011)

followed by slips or falls (28.6%; n = 1,575). 

• Sprains and strains accounted for the largest percentage of nature of injury (45.6%; n = 2,510). 

• Among employees working in surface locations, the back was the most frequently reported part of body 

injured (21.1%; n = 1,163).

5

 The median number of days lost due to back injuries among surface employees 

was 15. 

• Surface employees with the MSHA job title of “mechanic/repairman/helper” had the most injuries 

(n = 1,231; 22.4%), followed by those with a job title of “sizing/washing/cleaning plant worker” 

(n = 921; 16.7%) and “laborer/utility man/bull gang” (n = 693; 12.6%). 

4. In 2003, 301 cases of occupational illnesses were reported to MSHA for employees in surface work locations.6

 

• Joint, tendon, or muscle inflammation or irritation accounted for 41.9% (n = 126) of reported occupational 

illnesses in surface work locations. 

• Thirty-three cases of black lung (coal workers’ pneumoconiosis) and seven cases of silicosis were reported to 

MSHA by employees in surface work locations.

• There were 74 cases of hearing loss or impairment reported to MSHA (or 24.6% of all occupational illnesses 

reported) by employees working in surface locations. 

 Note: All analyses exclude office employees. 1 Surface production operations include strip mines, surface operations at underground mines, preparation plants, mills, auger mining, culm banks, 

 dredge, and surface shops and yards. 

2 Computed using reported employee hours (2,000 hours = 1 FTE). 3 Mining sectors: coal operators, metal operators, nonmetal operators, stone operators, sand and gravel operators, coal contractors, and noncoal 

 contractors. 4 Includes actual days away from work and/or days of restricted work activity. For permanently disabling injuries only, statutory days charged by 

 MSHA were used if they exceeded the total lost workdays. 5 MSHA only reports the most severely injured part of body for accidents involving injury to multiple body parts. 6 Because of the complexity of attributing disease causation to the workplace, occupational illnesses may be underreported. 

February 2005
Delivering on the Nation's promise:

Safety and health at work for all people 

through research and prevention 

For information about occupational safety and health topics contact NIOSH at: 

 1–800–35–NIOSH (1–800–356–4674) 

 Fax: 513–533–8573 

e-mail: pubstaft@cdc.gov 

www.cdc.gov/niosh 

SAFER • HEALTHIER • PEOPLETM

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005–118