Sand & Gravel Operator Mining Facts – 2003

1. In 2003, a total of 7,070 sand and gravel mining operations reported employment to the Mine Safety and 

Health Administration (MSHA). The largest percentage of all mining sectors was sand and gravel mines (49.1%). 

• Sand and gravel mines are found throughout all 50 states.1

 

2. A total of 35,966 employees, corresponding to 32,477 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, were reported 

by sand and gravel operators. This is a 0.8% decrease in FTE employees from 2002.2

• Sand and gravel operator employees contributed 12.6% of all employee hours reported to MSHA.

• The median number of employees working at sand and gravel mining operations was 3. 

3. Ten work-related fatalities occurred among sand and gravel miners in 2003, the same number as in 2002. 

• The fatality rate among sand and gravel operator employees was 30.8 per 100,000 FTE employees. 

• The fatality rate per 100,000 FTEs for dredge employees was 42.1 (n = 2), compared to 28.9 (n = 8) for 

all other surface work locations. 

4. There were 846 nonfatal lost-time injuries among sand and gravel employees occurring at a rate of 2.6 per 

100 FTE employees. A total of 39,843 days lost from work resulted from these injuries.

3 

• The median number of days lost from work among sand and gravel employees with nonfatal lost-time 

injuries was 14.0 days. 

• The most frequent type of accident for sand and gravel mine employees involved handling of materials 

(36.5%) followed by slips or falls (26.6%). Among the most frequently reported types of incidents 

(greater than 10% of total), the most severe injuries (as measured by the median number of days lost

from work) were associated with slips or falls (n = 225; median = 22.0), powered haulage (n = 97; median = 

15.0), hand tools (n = 96; median = 11.0), and handling materials (n = 309; median = 11.0). 

• Sprains and strains were the most frequent injury (39.6%). Among those injury categories with greater 

than 10% of total injuries, the most severe was fractures and chips (n = 109; median = 31). The back was 

the most frequently reported part of the body injured (n = 163; 19.3%) followed by fingers (n = 125; 

14.8%).

4

 Back injuries represented 5,902 days lost from work. 

• Among sand and gravel operator employees, those with the MSHA job title of "mechanic/repairman/ 

helper" had the greatest number of nonfatal lost-time injuries (n = 146; 17.3%), followed by those 

classified as "laborer/utility man/bull gang" (n = 121; 14.3%). 

5. Fifteen cases of occupational illness were reported to MSHA for sand and gravel employees.5

• The most frequently reported illness was hearing loss or impairment (n = 4; 26.7%). 

 Note: All analyses exclude office employees, except for the total number of sand and gravel mining operations. 1 Mining sectors: coal operators, metal operators, nonmetal operators, stone operators, sand and gravel operators, coal contractors, and noncoal 

 contractors. 2 Computed using reported employee hours (2,000 hours = 1 FTE). 3 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. 4 MSHA only reports the most severely injured part of body for accidents involving injury to multiple body parts. 5

 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 

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SAFER • HEALTHIER • PEOPLETM

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005–120