Noncoal Contractor Mining Facts – 2003

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) defines an independent contractor as "any person, partnership, 

corporation, subsidiary of a corporation, firm, association or other organization that contracts to perform services or 

construction at a mine." Contractors that perform specific types of work are required to report the number of employees 

who perform work at coal mines and at noncoal mines. 

1. In 2003, a total of 3,989 contracting companies reported employment at noncoal mines (metal, nonmetal, sand and 

gravel, and stone mines) to MSHA. 

2. A total of 39,183 noncoal contractor employees, corresponding to 18,871 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, were 

reported to MSHA in 2003.

1 This is an increase of 1.8% in FTE noncoal contractor employees from 2002.

• The highest proportion of noncoal contractor employees was found in surface production operations (65.6%), 

followed by processing mills (30.5%) and underground operations (3.9%).2

3. Four work-related fatalities occurred among noncoal contractor employees in 2003, compared to six in 2002.

• In 2003, noncoal contractor employees had a fatality rate of 21.2 per 100,000 FTE employees. 

• Two fatalities occurred in surface work locations (fatality rate = 16.2 per 100,000 FTEs), and two occurred in 

preparation plants or mills (fatality rate = 34.8 per 100,000 FTEs). 

4. There were 257 nonfatal lost-time injuries among noncoal contractor employees, occurring at a rate of 1.4 per 100 

FTE employees in 2003. A total of 15,213 days lost from work resulted from these injuries.3

 

• For noncoal contractor employees, the median number of days lost from work as a result of nonfatal lost-time 

injuries was 24. The median number of days lost from work for noncoal operator employees was 15 days. 

• The injury rate among noncoal contractor employees in underground operations was 2.3 per 100 FTE employees, 

compared to 1.9 in processing mills/preparation plants and 1.1 in surface mining operations. 

• The most frequently reported types of accidents among noncoal contractor employees were handling material 

(n = 91; 35.4%) and slips or falls (n = 61; 23.7%). 

• Of the most frequently reported injuries (greater than 10% of total), the most severe injuries (as measured by 

the median number of days lost from work) were associated with fractures and chips (median = 51 days; 

n = 49). 

• The back (n = 45; 17.5%) was the most frequently reported part of body injured, accounting for 2,669 days lost

from work.

4

 Injuries to the finger were also frequently reported (n = 33; 12.8%), and accounted for 1,474 days

lost from work. 

• Among noncoal contractor employees, those with the MSHA job title of “mechanic/repairman/helper” had the 

greatest number of nonfatal lost-time injuries (n = 41; 16.0%), followed by those with a job title of “truck driver” 

(n = 32; 12.5%) and “laborer/utility man/bull gang” (n = 29; 11.3%). 

5. Twelve cases of occupational illness in noncoal contractor employees were reported to MSHA in 2003.5 There were 

five cases of heat/sunstroke; two cases each of hearing loss or impairment and joint, tendon, muscle inflammation or 

irritation; and one case each of asphyxia, noncontact electric burn, and an unclassified occupational disease.

 Note: All analyses exclude office employees. 1 Computed using reported employee hours (2,000 hours = 1 FTE). 2 Surface production operations include strip mines, surface operations at underground mines, preparation plants, mills, auger mining, culm banks, 

 dredge, and surface shops and yards. 

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 

www.cdc.gov/niosh 

SAFER • HEALTHIER • PEOPLETM

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005–122