COAL AND METAL/NONMETAL 

MINING FACTS–2008

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

March 2011

Mining Operations 

Data obtained from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) indicated 2,129 active coal (14.3%) and 

12,778 metal/nonmetal (85.7%) mining operations.1 

There were 26 states reporting coal mining operations. 

Approximately 73% of these mines were located in 

three states: Kentucky (n=656; 30.8%), West Virginia 

(n=479; 22.5%), and Pennsylvania (n=425; 20.0%). 

Metal/nonmetal mines were distributed across all 

states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Texas reported the most metal/nonmetal mines (n=725, 5.7%). 

Companies 

In 2008, independent contracting companies reported 

employment at 3,467 coal mines and 6,128 metal/nonmetal 

mines. 

Employees 

A total of 133,827 mine operator and independent 

contractor employees,2 or 126,500 full-time equivalent 

(FTE)3 employees, were reported to MSHA as working 

at coal mines. This is in contrast to 258,892 employees 

(or 214,120 FTE employees) who were reported as 

working at metal/nonmetal mines. 

0

100

200

300

400

500

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Number of Employee Hours (millions)

Coal Metal/Nonmetal

Fatalities 

Of the 52 occupational mining fatalities reported to 

MSHA in 2008, 30 occurred at coal mining operations, 

while 22 occurred at metal/nonmetal mines. 

The fatality rate of 24.8 [95% confidence interval 

(CI): 16.7, 35.3] per 100,000 FTE employees was 

higher at coal mining operations, compared to the 

rate of 11.6 [CI: 7.3, 17.6] for metal/nonmetal mines. 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Number of Occupational Fatalities

0

10

20

30

40

50

60 Occupational Fatality Rate (per 100,000 Full-time Equivalent Employees)

Coal Metal/Nonmetal Coal Rate MNM Rate

Nonfatal Lost-time Injuries 

There were 3,352 nonfatal lost-time injuries reported at coal 

mining operations, resulting in 195,120 days lost from 

work.4 This compares to 3,996 nonfatal lost-time injuries 

attributed to metal/nonmetal mine workers with 187,090 

days lost from work. 

The coal mine nonfatal lost-time injury rate was 

greater than the metal/nonmetal mine rate (2.8 [CI: 

2.7, 2.9] vs. 2.1 [CI: 2.1, 2.2] per 100 FTE workers). 

The most frequent accident classification of nonfatal 

lost-time injuries involved handling materials for 

both coal (n=947; 28.3%) and metal/nonmetal mines 

(n=1,353; 33.9%). 

Sprains and strains were the most frequently reported 

nature of injury for both coal (n=1,390; 41.5%) and 

metal/nonmetal (n=1,777; 44.5%) mining operations.

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Number of Nonfatal Lost-time Injuries

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 Nonfatal Lost-time Injury Rate (per 100 Full-time Equivalent Employees)

Coal Metal/Nonmetal Coal Rate MNM Rate
Mine and Employment Characteristics, 2008

1 2 3

Commodity and Number of Mining Operations Number of Employees Number of FTE Employees

Type of Employer Underground Surface Total Underground Surface Total Underground Surface Total 

Coal Operator 665 1,464 2,129 40,370 49,685 90,055 45,866 54,312 100,178

Coal Contractor NA NA NA 6,262 37,510 43,772 4,105 22,216 26,321

Coal Total 665 1,464 2,129 46,632 87,195 133,827 49,971 76,528 126,500

Metal/Nonmetal Operator 260 12,518 12,778 10,298 173,143 183,441 10,596 163,438 174,034

Metal/Nonmetal Contractor NA NA NA 2,992 72,459 75,451 1,998 38,088 40,086

Metal/Nonmetal Total 260 12,518 12,778 13,290 245,602 258,892 12,594 201,526 214,120

TOTAL 925 13,982 14,907 59,922 332,797 392,719 62,565 278,054 340,620

Coal Operator 12 26.2 6 11.9 18 18.7 2,103 4.6 768 1.5 2,871 3.0

Coal Contractor 3 NC 9 43.4 12 48.3 168 4.1 313 1.5 481 1.9

Coal Total 15 30.0 15 21.1 30 24.8 2,271 4.5 1,081 1.5 3,352 2.8

Metal/Nonmetal Operator 5 47.2 12 8.6 17 11.3 291 2.7 3,204 2.3 3,495 2.3

Metal/Nonmetal Contractor 0 NC 5 13.9 5 13.2 38 1.9 463 1.3 501 1.3

Metal/Nonmetal Total 5 39.7 17 9.6 22 11.6 329 2.6 3,667 2.1 3,996 2.1

TOTAL 20 32.0 32 12.9 52 16.8 2,600 4.2 4,748 1.9 7,348 2.4

NA Not applicable. NC Not calculated w hen N is less than 5. 95% CI for rates reported on reverse side. Totals may not sum due to independent rounding.

Commodity and

Type of Employer 

Mining Occupational Fatalities and Injuries, 2008

Total Underground Surface Total

Nonfatal Lost-time Injuries (per 100 FTE employees)

Rate Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate

Occupational Fatalities (per 100,000 FTE employees)

Underground Surface

 No. No. Rate No.

Data source: Publicly released employment and accident/injury/illness data collected by MSHA under 30 CFR 50. 

Notes: All analyses of accident data exclude office employees. Occupational fatalities exclude all cases under 17 years of age. Further 

statistical methodology is available on the NIOSH Internet [http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/statistics/method.htm]. Caution should be 

used when interpreting rates based on a small number of events. 

1Mines at which only independent contractors were working and did not show any employment were not counted. The metal/nonmetal 

mining classification includes metal, nonmetal, stone, and sand and gravel mining sectors. 

2Average number of employees working at individual mines during calendar quarters of active operations (includes office workers). 

3

Full-time equivalent employees computed using reported employee hours (2,000 hours = 1 FTE). 

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. 

To receive documents or other information about 

occupational safety and health topics, contact NIOSH at 

Telephone: 1–800–CDC–INFO (1–800–232–4636) 

TTY: 1–888–232–6348

E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

or visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh. 

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2011–170