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Sand & Gravel Operator Mining Facts - 2002 

1. In 2002, a total of 7,125 sand and gravel mining operations reported employment to the Mine Safety and 

Health Administration (MSHA). 

The largest percentage of all mining sectors1

 was sand and gravel mines (49.1%).

Sand and gravel mines are found throughout all 50 states. 

2. A total of 36,535 employees, corresponding to 32,753 full-time equivalent (FTE)2

 employees, were reported by 

sand and gravel operators. This is a 2.4% decrease in FTE employees from 2001. 

• About 12% of all employee hours reported to MSHA were from sand and gravel operator employees. 

3. Ten work-related fatalities occurred among sand and gravel miners in 2002, compared to eight in 2001. 

• The fatality rate among sand and gravel operator employees was 30.5 per 100,000 FTE employees. 

• The fatality rate per 100,000 FTEs for dredge employees was 42.9 (n = 2), compared to 28.5 for all other 

surface work locations. 

4. There were 826 nonfatal lost-time injuries among sand and gravel employees occurring at a rate of 2.5 per 

100 FTE employees. A total of 39,556 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 12.0 days. 

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

(37.5%) followed by slips or falls (25.9%). 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 powered haulage (n = 84; median = 21.0), slips or falls (n = 214; median = 15.0), hand 

tools (n = 107; median = 10.0), and handling materials (n = 310; median = 10.0). 

• Sprains and strains were the most frequent injury (39.3%). Among those injury categories with greater 

than 10% of total injuries, the most severe was fractures and chips (n = 107; median = 60). The back was 

the most frequently reported part of the body injured (n = 171; 20.7%). Back injuries represented 10,419 

days lost from work. 

• Among sand and gravel operator employees, those with a job title of "laborer/utility man/bull gang" had the 

greatest number of nonfatal lost-time injuries (n = 147; 17.8%), followed by those classified as "mechanic/

repairman/helper" (n = 124; 15.0%). 

5. Twenty cases of occupational illness were reported to MSHA for sand and gravel employees.4

• The most frequently reported illness involved joint, muscle, or tendon irritation or inflammation (n = 11; 

55.0%). 

• Three cases of hearing loss or impairment were reported to MSHA in 2002. 

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); excludes office employees. 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

 Because of the complexity of attributing disease causation to the workplace, occupational illnesses may be underreported. 

January 2004 
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 

Or visit the NIOSH Mining Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining 

SAFER • HEALTHIER • PEOPLETM

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-127