DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 


National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 


September 2008 

NONMETAL OPERATOR 


MINING FACTS – 2006
 

Mining Operations 

In 2006, a total of 741 nonmetal mining operations 

reported employment to the Mine Safety and Health 

Administration (MSHA).1

 These mines (e.g., potash, 

gypsum, salt) comprised 5.0% of all operations. 

Mines producing common clay comprised 25.2% 

(n=187) of all nonmetal mining operations. 

Nonmetal mining operations were located in all 

states and territories except Alaska, Delaware, 

Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, 

Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. 

Nonmetal Mine Locations Nonmetal Mine Locations #

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741 Mining Operations 

Spotted randomly within counties 

Employees 

A total of 23,051 employees,2

 corresponding to 

23,221 full-time equivalent (FTE)3 employees, were 

reported to MSHA by nonmetal mine operators in 

2006. 

200 

150 

100 

50 

0 

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 

Coal Operator Metal Operator Nonmetal Operator 

Stone Operator Sand & Gravel Oper Coal Contractor 

Noncoal Contractor 

Note: Beginning with the 2006 Mining Fact Sheets, hours reported to MSHA for office 

employees are included in number of employee hours. Number of Employee Hours (millions) 

Within the mining sectors,4 nonmetal mine 

operator employees accounted for 7.0% of all 

employee hours reported. 

Employee hours were reported at underground 

(10.4%) and surface (89.6%) work locations.5 

Fatalities 

There were no work-related fatalities in nonmetal 

mines in 2006., compared to 4 fatalities in 2005. 

Nonfatal Lost-time Injuries 

There were 417 nonfatal lost-time injuries (73 at 

underground and 344 at surface work locations) 

among nonmetal operator employees occurring at a 

rate of 2.1 injuries per 100 FTE employees. A total 

of 21,893 days lost6

 from work resulted from these 

injuries. 

The underground nonfatal lost-time injury rate 

was greater than the surface injury rate (3.0 vs. 

2.0 per 100 FTE workers). 

In 2006, the most frequent classification of 

nonfatal lost-time injuries involved handling 

materials (n=163; 39.1%). 

Sprains and strains were the most frequently 

reported nature of injury (n=191; 45.8%). 

The back was the most frequently reported body 

part injured (n=73; 17.5%) and accounted for 

3,589 days lost from work. 

Distribution of Nonfatal Lost-time Injuries 

by Accident Class, 2002-2006 

Handling materials 

10% 

9% 9% 8% Slip or fall of person 

Hand tools 

25% 39% Machinery 

Powered haulage 

All other 

Note: "Fall of ground" includes MSHA's Accident/Injury/Illness classification for fall of face, rib, pillar, 

side, or highwall (from in place); fall of roof, back, or brow (from in place); and underground machinery 

cases when the source of injury was caving rock, coal, ore, or waste. 
Mine and Employment Characteristics, 2006 

Commodity and 

Type of Employer Surface Total Surface Total Surface Total 

Number of Mining Operations1 Number of Employees2 Number of FTE Employees3 

Underground Underground Underground 

Coal Operator 

Metal Operator 

675 

92 

1,438 

188 

2,113

280 

38,253 

4,539 

47,440 

28,335 

85,693 

32,874 

42,598 

4,575 

51,897 

29,397 

94,495 

33,972 

Nonmetal Operator 46 695 741 2,374 20,677 23,051 2,415 20,806 23,221 

Stone Operator 

Sand and Gravel Operator 

122 

NA 

4,451 

7,178 

4,573 

7,178 

1,877 

NA 

80,706 

46,069 

82,583 

46,069

2,154 

NA 

83,247 

39,796 

85,402 

39,796 

Operator Total 935 13,950 14,885 47,043 223,227 270,270 51,742 225,144 276,886 

Coal Contractor 

Noncoal Contractor 

Number of Companies 

4,762 

1,815 

32,520 

54,130 

37,282 

55,945 

2,903 

1,401 

20,175 

29,893 

23,078 

31,294 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

2,724 

4,686 

Contractor Total NA NA 7,410 6,577 86,650 93,227 4,304 50,068 54,372 

TOTAL 53,620 309,877 363,497 56,046 275,212 331,258 

Mining Occupational Fatalities and Injuries, 2006 

Commodity and 

Type of Employer Rate 

Total Underground Surface Total 

Nonfatal Lost-time Injuries (per 100 FTE employees)

 No. Rate No. No. Rate Rate 

Occupational Fatalities (per 100,000 FTE employees) 

Underground Surface 

Rate Rate No. No. No. 

Coal Operator 

Metal Operator 

36 84.5 

0 0.0 

6 12.4 

3 11.9 

42 46.2 

3 10.1 

2,218 5.2 

141 3.1 

803 1.7 

524 2.1 

3,021 3.3 

665 2.2 

Nonmetal Operator 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 73 3.0 344 2.0 417 2.1 

Stone Operator 

Sand and Gravel Operator 

0 0.0 

NA NA 

10 13.8 

6 17.2 

10 13.4 

6 17.2 

43 2.0 

NA NA 

2,038 2.8 

795 2.3 

2,081 2.8 

795 2.3 

Operator Total 36 69.6 25 12.6 61 24.4 2,475 4.8 4,504 2.3 6,979 2.8 

Coal Contractor 

Noncoal Contractor 

1 34.4 

0 0.0 

4 20.9 

7 24.8 

5 22.7 

7 23.6 

215 7.4

49 3.5 

342 1.8 

403 1.4 

557 2.5 

452 1.5 

Contractor Total 1 23.2 11 23.2 12 23.2 264 6.1 745 1.6 1,009 2.0 

TOTAL 37 66.0 36 14.6 73 24.2 2,739 4.9 5,249 2.1 7,988 2.6 

NA Not applicable. 


Data source: Publicly released data files of employment and accident/injury/illness 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].
 1

Mines at which only independent contractors were working did not show any employment and were not counted.
 2

Number of employees is the average number of employees working at individual mines during calendar quarters of active operations.
 3

Full-time equivalent employees computed using reported employee hours (2,000 hours = 1 FTE).
 4

Mining sectors: coal operators, metal operators, nonmetal operators, stone operators, sand and gravel operators, coal contractors, and


 noncoal contractors. 5

Surface work locations include surface operations at underground mines, surface operations (strip or open pit), auger, culm banks, 

 dredge, other surface operations, independent shops and yards, and mills or preparation plants. 6

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 NIOSH documents or for more information about 

occupational safety and health topics, contact NIOSH at 

1–800–CDC–INFO (1–800–232–4636) 

1–888–232–6348 (TTY) 

e-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov 

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

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2008-161