Noncoal Contractor Mining Facts - 2002 

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 2002, a total of 4,003 contracting companies reported employment at noncoal mines (metal, nonmetal, sand and 

gravel, and stone mines) to MSHA.

2. A total of 38,938 noncoal contractor employees, corresponding to 18,533 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees,1

were reported to MSHA in 2002. This is a decrease of 21.4% in FTE noncoal contractor employees from 2001. 

• The highest proportion of noncoal contractor employees was found in surface production operations (68.1%),2

followed by processing mills (28.3%) and underground operations (3.6%). 

3. Six work-related fatalities occurred among noncoal contractor employees in 2002, compared to 10 in 2001. 

• In 2002, noncoal contractor employees had a fatality rate of 32.4 per 100,000 FTE employees. 

• Three out of the six fatalities occurred in processing mills/preparation plants. 

4. There were 318 nonfatal lost-time injuries among noncoal contractor employees, occurring at a rate of 1.7 per 

100 FTE employees in 2002. A total of 16,104 days lost from work3

 resulted from these injuries. 

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

injuries was 16.0 The median number of days lost from work for noncoal operator employees was 14.0 days. 

• The injury rate among noncoal contractor employees in processing mills/preparation plants was 2.2 per 100 

FTE employees, compared to 1.8 in underground operations and 1.5 in surface mining operations. 

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

(n = 105; 33.0%) and slips or falls (n = 91; 28.6%). 

• 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 = 59 days). 

• The back (n = 45; 14.2%) was the most frequently reported part of body injured, accounting for 1,511 days lost 

from work. Injuries to the finger were also frequently reported (n = 44; 13.8%), accounting for 2,169 days 

lost from work. 

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

greatest number of nonfatal lost-time injuries (n = 50; 15.7%), followed by those with a job title of “truck 

driver” (n = 44; 13.8%). 

5. Five cases of occupational illness in noncoal contractor employees were reported to MSHA in 2002.4

 There were 

three cases of heat/sunstroke and one case each of asphyxia and systemic poisoning. 

1 Computed using reported employee hours (2,000 hours = 1 FTE); excludes office employees. 2 Surface production operations include strip or open pit mines, dredge operations, other surface mining, and independent 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

 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. 2004-129