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 

In 2008, a total of 14,907 mining operations reported 

employment data to the Mine Safety and Health 

Administration (MSHA).1 Almost half (47.8%) were sand 

and gravel mines, followed by stone mines (31.1%), 

coal mines (14.3%), nonmetal mines (4.8%), and 

metal mines (2.0%). 

Employees 

There were 273,496 mine operator employees,2 or 

274,212 full-time equivalent (FTE)3 workers. For mine 

operators, 20.6% of the employee hours were for 

underground work locations, while 79.4% of the 

employee hours were for surface work locations.4 

Of the 119,223 independent contractor employees (or 

66,407 FTE workers), 36.7% were coal contractor 

employees and 63.3% were noncoal contractor 

employees. 

0

50

100

150

200

250

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Number of Employee Hours (millions) Coal Operator Metal Operator Nonmetal Operator Stone Operator Sand & Gravel Oper Coal Contractor Noncoal Contractor

Fatalities 

In 2008, there were 52 occupational mining fatalities with 

a rate of 16.8 [95% confidence interval (CI): 12.5, 22.0] 

per 100,000 FTE workers. 

The fatality rate for mine operator employees was 

14.2 [CI: 9.9, 19.7] (n=35; 67.3%), while the rate 

for contractor employees was 27.1 [CI: 15.8, 43.4] 

(n=17; 32.7%).

Coal contractors had the highest fatality rate 48.3 [CI: 

25.0, 84.4] (n=12; 23.1%), followed by coal 

operators 18.7 [CI: 11.1, 29.5] (n=18; 34.6%), metal 

operators 13.8 [CI: 4.5, 32.2] (n=5; 9.6%), and 

noncoal contractors 13.2 [CI: 4.5, 32.5] (n=5; 9.6%). 

The fatality rate at underground work locations was 

32.0 [CI: 19.5, 49.4] per 100,000 FTE workers 

(n=20; 38.5%) compared to 12.9 [CI: 8.8, 18.3] 

(n=32; 61.5%) at surface work locations. 

0

15

30

45

60

75

90

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

0

15

30

45

60

75

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

Underground Surface UG Rate Surf Rate

Nonfatal Lost-time Injuries 

There were 7,348 nonfatal lost-time injuries in 2008 

(2,600 at underground and 4,748 at surface work 

locations). These injuries occurred at an overall rate of 

2.4 [CI: 2.3, 2.4] per 100 FTE workers and resulted in a 

total of 382,210 days lost from work.5 

The underground nonfatal lost-time injury rate was 

greater than the surface injury rate (4.2 [CI: 4.0, 4.3] 

vs. 1.9 [CI: 1.9, 2.0] per 100 FTE workers). 

The back was the most frequently reported body part 

injured, accounting for 1,240 nonfatal lost-time 

injuries, 58,561 days lost from work, and 15.3% of 

all days lost. 

Sprains and strains were the most frequently 

reported nature of injury (n=3,167; 43.1%).

Distribution of Nonfatal Lost-time Injuries by Accident Class, 2008 (N=7,348)

31.3%

10.3%

24.9%

11.1%

8.4%

5.6%

8.4% Handling materials

Slip or fall of person Machinery

Powered haulage

Hand tools

Fall of ground

All other

Note: "Fall of ground" includes MSHA's Accident/Injury/Illness class for fall of face, rib, pillar, side, or highwall; fall of 

roof, back, or brow; and machinery cases when the source of injury was caving rock, coal, ore, or waste.

Sum of percentages may not equal 

100% due to independent rounding. 
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

Metal Operator 105 188 293 5,844 33,282 39,126 5,842 34,840 40,682

Nonmetal Operator 44 676 720 2,579 20,454 23,033 2,725 20,534 23,260

Stone Operator 111 4,522 4,633 1,875 77,100 78,975 2,029 74,720 76,749

Sand and Gravel Operator NA 7,132 7,132 NA 42,307 42,307 NA 33,343 33,343

Operator Total 925 13,982 14,907 50,668 222,828 273,496 56,462 217,750 274,212

Number of Companies

Coal Contractor NA NA 3,467 6,262 37,510 43,772 4,105 22,216 26,321

Noncoal Contractor NA NA 6,128 2,992 72,459 75,451 1,998 38,088 40,086

Contractor Total NA NA 9,595 9,254 109,969 119,223 6,103 60,304 66,407

TOTAL 59,922 332,797 392,719 62,565 278,054 340,620

Commodity and 

Type of Employer

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

Metal Operator 3 NC 2 NC 5 13.8 163 2.8 649 2.1 812 2.2

Nonmetal Operator 1 NC 1 NC 2 NC 95 3.5 412 2.4 507 2.5

Stone Operator 1 NC 6 9.4 7 10.6 33 1.6 1,593 2.5 1,626 2.5

Sand and Gravel Operator NA NA 3 NC 3 NC NA NA 550 1.9 550 1.9

Operator Total 17 30.1 18 9.4 35 14.2 2,394 4.2 3,972 2.1 6,366 2.6

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

Noncoal Contractor 0 NC 5 13.9 5 13.2 38 1.9 463 1.3 501 1.3

Contractor Total 3 NC 14 24.7 17 27.1 206 3.4 776 1.4 982 1.6

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

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.

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

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. 

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

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. 

5

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. 2011–161