Mining Facts – 2003

1. In 2003, 14,391 mining operations reported employment statistics to the Mine Safety and Health Administration

(MSHA). Almost half (49%) were sand and gravel mines, followed by stone mines (30%), coal mines (14%), 

nonmetal mines (5%), and metal mines (2%). 

2. Mine operators reported 217,662 employees (or 221,923 full-time equivalent [FTE] workers) to MSHA.

1

 

• Underground mines accounted for 18.3% of mine operator employees, while surface mines accounted for 

81.7% of the employees.2

 

• Among underground mine operator employees, the majority (80.9%) worked in coal mines. 

• The largest percentage of surface operator employees worked in stone mines (36.9%).

3. Of the 67,855 independent contractor employees (or 34,969 FTE contractor workers) reported to MSHA in 

2003, 42.3% were coal contractor employees and 57.7% were noncoal contractor employees. 

4. In 2003, there were 56 occupational mining fatalities, compared to 66 in 2002. The overall mining fatality rate 

was 21.8 per 100,000 FTE workers. 

• The fatality rate for mine operator employees was 19.8 per 100,000 FTE workers (n = 44; 78.6%), while the 

rate for contractor employees was higher at 34.3 per 100,000 FTE workers (n = 12; 21.4%). 

• The fatality rate at underground operations was 35.7 per 100,000 FTE workers (n = 16; 28.6%) compared to 

the lower rate at surface locations of 18.9 per 100,000 FTE workers (n = 40; 71.4%). 

• Coal contractors had the highest fatality rate (49.7 per 100,000 FTE workers; n = 8), followed by sand and 

gravel operators (rate = 30.8; n = 10) and coal operators (rate = 29.2; n = 22).

5. There were 8,322 nonfatal lost-time injuries reported to MSHA in 2003. These occurred at a rate of 

3.2 injuries per 100 FTE workers and resulted in a total of 467,432 days lost from work.

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• The underground injury rate was greater than the surface injury rate (6.3 vs. 2.6 per 100 FTE workers). 

• The nonfatal lost-time injury rate for mine operator employees was higher than the rate for contractor 

employees (3.4 vs. 2.0 per 100 FTE workers). 

• Coal operator employees had the highest nonfatal lost-time injury rate (4.4 per 100 FTE workers). 

• The highest percentage of nonfatal lost-time injuries was due to handling materials (35.4%; n = 2,943) 

followed by slips or falls (24.9%; n = 2,074). 

• The back continued to be the most frequently reported part of the body injured.4

 It accounted for 1,755 

injuries, 105,510 days lost from work, and 22.6% of all days lost. 

6. In 2003, 558 cases of occupational illnesses were reported to MSHA.5 

• Joint, tendon, or muscle inflammation or irritation accounted for 44.6% (n = 249) of reported occupational 

illnesses. 

• Mining operations reported 116 cases of black lung (coal workers' pneumoconiosis) and 7 cases of silicosis.

• There were 113 cases of hearing loss or impairment reported to MSHA (or 20.3% of all occupational illnesses 

reported). 

 Note: All analyses exclude office employees, except for the total number of mining operations. 1 Computed using reported employee hours (2,000 hours = 1 FTE). 2 Surface production operations include strip mines, surface operations at underground mines, preparation plants, mills, auger mining, culm banks, 

 dredge, and surface 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 MSHA only reports the most severely injured part of body for accidents involving injury to multiple body parts. 5 Because of the complexity of attributing disease causation to the workplace, occupational illnesses may be underreported. 

February 2005
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 

www.cdc.gov/niosh 

SAFER • HEALTHIER • PEOPLETM

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005–113