Stone Mining Facts - 2001 

1. In 2001, a total of 4,282 stone mining operations reported employment to the Mine Safety and Health 

Administration (MSHA). The major industrial classifications in stone mining are dimension stone (used for 

construction purposes), crushed and broken stone (aggregates), cement, and lime. Stone mines comprised 29.3%

of all mining operations. 

• The median number of operator employees per stone mine was 6.3.1

• Mines producing crushed and broken stone (n = 3,352) comprised 78.3% of all stone mining operations. 

2. A total of 69,588 employees, corresponding to 72,070 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees,2 was reported by 

stone operators to MSHA. This is a 1.4% decrease in the number of FTE employees from 2000. 

• Stone operator employees comprised 25.7% of all employee hours reported to MSHA in 2001.

• The majority of stone operator employees worked in crushed and broken stone mines, with limestone mines 

having 65.9% of crushed and broken stone mine employees. Cement stone miners accounted for 15.1% of all 

stone miners; dimension stone miners, 10.1%. 

3. Three work-related fatalities occurred in stone mines in 2001, compared to 15 in 2000. 

• The stone mine fatality rate was 4.2 per 100,000 FTE employees. 

• All fatalities occurred in surface operations.3

4. There were 2,682 nonfatal lost-time injuries among stone mine employees occurring at a rate of 3.7 injuries per 

100 FTE employees. These injuries resulted in 110,626 days lost from work4

. 

• The mean and median days lost from work among stone employees with nonfatal lost-time injuries were 41.2 

and 12.0 days, respectively. 

• The highest injury rate was in mill processing operations (3.9 per 100 FTE operator employees), followed by 

3.5 and 3.2 for surface and underground production locations, respectively. 

• The most frequent type of accident for stone mine employees involved handling of materials (40.1%), followed 

by slips and falls (24.6%). Among those accident types with more than 10% of the total number of nonfatal 

lost-time injuries, the most severe injuries (as measured by the median number of days lost) were associated 

with slips or falls (n = 660, median = 15.5), handling materials (n = 1,076, median = 12.0), powered haulage 

(n = 220, median = 10.5), hand tools (n = 283, median = 10), and machinery (n = 275, median = 10.0). 

• Sprains and strains were the most frequently reported nature of injury (n = 1,229). Among those injury 

categories with more than 10% of the total number of nonfatal lost-time injuries, the most severe injury was 

fractures and chips (n = 283, median = 33.0). The back was the most frequently reported part of the body 

injured (22.1%), accounting for 21,711 days lost from work in 2001. 

• Among stone mine employees, those with a job title of mechanic/repairman/helper had the greatest number 

of nonfatal lost time injuries (n = 586, 21.8%), followed by those classified as laborer/utility man/bull gang 

(n = 482, 18.0%) and sizing/washing/cleaning plant operator or worker (n = 449, 16.7%). 

5. There were 146 cases of occupational illness reported to MSHA for stone employees.

• The most frequently reported illness was associated with repeated trauma, of which 58 were joint, muscle, or 

tendon irritation or inflammation (39.7%). 

• Twenty-nine cases (19.9%) of hearing loss or impairment were reported. 

• Stone mine operators reported seven cases of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis and three cases of silicosis. 

1

Excludes office employees. 2

Computed using reported employee hours (2,000 hours = 1 FTE); excludes office employees. 3 Surface production operations include strip or open pit mines, dredge operations, other surface mining, and independent shops and yards. 4 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. 

July 2003 
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. 2003-133