Fatality Reports
MSHA investigates each mining fatality and prepares the following documents to alert the mining community and prevent similar occurrences.
- Fatality Alert - describes the accident and lists best practices that may have prevented it
- Preliminary Report - initial report with brief description
- Final Report - investigative findings, including root causes and enforcement actions
Related Fatality Information
Some deaths on mining property are determined to be unrelated to mining activity and are not included in MSHA’s fatality statistics - See recent “non-chargeable” fatalities:
On November 26, 2014, Daniel Pabian, Leadman with Pabian Enterprises LLC, fell from a ladder. He had reached for a wrench and was climbing the steps of the ladder in an attempt to hand the wrench to a co-worker when he fell and hit his head. He was transported to a hospital, where he died later the same day. The death certificate and autopsy report both indicated that the manner of death was accidental, and the cause of death was a cervical spinal fracture due to a fall from a ladder. Based on the findings of the death certificate, the autopsy report and the MSHA investigation, the committee members concluded that his death should be charged to the mining industry.