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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

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:
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: West Virginia
Mine Controller: Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Virginia
Mine Controller: Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: West Virginia
Mine Controller: Ohio Valley Resources, Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: J Clifford Forrest III
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: JAZ Ventures LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Florida
Mine Controller: Potash Corp Of Saskatchewan
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Phosphate Rock
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Missouri
Mine Controller: Renco Group
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Lead-Zinc Ore
Accident Classification: Hoisting
Location: Nevada
Mine Controller: Newmont Mining Corp
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: California
Mine Controller: MDU Resources Group Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Texas
Mine Controller: O Paul Leonard Jr
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Common Clays NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Kentucky
Mine Controller: Patriot Coal Corporation
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Ohio
Mine Controller: Tim E Bell
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Illinois
Mine Controller: USS Holdings Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Ground Silica

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.

Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: George F Edwards Jr
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Sandstone
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Texas
Mine Controller: Alcoa Inc
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Alumina
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Indiana
Mine Controller: Earl Brinker
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel

On November 17, 2014, Robert Arnold Fleenor, a 63-year-old truck driver, missed the last step while climbing down the ladder of his haul truck. He hit the tire of the haul truck and then slid down the tire and hit his head on the concrete. Several hours later, he complained of not feeling well, and was subsequently found unresponsive behind the steering wheel of his truck. He was transported to a hospital, where he died on November 27, 2014. The death certificate and autopsy report both indicated that the manner of death was accidental, and the cause of death was a left cerebral infarction due to left subdural hematoma. 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.

(Victim died November 27, 2014)
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: West Virginia
Mine Controller: Kristopher C Lilly
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Virginia
Mine Controller: Terri Reed Smith; Terry Garth Reed
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Granite
(Victim died January 17, 2015)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Wyoming
Mine Controller: Peabody Energy
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: Heidelberg Cement AG
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Cement
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Kentucky
Mine Controller: Cox Enterprises; L C Management
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Texas
Mine Controller: Texas United Corp
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Salt
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Utah
Mine Controller: Robert E Murray
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Alabama
Mine Controller: Roger W Perry; Rance Perry; Leah Perry-Haynie
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: New York
Mine Controller: David George Kasmoch
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Virginia
Mine Controller: CONSOL Energy Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Montana
Mine Controller: Steve Fossum; Scott Fossum; Carol Fossum
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Florida
Mine Controller: Cemex S A
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Cement
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: South Carolina
Mine Controller: James O Murray Jr
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Montana
Mine Controller: Cloud Peak Energy Resources LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)