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August 22, 2024 Fatality - Fatality Alert

Lapse in Appropriations

For workplace safety and health, please call 800-321-6742; for mine safety and health, please call 800-746-1553; for Job Corps, please call 800-733-5627 and for Wage and Hour, please call 1-866-487-9243 (1 866-4-US-WAGE).  This website is currently not being updated due to the suspension of Federal government services. The last update to the site was 10/1/2025.  Updates to the site will start again when the Federal government resumes operations.

Accident Report: Fatality Reference

MINE FATALITY – On August 22, 2024, a contractor was found deceased in a shallow pool of water at the base of a highwall.

Pool of water at the base of a highwall.

Best Practices

  • Conduct workplace examinations to identify conditions that may adversely affect the safety or health of miners.
  • Provide and maintain safe access to all working places. 
  • Ensure that miners have communication systems available when assigned to work alone.
  • Train miners on safe work procedures and to identify hazards associated with their assigned tasks.

Additional Information

This is the 16th fatality reported in 2024, and the first classified as “Drowning.”