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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: Machinery
Location: Bell, Kentucky
Mine Controller: Douglas S Warriner; Michael A Blubaugh
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Burlington, NJ
Mine Controller: William Clayton
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Bexar, Texas
Mine Controller: Ruben Garza; Ceasar F Saenz
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Sand industrials NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Cowlitz, Washington
Mine Controller: Chilton Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Sand & Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Pocahontas, IOWA
Mine Controller: Martin Marietta Materials Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Riverside, California
Mine Controller: Robar Enterprises Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Wright, Missouri
Mine Controller: James S. Peterson
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Murray, Georgia
Mine Controller: Carmeuse Holding SA
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Peach, Georgia
Mine Controller: Curt B Jamison
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Sand Common
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Chase, KANSAS
Mine Controller: Warren W Harshman
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Maricopa, Arizona
Mine Controller: Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Maricopa, Arizona
Mine Controller: Gary Curtis
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Hand Tools
Location: Madison, Illinois
Mine Controller: Fred Weber, Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Handling Material
Location: Clark, Ohio
Mine Controller: James P JurgensenII; Jacqueline J Alf; Jason R
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Beauregard, Louisiana
Mine Controller: Mark LaBorde; Kevin A Cook
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Sand, Common
Accident Classification: Handling Material
Location: Allegan MIchigan
Mine Controller: CRH PLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage

Rescission Date:  August 5, 2020

MSHA’s Chargeability Review Committee reviewed the death certificate, autopsy report, medical information, and MSHA's accident investigation findings and determined that the miner died from natural causes.  The  fatality is not chargeable to the mine operator.

Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Kern, California
Mine Controller: Heidelberg Cement AG
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Cement
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Clinton County, IA
Mine Controller: Manaco Corporation
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Marshall County, WV
Mine Controller: Robert E Murray
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Hoisting
Location: Orangeburg County, SC
Mine Controller: LafargeHolcim Ltd
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Cement
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Hinds County, MS
Mine Controller: USS Holdings Inc
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Clay Ceramic Refractory Mnls
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: St Louis County, MN
Mine Controller: ArcelorMittal USA LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Iron Ore
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Floyd, Kentucky
Mine Controller: Harold E Akers: Jim D Akers
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Kanawha County, WV
Mine Controller: Blackhawk Mining LLC
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Hopkins County, KY
Mine Controller: Alliance Resource Partners LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Consol Pennsylvannia
Mine Controller: CONSOL Energy Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Other
Location: Palo Pinto, Texas
Mine Controller: Joel Taylor; Michael Ruff
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Sandstone
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Venango County, PA
Mine Controller: Falcon Power LLC; Aspen Scrubgrass Participant LLC
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)