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Mine Safety and Health At a Glance: Fiscal Year

U.S. Department of Labor             
Mine Safety and Health Administration

Safety and health in America’s mining industry made significant strides during the 20th century and over the last 47 years in particular.  In 1978, the first year the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) operated under the new Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 242 miners died in mining accidents.  MSHA continues to work to reduce injuries, illnesses and death through strong enforcement as well as active outreach, education and training, and technical support to the mining industry.

U.S Mining Fatalities FY 1978-2024

MSHA’s Mine Safety and Health at a Glance page is updated biannually.             
Last updated: January 31, 2025.

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All Mine Safety and Health  

Fiscal Year
Topic2018201920202021202220232024
Number of Mines13,16413,10512,92012,68712,70212,73912,721
Number of Miners*332,578336,317305,925298,588313,609325,029328,732
Fatalities*22342339334131
Fatal Injury Rate1*.0078.0119.0090.0156.0123.0146.0110
All Injury Rate1*2.082.061.901.911.891.851.81
Total Mining Area Inspection Hours/Mine250484239404142
Citations and Orders Issued3, 499,59799,54182,78176,99385,71994,07994,622
S&S Citations and Orders (%)20%20%18%19%19%19%19%
Dollar Amount Assessed (Millions)455.655.042.240.954.668.968.9

*Values are all inclusive of operator and contractor employees.

Coal Mine Safety and Health

Fiscal Year
Topic2018201920202021202220232024
Number of Coal Mines1,1871,1591,0569639901,007942
Number of Miners*83,02283,28068,37160,71765,84068,50468,334
Fatalities*915312121011
Fatal Injury Rate1*.0118.0194.0051.0225.0201.0155.0175
All Injury Rate1*2.962.942.822.862.852.762.78
Coal Production (Millions of Tons)757734567565596583525
Total Mining Area Inspection Hours/Mine2244241209204216221224
Citations and Orders Issued3, 446,17045,63731,17629,03734,58839,57838,929
S&S Citations and Orders (%)20%20%17%18%19%19%20%
Dollar Amount Assessed (Millions)430.329.818.716.324.631.133.6

*Values are all inclusive of operator and contractor employees.

Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health

Fiscal Year
Topic2018201920202021202220232024
Number of Metal/Nonmetal Mines11,97711,94611,86411,72411,71211,73211,779
Number of Miners*249,556253,037237,554237,871247,769256,525260,398
Fatalities*13192027213120
Fatal Injury Rate1*.0063.0091.0102.0138.0101.0143.0092
All Injury Rate1*1.751.741.631.651.611.581.53
Total Mining Area Inspection Hours/Mine222222120202020
Citations and Orders Issued3, 453,42753,90451,60547,95651,13154,50155,693
S&S Citations and Orders (%)21%20%18%19%19%19%18%
Dollar Amount Assessed (Millions)425.425.223.424.629.937.835.3

*Values are all inclusive of operator and contractor employees.

Mine Contractors

Fiscal Year
Topic2018201920202021202220232024
Coal Fatalities50303241
MNM Fatalities50745458
Total Fatalities501048699
Coal Fatal Injury Rate1.0000.0194.0000.0299.0180.0324.0084
MNM Fatal Injury Rate1.0000.0186.0120.0144.0099.0115.0188
Total Fatal Injury Rate1.0000.0188.0090.0179.0116.0162.0165
  1. Reported injuries per 200,000 hours worked.
  2. Total Mining Area Time includes: On-site Inspection Time (M/NM), MMU Pit Time (Coal), Outby Area Time (Coal), Surface Area Time (Coal), Citation/Order writing On-Site. On-site inspection hours represent hours entered by Authorized Representatives of the Secretary (AR) for certain inspection activities and task codes.
  3. Citations and orders are those not vacated.
  4. Citations and Orders issued, and Dollar Amount Assessed, are based on issue date. Therefore, citation counts and dollars assessed can fluctuate, upwards or downwards, depending on the date information was pulled. For example, numbers tend to fluctuate downwards when an issued citation is either conferenced or contested and is subsequently vacated. Dollars assessed can fluctuate upwards when there is a lag time between the issuance date and the assessed date.
  5. Contractor fatalities are not exclusive to those reported in the All Mine Safety and Health; Coal Mine Safety and Health; and, Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health sections of this report.

For more information:

www.msha.gov - MSHA Office of Program Education and Outreach Services, (202) 693-9400