Metal/Nonmetal

MNM Fatality – 9/13/25

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On September 13, 2025, an electrician contacted 277 volts of alternating current while working on a light fixture in an office building. He was electrocuted and fell off a ladder.

Best Practices

  • Always lock out, tag out, and test electrical equipment to verify all power has been de-energized prior to working on it.
  • Label power switches to show which units they control, unless identification can be made readily by location.
  • Leave protective covers in place until electrically powered equipment is de-energized.
  • Establish safe procedures before beginning work and discuss them with all miners involved in the task.
  • Always use properly rated tools and personal protective equipment when working with electricity.
  • Ensure that miners are properly task-trained for their assigned tasks.

Additional Information

This is the 23rd fatality reported in 2025, and the second classified as “Electrical.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 9/8/25

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A contract haul truck driver was injured while dumping a load of material at the top of a stockpile. The ground under the truck failed causing the truck to overturn onto its cab. The driver died later from his injuries.

Best Practices

  • Construct substantial berms, bumper blocks, safety hooks, or similar impeding devices at dumping locations where there is a hazard of overtravel or overturning.
  • Conduct workplace and ground condition examinations before beginning work in an area.
  • Always dump material from a stable and safe location.  If examinations indicate the ground conditions are not reliable, dump loads at a safe distance and push the material over the edge using a bulldozer.
  • Never load material from the toe of a stockpile that is below an active dump point.  This typically leads to a slope that is unstable and too steep.
  • Maintain stockpile slopes no steeper than the angle of repose.

Additional Information

This is the 22nd fatality reported in 2025, and the ninth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

MNM Fatality – 9/2/25

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On September 2, 2025, a blaster was loading holes from the ground when a piece of rock fell from the roof and struck him. The blaster died from his injuries.

Best Practices

  • Be alert for changes in the roof, face, and ribs and take additional safety precautions when adverse conditions are encountered.
  • Install ground support where ground conditions, or mining experience in similar ground conditions in the mine, indicate it is necessary.
  • Scale loose roof and ribs from a safe location to maintain safe ground conditions.
  • Examine and test the roof, face, and ribs in areas where work is to be performed prior to work commencing, after blasting, and as ground conditions warrant during the work shift.
  • Train miners on how to identify hazardous roof conditions.

Additional Information

This is the 21st fatality reported in 2025, and the second classified as “Fall of Roof or Back.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

MNM Fatality – 10/28/25

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On October 28, 2025, a miner died after the haul truck he was driving went over a berm along the haul road and into a water-filled pit.

Best Practices

  • Always operate mobile equipment at safe speeds. Consider the roadways, tracks, grades, clearances, visibility, traffic, and type of equipment used.
  • Ensure berms and guardrails are at least mid-axle height of the largest mobile equipment using the roadway.
  • Follow the Surface Mobile Equipment Safety Program at your mine.
  • Always wear a seatbelt while operating mobile equipment. Never attempt to exit or jump from an out-of-control vehicle.
  • Perform pre-operational examinations of mobile equipment.

Additional Information

This is the 26th fatality reported in 2025, and the 11th classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 8/25/25

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On August 25, 2025, a miner died after the haul truck he was driving went over a berm along the haul road, over a highwall, and overturned into water in the pit.

Best Practices

  • Always operate mobile equipment at safe speeds. Consider the roadways, tracks, grades, clearances, visibility, traffic, and type of equipment being used.
  • Follow the Surface Mobile Equipment safety program at your mine.
  • Clearly mark hazards along roadways with signs and signals.
  • Always wear a seatbelt while operating mobile equipment. Never attempt to exit or jump from an out-of-control vehicle.
  • Maintain control of mobile equipment while it is descending, especially around tight turns.
  • Ensure miners are adequately task trained in the safe operation of all equipment they operate.
  • Perform pre-operational examinations of mobile equipment.

Additional Information

This is the 19th fatality reported in 2025, and the eighth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).

MNM Fatality – 8/7/25

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On August 7, 2025, a contractor died after the front-end loader he was operating traveled over the edge of a highwall, falling approximately 70 feet.

Best Practices

  • Maintain control of self-propelled mobile equipment while it is in motion.
  • Never attempt to enter or exit an out-of-control vehicle.
  • Ensure miners are adequately task trained in the safe operation of assigned equipment.
  • Perform regular pre-operational examinations of mobile equipment.
  • Monitor work activities to ensure both miners and contractors follow safe work procedures.

Additional Information

This is the 18th fatality reported in 2025, and the seventh classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 7/29/25

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On July 29, 2025, a contractor died when the excavator he was tramming toppled forward, causing the cab to land on a boulder.

Best Practices

  • Maintain the boom in the direction of travel when tramming.
  • Maintain control of self-propelled mobile equipment while it is in motion.
  • Ensure miners operate excavators perpendicular to the slope.
  • Task train miners in the safe operation and potential hazards of all equipment, including avoiding ground conditions that can cause the equipment to tip over.
  • Conduct workplace examinations of all work areas prior to beginning work.

Additional Information

This is the 18th fatality reported in 2025, and the fourth classified as “Machinery.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 7/26/25

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On July 26, 2025, an electrician was electrocuted when he came in contact with one phase of a 13,200-volt three phase power source.

Best Practices

  • Always lock out, tag out, and try out electrical equipment prior to work.
  • Verify circuits are de-energized using properly rated test equipment.
  • Leave protective covers in place until electrically powered equipment is de-energized.
  • Always ensure High Voltage equipment conductors are grounded before beginning work.
  • Always use proper tools and Personal Protective Equipment when working with electricity.

Additional Information

This is the 17th fatality reported in 2025, and the first classified as “Electrical.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 7/12/25

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On July 12, 2025, a delivery truck driver died when the truck he was driving traveled off the road and crashed into a ravine.

Best Practices

  • Maintain control of mobile equipment and follow all posted speed limit and warning signs.
  • Ensure berms and guardrails are at least as high as the mid-axle height of the largest mobile equipment using the roadway.  
  • Ensure braking systems can stop and hold the equipment with its typical load on the maximum grade it travels.
  • Always wear a seatbelt while operating mobile equipment.
  • Perform thorough pre-operational inspections of mobile equipment.  Correct any defects that create a hazard.

Additional Information

This is the 16th fatality reported in 2025, and the seventh classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 7/12/25 Underground

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On July 12, 2025, a miner died when material within an active stope caved onto the Load Haul Dump loader he was operating.

Best Practices

  • Only travel in areas with a ground support system designed, installed, and maintained to control the ground.
  • Understand and follow the mine operator’s ground control procedures and mining methods.
  • Perform work from a safe location.
  • Only travel within designated safe zones and use signage to indicate hazardous areas.  Ensure this signage is highly visible and understood by everyone in the working area.
  • Conduct thorough examinations of working places/ground conditions before starting any work, after blasting, and as conditions warrant during the shift.

Additional Information

This is the 15th fatality reported in 2025, and the first classified as “Fall of Roof or Back.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf), Final Report (pdf).