Surface

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 – 7/12/25

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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 – 6/15/25

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On June 15, 2025, a miner died after the telehandler that he had been operating overturned onto him while he was outside the equipment moving a water pump suction line.

Best Practices

  • Ensure miners operate telehandlers perpendicular to the slope and use load stabilizing devices to prevent roll over.
  • Keep telehandler forks low to the ground unless the surface is level and ground conditions can support the telehandler.  Never suspend a load from the forks.
  • Always lower booms on equipment when unattended and secure the equipment against movement.
  • Do not exceed the load radius and load limits of lifting equipment.
  • Do not work alone unless you can communicate with others or they can see you.
  • Ensure miners position themselves in a safe manner while working around equipment.
  • Conduct inspections of mobile equipment prior to use.  If deficiencies exist, remove the equipment from service.

Additional Information

The information provided in this notice is based on preliminary information only and does not represent final determinations regarding the nature of the accident or conclusions regarding the cause of the fatality.

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 5/19/25

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On May 19, 2025, a miner died when the haul truck he was operating traveled through a berm and over an approximately forty-foot highwall to the bench below. 

Best Practices

  • Maintain control of self-propelled mobile equipment while it is in motion.
  • Ensure berms and guardrails are at least as high as the mid-axle height of the largest mobile equipment using the roadway.  The effectiveness of a berm depends not only on its height, but also on its base width and compaction.
  • Always wear a seatbelt and remain in the cab with your seatbelt on while operating mobile equipment.  Never attempt to exit or jump from an out-of-control vehicle.
  • Ensure miners are adequately task trained in the safe operation of all equipment they use.
  • Perform pre-operational examinations of mobile equipment.

Additional Information

This is the 13th fatality reported in 2025, and the sixth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Cllick here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 5/1/25

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On May 1, 2025, an excavator operator died after material from a tailings cell engulfed the excavator he was operating. At the time of the accident, the excavator operator was loading dry material into two haul trucks.

Best Practices

  • Establish and follow ground control procedures that are consistent with prudent engineering design for the safe control of all highwalls, pits, spoil banks and any area where miners will be working below a tailings or water storage cell.  
  • Examine highwalls, banks, and other areas that slope into working areas after every rain, freeze, or thaw and before miners begin work in such areas.
  • Stay clear of potentially unstable areas.  Document and correct unsafe ground conditions in the affected area.
  • Equip excavators with two-way communication systems, high-strength glass, light sticks, cooling packs, and a breathable air device when working on material that has the potential to slide or engulf mobile equipment.

Additional Information

This is the 12th fatality reported in 2025, and the second classified as “Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind.”

The information provided in this notice is based on preliminary information only and does not represent final determinations regarding the nature of the accident or conclusions regarding the cause of the fatality.

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

MNM Fatality – 3/28/25

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On March 28, 2025, a miner was fatally injured at a surface mine when sand from the highwall engulfed the front-end loader he was operating.  The miner was digging sand from the toe of the highwall.

Best Practices

  • Use mining methods that ensure highwall stability and safe working conditions.
  • Use appropriate equipment to gradually flatten the slope starting at the top of the highwall.
  • Equip front-end loaders with two-way communication systems, high strength glass, and an SCSR for breathable air when working on material that has the potential to slide or engulf mobile equipment.
  • Examine highwalls, spoil banks, and ground that slope into working areas.  Correct unsafe ground conditions in the affected area.  Conduct additional examinations as ground conditions warrant, especially during periods of changing weather conditions.
  • Stay clear of potentially unstable areas.
  • Establish and discuss safe work procedures before beginning work.  Identify and control all hazards associated with the work and the methods to properly protect miners.
  • Train miners to assess risks and hazards and correct or barricade hazards to prevent access before beginning work activities.

Additional Information

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

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

MNM Fatality – 3/5/25 IL

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On March 5, 2025, a miner was fatally injured at a surface mine when flyrock from blasting operations struck him.  The miner was assisting in detonating the explosives. 

Best Practices

  • Remove all persons from the blast area unless using suitable blasting shelters to protect persons from flyrock.  Wait at least 15 seconds after the blast for any flyrock to drop and settle before exiting the shelter.
  • Adjust stemming depth and/or decking to maintain adequate burden on all sections of the blast hole.  Consider geology, face geometry, and surface topography when developing a drill pattern.
  • Determine the actual burden for all face holes along their length and adjust the explosive power factor along the borehole accordingly.
  • Only use approved capacitor discharge or generator blasting machines.

Additional Information

This is the tenth fatality reported in 2025, and the first classified as “Explosives and Breaking Agents.”

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

MNM Fatality – 3/5/25 NC

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On March 5, 2025, a miner died while clearing strips of old belt rubber from a belt conveyor tail roller. During this process, the belt conveyor started to operate, causing the miner to become entangled in between the fluted tail roller and the belt.

Best Practices

  • De-energize, lock out, tag out, and block belt conveyors against hazardous motion before performing repairs or maintenance.
  • Provide safe access where miners work.
  • Install adequate guarding to prevent any contact between miners and moving parts of a belt conveyor, including rollers and head and tail areas.
  • Establish policies and procedures for conducting maintenance on belt conveyors.
  • Task train miners on safe work practices.

Additional Information

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

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

MNM Fatalilty – 2/22/25

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On February 22, 2025, a contractor died when the bridge providing access into the kiln shifted, causing the skid steer loader he was operating to fall backwards into the clinker chute. 

Best Practices

  • Provide safe access to all working areas.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions for bridges and ramps.
  • Routinely examine metal structures for indications of structural weakness (corrosion, fatigue cracks, bent/buckling beams, braces or columns, loose/missing connectors, broken welds, etc.).
  • Train miners on their assigned tasks, including how to identify, report, and correct hazards.
  • Examine work areas at the beginning and throughout the day for changing conditions that may affect safety.

Additional Information

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

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

Coal Fatality – 2/12/25

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On February 12, 2025, a miner died when the ground beneath the drilling rig he was operating failed, causing it to overturn and fall off the highwall.

Best Practices

  • Examine highwalls and correct hazardous conditions before beginning work and as ground conditions warrant.
  • Be aware of changes from the freeze and thaw cycles affecting the condition of the highwall.
  • Operate mobile drills perpendicular to the edge of the highwall.
  • Monitor work activities to ensure miners follow safe work procedures.
  • Train equipment operators to identify hazardous highwall conditions.

Additional Information

This is the sixth fatality reported in 2025, and the second classified as “Machinery.”

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