Surface

MNM Fatal – 11/22/25

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On November 22, 2025, a plant operator died after he was struck and engulfed by falling material at a salt silo discharge outlet. He was attempting to clear a blockage with his head and arm inside the silo access door.

Best Practices

  • Equip bins and hoppers with mechanical devices such as vibrating shakers or air cannons to loosen blockages or provide other effective means so miners are not exposed to caving or sliding materials.
  • Ensure miners are positioned in a safe location and away from potential hazards.
  • Make sure miners working under hazardous conditions can be seen, heard, and able to communicate with others.
  • Examine working places to identify the potential for falling or sliding materials prior to allowing access to areas in or around bins and hoppers.
  • Before blocked bins and hoppers are cleared, train miners to recognize and safely remove all potential hazards.

Additional Information

This is the 29th fatality reported in 2025, and the first classified as “Handling Material.”

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

MNM Fatal – 10/16/25

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On October 16, 2025, a miner was performing work from an elevated platform when they fell approximately 30 feet. The miner died from his injuries.

Best Practices

  • Provide safe access to all work areas by installing handrails, guarding, or the use of fall protection equipment where there is a risk of miners falling.
  • Provide and ensure proper use of fall protection when a fall hazard exists.  Ensure fall protection has a suitable fall arrest and secure anchorage system.
  • Identify risks and eliminate or control them before beginning activities.
  • Conduct workplace examinations to identify conditions that may adversely affect the safety or health of miners.

Additional Information

This is the 25th fatality reported in 2025, and the first classified as “Slip or Fall of Person.”

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

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 – 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)

Coal Fatality – 8/26/25

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On August 26, 2025, an electrician died while performing elevator testing.  The elevator car descended and struck the electrician on the first-floor elevator platform. 

Best Practices

  • De-energize, lock out, tag out, and block machinery against hazardous motion, including unintended movement, before conducting maintenance.
  • Install audible and visual alarms to warn of impending equipment movement.  Ensure the alarms are functional through testing and maintenance.
  • Stay clear of moving equipment during testing procedures.
  • Train miners to safely perform testing procedures and ensure the procedures are followed.

Additional Information

This is the 20th fatality reported in 2025, and the first classified as “Hoisting.”

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