On December 10, 2025, two contractors died when the dragline they were operating slid into a water-filled pit.
Best Practices
- Establish mining methods based on geological conditions such as soil stability subsurface cavities.
- Evaluate all pit, highwall, slope, and bank conditions at least daily or more often, if necessary, to protect the health and safety of the miners. Be especially vigilant after each rain, freeze, or thaw.
- Conduct effective workplace examinations in areas where miners are working and traveling. Identify and correct all hazards.
- Train miners on equipment risks and to recognize potential hazards that can decrease bank and slope stability.
Additional Information
These are the 30th and 31st fatalities reported in 2025, and the fifth and sixth classified as “Machinery.”
Click here for: Preliminary Report 1 (pdf), Preliminary Report 2 (pdf)