Coal Fatal – 11/8/25

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On November 8, 2025, a section foreman died after a mine was inundated with water from an adjacent abandoned mine. The foreman was found on November 13, 2025.

Best Practices

  • Determine the location of abandoned mine workings using signed maps and local sources. Abandoned mines are a major flood hazard.
  • Provide sufficient barrier pillars. Evaluate interburden thickness and compare mine surveys from a common baseline.
  • Use directional, long-hole drilling to ensure adequate barriers around mining areas.
  • If necessary, submit permits for “operations under water.”

Additional Information

This is the 28th fatality reported in 2025, and the first classified as “Inundation”.

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

Coal Fatal – 11/6/25

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On November 6, 2025, a miner died when the scoop he was operating was struck by the lead locomotive of a supply trip.

Best Practices

  • Operate mobile equipment at safe speeds appropriate for the grade, load, and track conditions. Select the proper gear before descending grades to maintain positive control.
  • Conduct thorough pre-operational examinations of all mobile equipment. Test brake systems, sanders, and communication devices before use and ensure they work properly.
  • Establish and follow communication protocols that require verification for all mobile equipment operators.
  • Make sure miners communicate their location and intended movements with the dispatcher.

Additional Information

This is the 27th fatality reported in 2025, and the 12th classified as “Powered Haulage.”

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 Fatal – 9/29/25

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On September 29, 2025, a miner died when the Load Haul Dump Loader he was operating traveled into an open stope.

Best Practices

  • Do not work or travel near open stopes or holes.
  • Install and maintain signage identifying open holes or stopes.  Ensure signage is highly visible, maintained in place, and understood by everyone in the working area.
  • Install and maintain barricades, berms, or other restraining devices in front of open holes or stopes.
  • Establish and discuss safe procedures to prevent working or traveling near open holes.
  • Ensure miners maintain control of equipment while it is in operation.
  • Ensure that miners are properly task-trained for their assigned tasks.

Additional Information

This is the 24th fatality reported in 2025, and the tenth classified as “Powered Haulage.”

Click here for: Preliminary 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 – 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)

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).