Safety Alert: 2025 Fatality Increase

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Ten miner fatalities occurred between January 3 and March 5, 2025 – more than triple the number for the same period in 2024.  Accidents classified as Powered Haulage remain the most common with four fatalities, followed by Machinery (two fatalities), and Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall (two fatalities). 

Four fatalities involved failures of ground or coal rib conditions.  Four fatalities involved improper maintenance or unsafe operation of equipment.  One fatality involved explosives, and another involved not locking and tagging out equipment.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration asks you to remain vigilant every day at our nation’s mines.  Fatalities can be prevented by implementing effective safety and health programs.  Important elements in any safety and health program include workplace examinations, hazard recognition and avoidance, and training.  To prevent serious and fatal accidents, everyone in the mining industry needs to be alert for hazards.

MSHA is urging the mining community to focus on identifying and eliminating safety and health hazards.  When we work together, we can succeed in improving safety and health for miners.

Best Practices

  • Conduct examinations prior to working or traveling near ribs and highwalls.  For highwalls, conduct more frequent examinations after periods of rain, freezing, and thawing.
  • Operate and maintain equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations.
  • Clear and remove all persons from the blast area unless suitable blasting shelters are provided to protect persons from flyrock.
  • Develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure tasks are performed safely.
    • Train miners in safe maintenance and repair procedures.  This includes safe access, lock out/tag out, and blocking equipment against hazardous motion.
    • Train miners on how to identify hazards and unsafe work practices and give them the ability to stop unsafe activity.  

– MSHA

Click here for: MSHA Alert (pdf).

Coal Fatality – 2/28/25

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On February 28, 2025, a miner died when a piece of rock fell from an unsupported pillar rib and struck him.

Best Practices

  • Be aware of potential hazards when working or traveling near mine ribs with rock and partings.  Rock in the rib has been associated with over 80% of rib fall fatalities in the past decade.
  • Conduct thorough pre-shift and on-shift examinations of the roof, face, and ribs and conduct examinations thereafter as conditions warrant.  Scale loose ribs as necessary.
  • Rib support may be necessary when the mining height increases, when rock is present in the rib, or when encountering deeper cover.
  • For the best protection against rib falls, install rib bolts with adequate surface control products during the mining cycle and in a consistent pattern.
  • Train miners to recognize roof and rib hazards and to stop work in the area until the hazards are corrected.

Additional Information

This is the eighth fatality reported in 2025, and the second classified as “Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall.”

Click here for: Preliminary 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)

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)

MNM Fatality – 1/30/25 dimension

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On January 30, 2025, a miner died when a front-end loader operator unknowingly lowered a pallet of stone onto him.

Best Practices

  • Develop traffic rules for mobile equipment and miners on foot. Ensure the Safety Program for Surface Mobile Equipment includes actions taken to identify hazards and risks to reduce fatalities.
  • Install collision warning technologies and added safety features such as cameras, sensors and radar.
  • Ensure adequate clearance and visibility when operating mobile equipment and be aware of where all persons on foot are located.
  • Wear high visibility clothing and communicate your location and intended movements to mobile equipment operators.  Ensure they acknowledge your presence before you travel near mobile equipment.
  • Train all persons to recognize the limited visibility and blind areas inherent to the operation of self-propelled mobile equipment.

Additional Information

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

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 1/30/25 sand

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On January 30, 2025, a miner died when he became entangled in a log washer.  The victim was starting the log washer when he lost his balance and fell into the log washer. 

Best Practices

  • Ensure equipment and safety devices are maintained in safe working condition.
  • Ensure miners are clear and free from hazards when starting equipment and performing tasks.
  • Always use fall protection equipment, safety belts and lines or personnel lifts when working at heights and near openings where there is a danger of falling.
  • Lock Out and Tag Out machinery against hazardous motion.
  • Maintain equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s means to care for and service equipment.
  • Train miners in the recognition of hazards and safe work procedures.

Additional Information

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

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

Coal Fatality – 1/29/25

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On January 29, 2025, a miner died when a piece of rock fell from the highwall and struck the cab of the drill he was operating.

Best Practices

  • Scale highwalls from a safe location to eliminate hazards such as loose, unconsolidated rocks and overhangs.
  • Conduct highwall examinations prior to working or traveling near the highwall and more frequently as ground conditions warrant, especially after periods of rain, freezing, and thawing.
  • Examine highwalls from multiple perspectives (bottom, sides, and top/crest) and look for signs of cracking and other geologic features that could lead to instability.
  • Use auxiliary lighting during low light conditions to conduct highwall examinations and illuminate active work areas.
  • Ensure miners work, travel, and operate equipment at safe distances from highwalls.

Additional Information

This is the third fatality reported in 2025, and the first classified as “Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall.”

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

Coal Fatality – 1/10/25

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On January 10, 2025, a mobile bridge carrier pinned the operator against the coal rib, causing fatal injuries.

Best Practices

  • Stay out of pinch points and “Red Zone” areas.
  • Install and maintain person-in-position switches on mobile bridge carriers to require the miner to stay in the operator’s compartment while in motion.
  • Stay in the operator’s compartment when operating equipment.
  • Activate the emergency de-energization device or “panic bar” before exiting the operator’s compartment in the event of a hazardous situation.
  • Communicate your presence and intended movements when working around mobile equipment and wait for acknowledgment before moving. 

Additional Information

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

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MNM Fatality – 1/3/25

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On January 3, 2025, a miner died when an excavated trench collapsed and engulfed him.  The victim was replacing a 12-inch discharge line in the trench when the wall collapsed.

Best Practices

  • Stay clear of potentially unstable areas.  Do not enter trenches if the trench walls are not properly supported for the full height or sloped to a safe angle.
  • Establish and discuss safe work procedures before beginning work.  Identify and control all hazards associated with the work to be performed and the methods to properly protect persons.
  • Follow OSHA Trenching and Excavation Safety Guidelines.

Additional Information

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

Click here for: Preliminary Report (pdf)

MSHA Winter Safety Alert

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Winter poses unique challenges at all types of mine sites, including snow, ice, freezing temperatures, and strong winds. Miners and operators must take proactive measures to stay safe and reduce accidents and injuries.

Key Best Practices:

  • Ventilation & Air Quality: Properly ventilate work areas and maintain equipment to prevent harmful gas accumulation, including carbon monoxide.
  • Cold Stress Prevention: Know wind chill temperatures and prepare for frostbite, hypothermia, and cold stress by using appropriate protective gear and monitoring conditions.
  • Surface Maintenance: Clear snow and ice from travelways, apply sand or salt to improve traction, and inspect highwalls and roadways after freezing conditions.
  • Equipment Safety: Inspect and maintain equipment regularly, including vehicle exhaust systems, to ensure safe operation during cold weather.

Protect yourself and fellow miners by using printable best practices available under “Related Links” and sharing on email and social media. Together, we can reduce winter-related incidents and keep everyone safe through the cold months. Click here.

Safety is a shared responsibility—let’s ensure winter safety for all miners, keeping our mine sites incident-free and prepared for the unique challenges of the season.

-MSHA