National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Worker Health Chartbook, 2000
September, 2000
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2000-127

Table 6-1

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Table 6–1. Number and annual average rate^* of fatalities associated with various types of employers and commodities, by work location, 1988–1997
Type of employer and commodity		Work location
		All		Underground mines				Surface mines						Mills/plants
		All		Underground		Surface areas		Strip/ open pit/ quarry		Dredge		Other surface operations^†		Mills/plants
		Number	Rate	Number	Rate	Number	Rate	Number	Rate	Number	Rate	Number	Rate	Number	Rate

All		993	31.9	388	56.9	51	46.3	383	29.4	21	38.3	10	37.2	140	15.0
Mine operator:
	Coal	432	37.9	298	54.2	27	49.5	74	19.1	0	0.0	4	25.7	29	22.0
	Metal	98	21.6	53	83.8	6	36.5	28	16.6	0	0.0	0	0.0	11	5.7
	Nonmetal	36	13.4	14	40.0	0	0.0	11	18.5	0	0.0	NA^‡	NA	11	6.6
	Stone	157	23.5	15	93.5	3	77.1	95	33.7	0	0.0	0	0.0	44	12.1
	Sand and gravel	83	28.2	NA	NA	NA	NA	65	26.3	18	38.3	NA	NA	NR^§	NR
Independent contractor:
	Coal	75	59.1	2	17.6	12	52.3	40	62.5	0	0.0	5	253.2	16	60.3
	Metal and nonmetal^**	112	71.3	6	102.0	3	49.0	70	75.0	3	278.1	1	232.7	29	57.7


Source: MSHA [1999].
^*Computed per 100,000 full-time workers or 200 million employee hours.
^{^†}Includes culm banks, auger mining, independent shops and yards, and surface mining n.e.c.
^‡NA=Not applicable for this commodity.
^§NR=Not reported separately. Sand and gravel operators report mill employment under strip or dredge operations.
^**Includes metal, nonmetal, stone, and sand and gravel.