This searchable database was created by the library as an index to its collection of fatality reports located in the Accident Investigation File Archives of the Technical Information Center and Library at the National Mine Health and Safety Academy. The database is not comprehensive and intended to serve only as a listing of records available in the Academy Archive. It is not intended for statistic studies or as a comprehensive source for mining accident records. As of April 2004, there are 23,500 reports in this database with 32,767 names but the collection is expanded on a regular basis.
Coal Fatality Reports have been compiled from various sources including state reports of fatal accidents that occurred in the underground and surface coal mines in the United States from 1840 to the present. Early holdings are incomplete at this time. The material in this collection, for the most part, is the official report of the accident.
Metal/Nonmetal Fatality Reports include fatal accidents that occurred in underground and surface metal/nonmetal mines in the United States from 1879 to the present. Early holdings (1879 to 1976) are incomplete. The material in this collection, for the most part, is the official report of the accident.
Searching - You can search the database by dates, the name of the deceased, the geographic location, the company name, or the type of accident. Privacy Act guidelines apply to online information and the database is not searchable by the names of non-fatally injured in this database. To obtain information about nonfatal accidents, please contact the MSHA Library.
Copies - As time permits electronic copies of archived reports will be made available online. We will also accept email, telephone and fax requests for copies of reports.
Contacts - Mail requests can be sent to the MSHA Library at:
- National Mine Health and Safety Academy
1301 Airport Road, Beaver, WV 25813
Tel: 304-256-3266, FAX: 304-256-3372
Email: MSHALibrary@dol.gov.
Note: In some cases FOIA guidelines for requests will apply.
Information for MSHA users on the latest information regarding fatalities can be found using your Intranet site. You may look under General Information/Fatality Information on the home page.