Fatal mining accidents down to start 2024

The Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) reported two 2024 mining fatalities had occurred at operations across the U.S. through the midpoint of February.

MSHA attributed the first fatal accident of the year, which happened at a crushed stone operation in Texas, to powered haulage. The agency says an over-the-road truck driver was killed Jan. 2 when the truck’s trailer fell on the cab of his truck.

In a Jan. 29 incident, a miner died at a Pennsylvania coal operation when the haul truck he was operating traveled over the edge of a stockpile and turned over.

Last year, the mining industry had its deadliest year in a decade, as 40 miners died in accidents across the U.S. The 40 fatalities were the most in a single year industrywide since 2014. Forty-six miners died in accidents that year.

January matched August as the deadliest month for the mining industry last year, as six miners were killed in January 2023. Three miners died in accidents last February.

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