Of the 37 fatalities reported, 12 occurred at surface coal mines, 11 at surface metal/nonmetal mines, nine at underground coal mines and five at underground metal/nonmetal mines. Nine workers died in accidents involving machinery—six in coal mines and three in metal/nonmetal mines—making it the leading cause of fatal mining accidents.
Kentucky had the most mining deaths—eight—in 2011, followed by West Virginia with six and Ohio with three. All but one of those deaths occurred in coal mines. Several of the larger coal-producing states, including Alabama, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Utah, experienced zero mine fatalities last year.
To see data on mining fatalities by state in 2011 and as far back as 2001, visit: www.msha.gov/stats/charts/Allstates.pdf.
