The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) released its summary of U.S. mining deaths from July 1 through Sept. 30. The data shows seven fatalities occurred in industry accidents in the third quarter of 2015, which is eight fewer fatalities than the same period in 2014.
According to MSHA, preliminary data indicates that 14 miners died on the job at coal mines in 2015, which is the fewest number of coal mining deaths in a fiscal year in coal mining history. In addition, this number is down from 18 deaths in 2014.
In metal and nonmetal mining, 23 miners died in 2015, which is six fewer than in 2014.
Of the seven miners of the third quarter, two died in coal mining accidents and five died in metal and nonmetal mining accidents.
“These deaths remind us why we must continue our vigilance and ensure effective safety and health programs are at work throughout the industry,” says Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “The hard-working men and women of the mining industry deserve no less.”
