Skip to content

METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY -On November 09, 1999, a 62-year-old miner was found face down underneath a pile of rock which apparently fell off one of the ribs in a stope. The victim appeared to have been deceased for approximately 2 months before local authorities discovered his body.

Fatal Alert Bulletin Drawing

Best Practices
  • Examinations of ground conditions must be conducted prior to entering an area

  • Ground conditions that create a hazard to persons must be taken down or supported before conducting work or traveling in the affected area

  • Persons should never enter into old abandoned mines

  • Persons should not enter mining areas alone

  • Proper tag-in and tag-out procedures should be followed by all persons entering a mine.
  • This is the 48th fatality reported in calendar year 1999 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 1998, there were 48 fatalities reported in these industries. This is the 4th fatality classified as Fall of face in 1999. There were 3 Fall of face fatalities in the same period in 1998.

    For more information:
    Fatal Alert Bulletin Icon MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report