What is the first category that comes to mind when you think about the hazards that miners face? Chances are it’s not electrical, yet electrical accidents are the leading cause of mining fatalities, responsible for more than six percent of all mining industry deaths between 2000 and 2009.1
Mining, in fact, is far more dangerous in terms of electrical hazards than most other industries in the U.S., with a 2000-2009 electrical fatality rate approximately 8 to12 times the rate for all U.S. industries, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Coal mining has higher electrical injury rates than noncoal mining and underground operations result in more electrical injuries than surface operations.2 Non-contact electrical burns due to arc flash events comprise the largest single category of electrical injuries.