Mining Incidents

Mining Incidents in Louisiana

Every reportable accident on file with MSHA at a Louisiana mine. Operators below are ranked by recorded fatality count in this state.

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Fatalities recorded
13
Total incidents
1,972
Fatal rate
1%
Years on record
2000–2024

Year-over-year fatalities

  1. 2000 2
  2. 2006 1
  3. 2007 1
  4. 2009 2
  5. 2013 1
  6. 2014 1
  7. 2019 1
  8. 2020 3
  9. 2024 1

Top mines in Louisiana by fatality count

  1. 01 Cote Blanche Mine 2fatal
  2. 02 AVERY ISLAND 2fatal
  3. 03 Kinder Plant 1fatal
  4. 04 Dolet Hills Lignite Company 1fatal
  5. 05 Weeks Island Mine and Mill 1fatal

Top operators by fatality count

  1. 01 Cargill Deicing Technology 2fatal
  2. 02 Asbury Advanced Materials 1fatal
  3. 03 Atalco Gramercy LLC 1fatal
  4. 04 Big River Industries 1fatal
  5. 05 Compass Minerals America Inc. 1fatal
  6. 06 Compass Minerals Louisiana Inc. 1fatal
  7. 07 Dolet Hills Lignite Company LLC 1fatal
  8. 08 Excalibar Minerals Of Louisiana LLC 1fatal
  9. 09 Kinder Sand Company LLC 1fatal
  10. 10 Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. 1fatal

Recent fatalities

August 4, 2024 LA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Atalco Gramercy LLC · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

An employee received burn injuries from exposure to hot water and caustic liquid, when they entered an area where the liquids accumulated on the ground. Employee fell into an open sump hole while walking into the work area.

December 14, 2020 LA · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler Fatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Cargill Deicing Technology · Struck by falling object

Roof fell at the 700' level at intersection H-13 striking two miners. The miners were fatally injured.

December 14, 2020 LA · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler Fatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Cargill Deicing Technology · Struck by falling object

Roof fell at the 700' level at intersection H-13 striking two miners. The miners were fatally injured.

February 29, 2020 LA · Metal/Non-Metal master mechanic, foreman, supervisor Fatality · MACHINERY
Newmark Acquisition, LLC · Struck by flying object

Operator was priming Dredge pump with Jet line. When Operator closed the valve on Jet line, 2" Cam Lock broke and struck operator.

August 15, 2019 LA · Metal/Non-Metal electrician, lineman Fatality · ELECTRICAL
Compass Minerals Louisiana Inc. · Contact with electrical current

A contractor died at the operation underground. The cause of death is unknown at the time of this report. MSHA issued a 103(k) order on the area. The information in this report is all we have at this time.

April 24, 2014 LA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer Fatality · MACHINERY
Big River Industries · Struck against stationary object

Employee had worked an entire day operating a John Deere 750C Dozer along side another experienced dozer operator. At approximately 5:25pm the employee was last seen crossing over a dirt pile. A few minutes later that same employee saw the 750C dozer blade first in a ditch with the tracks still running and employee lying face up behind the machine.

April 16, 2013 LA · Metal/Non-Metal shaftcrew, shaft repair, skip tender, station tender Fatality · FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS
Compass Minerals America Inc. · Struck by falling object

The incident is still under investigation. The individual was struck by an unknown object when replacing guide rope bushings on the north skip in the loading pocket at the bottom of the 16 foot shaft. The victim was working on top of a skip, performing maintenance with 2 coworkers, when a piece of salt fell and struck him.

June 20, 2009 LA · Metal/Non-Metal greaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oiler Fatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Morton Salt Div/Morton International Inc · Struck by falling object

The investigation is not complete, but as of now it appears that the employee had washed the #2 drill and was rolling up the hose when a portion of the mine roof collapsed, striking and covering him with a section of the salt roof.

March 6, 2009 LA · Coal greaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oiler Fatality · MACHINERY
Dolet Hills Lignite Company LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

A dragline oiler had been walking the 1570 dragline. He was last seen near the end of a walkway and was later found between the shoe and the revolving frame. There were no witnesses to the event. The employee was fatally injured.

March 30, 2007 LA · Metal/Non-Metal barge/boat/dredge/towbarge/towboat/leach operator, riverman, deck hand Fatality · OTHER

Cause of accident is unknown at this time. Employee was working on a winch on a dredge boat and was found drowned behind the boat some time afterwards.

May 19, 2006 LA · Metal/Non-Metal master electrician Fatality · ELECTRICAL
Kinder Sand Company LLC · Contact with electrical current

A master electrician was fatally injured while trouble-shooting 460 volt electric motor. (question #26: experience at this mine TWO hours.)

June 14, 2000 LA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Excalibar Minerals Of Louisiana LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

STOCKPILING ORE AT MILL SITE STOCKPILE AREA. DUMP TRUCK DUMPED HIS LOAD ON STOCKPILE AND BEGAN TO PULL AWAY FROM PILE. WHILE SLOWING PULLING FORWARD AND BEGGINING TO TURN TO THE RIGHT, THE HAU L TRUCK RAN OVER A DOZER OPERATOR WHO WAS IN FRONT OF DUMP TRUCK THE INJURY WAS FATAL.

April 28, 2000 LA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Asbury Advanced Materials · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

CONDITIONS UNKNOWN @ THIS TIME IMPAIRMENT-DEATH.THE VICTIM WAS OPERATING A TRACTOR PULLING A MOWER ALONG THE MILL ENTRANCE ROAD. HE WAS FATALLY INJURED WHEN HE FELL FROM AND WAS RAN OVER BY TH E TRACTOR.

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