Jessica Lilly Published

W.Va. Lost Most Miners in U.S. Last Year

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Forty-two miners died in the U.S. in work-related accidents in 2013 according to preliminary data.

That’s up from the 36 miners who died in 2012.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration pointed out that fatalities occurred at a record low for the first three quarters of 2013. During the fourth quarter, six coal miners and nine metal/nonmetal miners died in mining accidents, a significant increase from the same period in 2012.

West Virginia lost six coal miners last year, the most in the country. Kentucky had the most metal/nonmetal mining deaths, with four.

In a release, Assistant Secretary of the Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joe Main said, “Mining deaths are preventable, and those that occurred in 2013 are no exception." "While we have made a number of improvements and have been moving mine safety in the right direction, the increased number of metal/nonmetal deaths makes clear we need to do more to protect our nation’s miners."

The most common causes of mining accidents in 2013 involved machinery and powered haulage equipment.