Accident Investigation Team
The primary responsibility of the Accident Investigation Team within the Division of Mine Safety (DMS) is to investigate all serious and fatal mining accidents within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Determining the cause of such accidents is crucial in achieving the desired goal of zero accidents. Our Accident Investigator would not be able to accomplish his mission without the assistance and dedication of our Mine Safety Specialists.
Our goal is to ensure that all coal miners in the Commonwealth have a safe work environment and to foster safe work practices that will ensure each coal miner returns home uninjured.
Unfortunately, even with the efforts of this agency and the mining industry, coal mining accidents and fatalities do occur. KRS 352.180 requires all serious and fatal accidents to be reported to DMS immediately.
When a serious or fatal accident is reported to one of the DMS branches, a trained Accident Investigator is dispatched to the mine site. The Accident Investigator will gather information about the accident to ensure the safety of employees at the mine is not menaced and to generate a written report of the accident. A representative of DMS will review the accident with the victim and/or victim's family and a company official at the completion of the investigation.
All serious and fatal accident reports are subject to open records before being released to the public.
Recent Mine Fatalities
Kentucky has not had a mining fatality since 2022.
Archived Historical Mine Fatalities
The following is being maintained for reference, research, or recordkeeping only, and meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance exemption per U.S. Department of Justice regulations 28 C.F.R. Part 35.
The Kentucky Coal Mines Serious and Fatal Accidents Web Page contains information related to the most recent historical mine serious and fatal accidents including the associated Emergency Awareness Bulletin (EAB) issued by the Department for Natural Resources in response to the accident.
The Historical Mine Fatalities List is a spreadsheet of Kentucky's historical mine fatalities from 1940 through 2022.