5
These common mine worker activities had similar patterns
in metal, nonmetal, and stone, sand &gravel commodi-
ties. Coal included the previous activities, but roof bolting
was the second highest activity, which was the mine worker
activity in 14% of all coal injuries (243 injuries) coal
also included the activity of moving power cable, which
occurred in 3% of all coal injuries (54 injuries) in 2023.
The common injuries also had similar patterns for each
commodity and are shown in Table 4. For all mining, hand/
finger cuts/lacerations/punctures were the most common
injury, making up 13% of all injuries in 2023, followed
by back sprains/strains (8%), hand/finger fractures (7%),
leg sprains/strains (6%), and shoulder sprains/strains (6%).
What is the Cost of Occupational Injury?
The direct costs in Safety Pays in Mining v2.0 are presented
in percentiles. Table 5a shows the common injuries for all
mining in 2022 and their medical-only claim direct cost
percentiles. There are similar injuries in Table 5a since we
included the injured body region, body region with nature
of injury, and a combination of body part, nature of injury,
and cause of injury. This gives a better picture of how costs
can vary not only by body part and nature, but also how
including cause can influence costs. Using lower back strain
Table 4. The most common injuries in 2022 for all mining
commodities
Common Injuries
Percentage of
All Injuries Count
Hand/finger (cut, laceration,
puncture)
13% 633
Back (sprains, strains) 8% 405
Hand/finger (fracture, chip) 7% 359
Leg (sprains, strains) 6% 308
Shoulder (sprains, strains) 6% 303
Ankle (sprains, strains) 4% 183
Face (dust in eyes/scratches) 3% 150
Face (cut, puncture, laceration) 3% 133
Table 5a. Percentiles of direct costs for the most common medical-only mining injuries in 2022.
Common Injuries 25th
50th
Median Mean 75th 90th 95th
Finger laceration by cut, puncture, or scrape $362 $695 $1,210 $1,072 $2,261 $3,474
Finger laceration by hand tool (not powered) $366 $758 $896 $1,063 $1,716 $2,402
Finger laceration by object being lifted or handled $348 $605 $1,027 $1,061 $1,515 $2,874
Finger laceration when caught in, under, or between machinery $638 $1,052 $1,446 $1,829 $2,727 $3,994
Finger laceration when caught in, under, or between object
being handled
$442 $853 $1,216 $1,258 $1,859 $3,485
Finger laceration when caught in, under, or between other $392 $900 $1,190 $1,602 $2,458 $2,943
Lower back strain $304 $749 $1,221 $1,447 $2,606 $4,069
Lower back strain by fall, slip, or trip $363 $763 $1,741 $1,542 $4,056 $7,845
Lower back strain by lifting $310 $669 $1,680 $1,638 $3,539 $6,059
Lower back strain by pushing or pulling $250 $549 $1,147 $1,302 $2,714 $4,029
Lower back strain by twisting $314 $615 $1,331 $1,689 $3,410 $4,359
Lower back strain by using tool or machinery $291 $650 $1,499 $1,448 $3,491 $6,325
Finger fracture when caught in, under, or between object
being handled
$602 $1,129 $2,110 $1,822 $4,454 $9,398
Finger fracture when caught in, under, or between other $564 $925 $1,827 $1,764 $4,469 $6,568
Lower Leg $324 $722 $1,413 $1,464 $2,758 $4,311
Upper Leg $301 $600 $1,367 $1,203 $2,254 $2,756
Shoulder strain $393 $949 $1,791 $2,331 $3,678 $6,031
Shoulder strain by lifting $350 $723 $2,279 $1,757 $4,480 $5,834
Shoulder strain by pushing or pulling $358 $702 $1,363 $1,776 $3,610 $4,727
Ankle $353 $599 $1,228 $1,206 $2,243 $3,500
Eyes $183 $353 $665 $664 $1,208 $1,753
Facial Bones $480 $1,220 $2,434 $3,281 $4,784 $6,683
These common mine worker activities had similar patterns
in metal, nonmetal, and stone, sand &gravel commodi-
ties. Coal included the previous activities, but roof bolting
was the second highest activity, which was the mine worker
activity in 14% of all coal injuries (243 injuries) coal
also included the activity of moving power cable, which
occurred in 3% of all coal injuries (54 injuries) in 2023.
The common injuries also had similar patterns for each
commodity and are shown in Table 4. For all mining, hand/
finger cuts/lacerations/punctures were the most common
injury, making up 13% of all injuries in 2023, followed
by back sprains/strains (8%), hand/finger fractures (7%),
leg sprains/strains (6%), and shoulder sprains/strains (6%).
What is the Cost of Occupational Injury?
The direct costs in Safety Pays in Mining v2.0 are presented
in percentiles. Table 5a shows the common injuries for all
mining in 2022 and their medical-only claim direct cost
percentiles. There are similar injuries in Table 5a since we
included the injured body region, body region with nature
of injury, and a combination of body part, nature of injury,
and cause of injury. This gives a better picture of how costs
can vary not only by body part and nature, but also how
including cause can influence costs. Using lower back strain
Table 4. The most common injuries in 2022 for all mining
commodities
Common Injuries
Percentage of
All Injuries Count
Hand/finger (cut, laceration,
puncture)
13% 633
Back (sprains, strains) 8% 405
Hand/finger (fracture, chip) 7% 359
Leg (sprains, strains) 6% 308
Shoulder (sprains, strains) 6% 303
Ankle (sprains, strains) 4% 183
Face (dust in eyes/scratches) 3% 150
Face (cut, puncture, laceration) 3% 133
Table 5a. Percentiles of direct costs for the most common medical-only mining injuries in 2022.
Common Injuries 25th
50th
Median Mean 75th 90th 95th
Finger laceration by cut, puncture, or scrape $362 $695 $1,210 $1,072 $2,261 $3,474
Finger laceration by hand tool (not powered) $366 $758 $896 $1,063 $1,716 $2,402
Finger laceration by object being lifted or handled $348 $605 $1,027 $1,061 $1,515 $2,874
Finger laceration when caught in, under, or between machinery $638 $1,052 $1,446 $1,829 $2,727 $3,994
Finger laceration when caught in, under, or between object
being handled
$442 $853 $1,216 $1,258 $1,859 $3,485
Finger laceration when caught in, under, or between other $392 $900 $1,190 $1,602 $2,458 $2,943
Lower back strain $304 $749 $1,221 $1,447 $2,606 $4,069
Lower back strain by fall, slip, or trip $363 $763 $1,741 $1,542 $4,056 $7,845
Lower back strain by lifting $310 $669 $1,680 $1,638 $3,539 $6,059
Lower back strain by pushing or pulling $250 $549 $1,147 $1,302 $2,714 $4,029
Lower back strain by twisting $314 $615 $1,331 $1,689 $3,410 $4,359
Lower back strain by using tool or machinery $291 $650 $1,499 $1,448 $3,491 $6,325
Finger fracture when caught in, under, or between object
being handled
$602 $1,129 $2,110 $1,822 $4,454 $9,398
Finger fracture when caught in, under, or between other $564 $925 $1,827 $1,764 $4,469 $6,568
Lower Leg $324 $722 $1,413 $1,464 $2,758 $4,311
Upper Leg $301 $600 $1,367 $1,203 $2,254 $2,756
Shoulder strain $393 $949 $1,791 $2,331 $3,678 $6,031
Shoulder strain by lifting $350 $723 $2,279 $1,757 $4,480 $5,834
Shoulder strain by pushing or pulling $358 $702 $1,363 $1,776 $3,610 $4,727
Ankle $353 $599 $1,228 $1,206 $2,243 $3,500
Eyes $183 $353 $665 $664 $1,208 $1,753
Facial Bones $480 $1,220 $2,434 $3,281 $4,784 $6,683