Mining has long been recognized as a hazardous occupation, and historically, it has been dominated by men. However, there is limited understanding of the specific injuries experienced by women mine workers. Previous studies have either excluded women from the analysis or aggregated the data without considering sex. Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness reports published by MSHA were analyzed from 1979–2023. Fatal and non-fatal injuries among women were analyzed by age at the time of injury, mining commodity, work activity performed at the time of the injury, job description, and part of body affected. Of the 17,848 injuries among women miners, 37.5% in coal miners and 62.5% occurred in metal/nonmetal (MNM). The majority of injuries occurred among miners aged 19–34 years (coal: 38.4%; MNM: 42.0%), with coal miners having the most injuries with 1–5 years of total tenure (32.8%) and MNM miners with less than one year of total tenure (39.8%). For both sectors, the highest number of injuries occurred among general laborers (coal: 43.8%; MNM: 27.2%) and during material handling (coal: 26.5%; MNM: 30.2%). Back (coal: 21.9%; MNM: 18.9%) and hands (coal: 14.5%; MNM: 15.3%) were the most commonly affected body parts. This study points to the importance of safety measures and research to address acute injuries women miners face, particularly younger and less experienced workers. © This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply 2025.

The mining industry plays a critical role in the U.S. economy, with active mines in every state producing materials such as those used to construct houses and roads, make medicines, and manufacture cars and electronics. Throughout its history, mining has been a male-dominated industry. Recent estimates indicate that between 10% and 17% of miners are women. Previous occupational safety and health (OSH) research has focused primarily on the male experience. In more recent years, the mining industry has engaged in efforts to increase workforce diversity through the recruitment and retention of women miners. To meet the needs of a diverse workforce, it is critically important to identify OSH concerns that are unique to populations that have been understudied and to develop work-related policies and practices that improve their work experiences and health outcomes. The purpose of this article is to describe the specific OSH challenges women as miners face and to discuss how the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) Mining Program is situated to address these challenges through its Mining Program Strategic Plan.