Mining Incidents
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Rio Tinto Kennecott CopperOperator

Controlled by Rio Tinto Group
MSHA Operator ID: L11154
Fatalities
2
Total incidents
572
Mines on record
4
Years on record
2000–2026

Safety benchmark

Recorded fatalities relative to other operators with a fatal MSHA history. Percentile is computed across the 739 operators with at least one recorded fatality.

Fatality-count percentile
73th

More recorded fatalities than 73% of operators on file.

Rank
#146of 739

Position when operators are sorted by recorded fatalities.

Vs industry mean
1.2×

Industry mean: 1.6 fatalities per fatal-history operator.

This operator
2
Industry mean
1.6
Industry median
1
Peers at similar incident volume

Methodology: percentile and rank computed across MSHA operators with at least one recorded fatality. Industry mean is the average across that same population. Peers are sampled by closest total-incident count, regardless of fatality outcome.

For counsel + compliance teams

Get an email the moment a new MSHA-reportable accident lands at any mine on file under Rio Tinto Kennecott Copper. Useful for 105(c) defense intake, FMSHRC docket prep, and active client monitoring.

Top causes

  • MACHINERY1 fatality · 77 non-fatal
  • FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS1 fatality · 1 non-fatal
  • HANDLING OF MATERIALS172 non-fatal
  • SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON112 non-fatal
  • POWERED HAULAGE67 non-fatal
  • HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)65 non-fatal

Incident timeline

2026
8 (1f)
2025
44
2024
29
2023
13
2022
9
2021
16
2020
17
2019
22
2018
14
2017
16
2016
23
2015
16
2014
17
2013
19
2012
12
2011
22
2010
7
2009
17
2008
16 (1f)
2007
34
2006
23
2005
19
2004
15
2003
21
2002
35
2001
40
2000
48

Mines on record

Fatalities under this operator

2 recorded
Kennecott Utah Copper LLC
Struck by powered moving object

At approximately 05.12am on the 12th March 2026, a mechanic was struck by a drill boom in a surface workshop, causing fatal injuries.

Rio Tinto Kennecott Copper
Struck by falling object

All we know is a call came 10/29/08 about 8:00 a.m. that we had a fatal accident at Kennecott; our driver was killed by a pipe falling off the top of load on trailer. All Bob Orton Trucking does is haul the load (this load from WL Plastics Corp, Cedar City, Utah). We do not load or unload product.