Arlington, VA – Mining death and injury rates hit a historic low in 2011, according to the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

The fatal injury rate fell to 0.0114 per 200,000 hours worked in 2011 from 0.0234 in 2010. The injury rate last year was 2.73 per 200,000 hours worked, down from 2.81 the year before, an MSHA press release stated. Both rates were record lows, MSHA said.

The agency also released data showing 11 deaths occurred in the third quarter of 2012 – six in coal mining and five in metal/nonmetal mining. Causes included machinery and powered haulage incidents, falls, and falling material.