Why It Matters
A fatal electrocution at Montana’s Stillwater Mine has prompted federal enforcement action and new safety protocols after investigators found critical labeling failures and inadequate training contributed to a maintenance worker’s death. The incident highlights ongoing safety challenges at the underground palladium operation, which has recorded four worker fatalities in five years.
What Happened
Brian Hanson, 50, died on July 26, 2025, after receiving a 7,600-volt electrical shock while performing maintenance on a transformer at the underground mine near Columbus, Montana. According to a final fatality report from the Mine Safety and Health Administration, Hanson locked out the wrong electrical switch because it was not properly labeled to show which equipment it controlled.
Hanson’s supervisor had instructed him to use a manual switch to cut power to the transformer instead of following usual protocol, but never specified which switch to use. Hanson placed his safety lock on a switch controlling a different transformer, then climbed into the energized equipment to clean it.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration issued three enforcement actions against the mine following its investigation. Heather McDowell, vice president of legal and external affairs for Stillwater Mining Company, did not respond to requests for comment.
By the Numbers
The electrical current that killed Hanson measured 7,600 volts, comparable to power lines supplying residential neighborhoods. Hanson had worked at the mine for five and a half years and brought approximately 23 years of additional experience as an electrician in the oil and gas industry. The Stillwater Mine has recorded four worker deaths in five years, according to federal data.
What Went Wrong
Federal investigators identified three causes of the fatal accident: failure to ensure power was disconnected during maintenance, failure to label principal power switches to indicate which units they controlled, and failure to train workers on the new procedure for shutting off power.
The report states the switch Hanson used was not labeled to show which equipment it controlled, and its location did not make this readily apparent. Witnesses told investigators Hanson said he was going to perform a lockout, a standard safety practice where workers secure padlocks to equipment after cutting power to signal it is de-energized.
Safety Record
The Stillwater Mine has experienced multiple fatal accidents in recent years. In 2021, two supervisors died when an underground train struck their utility vehicle. In 2023, another worker died after becoming entangled in rotating drill steel during a steel-changing operation.
The mine is owned by Sibanye-Stillwater, a company headquartered in South Africa.
What’s Next
Following Hanson’s death, the mining company implemented several corrective measures, according to the federal report. These include new policies for securing equipment during maintenance work, updated safety training programs, and a labeling system to clearly identify power systems and the equipment they control.