77% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $981,093 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
1,451
inspections on record
60,065
inspection hours
10.2
citations per 100 inspection hours
ⓘThis rate is recorded citations divided by MSHA inspection hours, per 100 hours. It reflects inspection effort, not mine size or production.
6,108 citations across 60,065 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘA Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
4
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2011-11-18.
On record since 2011.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Penalty disposition
ⓘDifferences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$4.3M
proposed penalties
$3.3M
current assessed
$3.3M
paid to date
$10
outstanding
6,012 assessments are final orders; 205 contested dockets.
Of $2.9M in penalties contested before the Commission, $1.9M was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2012-01-13.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.
Violation severity profile
ⓘShares are computed over citations that carry the MSHA gravity and negligence coding; a small share of records are uncoded.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
Injury rate, 2011
ⓘThis rate is reportable injury cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers per year, computed as 200,000 times cases divided by MSHA operator-reported employee-hours. Cases are injuries MSHA graded degree 01 through 07; accident-only events that hurt no one are excluded, and so are contractor injuries, whose hours do not attach to a single mine. Rates begin in 2000, when quarterly employment reporting starts, and are withheld below 20,000 hours in a year.
9.63
total case rate
3.77
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.83 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2011
9.63
3.77
0.000
2010
9.27
2.32
0.000
2009
8.26
1.77
0.000
2008
1.70
0.00
0.000
2007
5.72
1.04
0.000
2006
2.51
1.00
0.000
2005
2.33
0.58
0.000
2004
2.07
0.00
0.000
Source: injury cases from MSHA accident and injury records; employee-hours from MSHA quarterly employment reports. Rate is cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers, operator employees only.
Health sampling
ⓘA sample is a point in time compliance measurement, not an individual exposure history. These figures describe MSHA sampling records and do not establish causation or personal dose.
Respirable coal dust
ⓘRespirable coal dust and silica figures cover coal facilities. Dust compliance is measured against the current 1.5 mg/m3 standard; samples predating the 2014 standard are included, so compliance rates are a coarse historical signal.
Last sampled: 2012-01-16, 14 years ago
93%
within 1.5 mg/m3
4,558
samples
8.16
dust max (mg/m3)
1,868 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 2,690 by the operator.
Noise
ⓘThe share counts noise samples whose measured dose exceeded the 90 dBA permissible exposure limit. It describes the sampled workplace, not what reached the miner's ear: hearing conservation programs and the hearing protection worn during the shift are recorded separately and are not reflected here.
When citations were contested
ⓘContesting a citation before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission is a lawful right. These figures state the public outcomes of that process, from MSHA's Contested Violations file.
907citations taken to the federal commission · 15% of citations on record
Settled
756 · 83%
Stood as issued
151 · 17%
93%
S&S designation survived the contest
ⓘCounts a Significant & Substantial citation as surviving when a settlement or judge's decision kept the designation, or the contest was dismissed or defaulted so the citation stands as issued. Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.
of 797 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
34%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$2.9M proposed, $1.9M after decisions · industry: 39%
Source: MSHA Contested Violations file (public record), updated weekly. A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record. Latest contest filed 2013-02-01. Vacated and withdrawn citations are removed from the file this view attributes through, so that outcome is slightly undercounted here.
Contested penalties
ⓘA reduction or dismissal at the Commission is a lawful outcome of contesting a proposed penalty. Figures are the proposed amount and the amount upheld in the docket's decision.
Largest penalties this controller contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
AN EMULSION JACK WAS BEING USED TO FREE LONGWALL SHIELD NO 125,WHICH WAS WEDGED BETWEEN THE GOB PLATE AND SHIELD NO 124.THE PLATE WAS ANGLED;LEANING TOWARD THE JACK.AS THE JACK WAS PRESSURIZED THE PLATE ANGLE DECREASED ENOUGH TO FREE THE JACK HEAD;RELEASINNG THE POTENTIAL ENERGY STORED IN THE FLEXING OF THE PLATE.THIS CAUSED THE JACK TO COME UP STRIKING EMPLOYEE.
November 18, 1992VA · Coalcontinuous miner operator, coal mole operatorFatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
DURING THE NORMAL MINING CYCLE A ROOF FALL OCCURRED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING IN SLIP FORM STARTING APPROXIMATELY 39 TO 40 FT INBY SPAD NO 48 IN THE NO 1 ENTRY WHICH RESULTED IN FATAL INJUR IES TO THE MINER OPERATOR.THE FALL MEASURED APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 10 FEET IN WIDTH AND 0 TO 6 FT IN THICKNESS.THE MINER OPERATOR WAS LOCATED IN THE OPERATOR'S COMPARTMENT UNDER PERMANENTLY SUPPO
May 15, 1991VA · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techFatality · EXPLOSIVES AND BREAKING AGENTS
THE VICTIM AND CO WORKER EE HAD BEEN SENT TO THE POWDER MAGAZINE TO DESTROY DETERIRATING BLASTING POWDER THAT HAD BEEN DISCOVERED EARLIER THAT DAY. FOR SOME REASON, UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME, A PRE MATURE DETONATION OF EXPLISVES OCCURRED RESULTING IN FATAL INJURIES TO EE AND CRITICAL INJURIES TO OTHER. BLASTING POWDER TO BE DESTROYED WAS IRECO CHEMICAL CO IRECOAL D-378 PERMISSIBLE ROCK
TRUCK OPERATED BY I.NAME TRAVELING DOWN HAULAGE ROAD,DRIVER LEFT TRUCK WHILE COMING DOWN HILL,SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES.TRUCK CONTINUED ON INTO DITCH AND STOPPED.
August 31, 1989VA · Coalroof bolter helper, rock bolter helper, pinner helperFatality · POWERED HAULAGE
THE VICTIM AND TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE STAYING BACK FOR TWO HOURS AFTER THE END OF THEIR REGULAR SHIFT TO LAY TRACK. THE FLAT CAR THEY WERE TO USED HAD ONE RAIL ON IT. AT THIS POINT, THE MEN COULD NOT GET THE CAR COUPLED TO THE LOCOMOTIVE SO TWO OF THE EMPLOYEES HOOKED TO IT TO PULL IT TO WHERE IT COULD BE. AS THE CAR WAS BEING PULLED, THE VICTIM CAME FROM APPROX. 20' INBY THE CAR
May 15, 1989KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)Fatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
I NAME WAS REMOVING A PIECE OF DRAW ROCK THAT WAS CAUGHT ON A STRAP (32"X 27"X 6" THICK) WE HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT HE FELL ADN THE ROCK FELL ON HIM THE ROCK STRUCK HIM ON THE RIGHT S IDE OF THE FACE AND HEAD ALSO ON THE CHEST AREA
April 3, 1989VA · Coalcontinuous miner helper, coal mole helper, bridgemanFatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
A ROOF FALL IN SLIP FROM OCCURRED IN THE INTERSECTION OF THE LAST OPEN CROSSCUT OF THE NO. 7 HEADING WHICH RESULTED IN FATAL INJURIES TO THE MINER HELPER THE FALL MEASURED APPROX 20'W 40'L 40- 45" IN THICKNESS AND BROKE INTO MANY SMALLER PIECES AND APPARENTLY WITHOUT WARNING THE FALL BEGAN AT THE RIB RIB OF THE NO. 7 HEADING AND FELL INTO THE NO. 6 RIGHT BREAK EMPL WAS PRONOUNCED D
EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING A 769 CATERPILLAR ROCK TRUCK HAULING REFUSE TO THE SLURRY POND WHEN HE BACKED UP TO DUMP HIS LOAD THE TRUCK WENT OVER THE EMBANKMENT FLIPPED OVER UPSIDE DOWN OUT IN THE SL URRY POND THE CAB SANK IN THE SLURRY TRAPPING THE DRIVER
June 8, 1987KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)Fatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
VICTIM WAS AREPAIRING A VENTILATION CHECK CURTAIN IN THE 2ND LINE OF OPEN BREAKS BETWEEN THE (3NOS. 5 & 6 HEADINGS ON THE NO. 6 HDG. SIDE. THE SHUTTLE CAR CAME THROUGH THE CURTAIN FROM THE NO . 5 HDG. SIDE, STRUCK AND RAN UPON THE VICTIM FATALLY INJURING HIM. THE VICTIM APPARENTLY THOUGHT THE SHUTTLE CAR WOULD TRAVEL UP THE NO. 5 SENTRY WHERE THE CONTINUOUS MINER WAS.
For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants
Where Sunoco, Inc. stands on silica, penalties, and injury rate
MSHA's standard limits respirable silica to 50 micrograms per cubic metre, but MSHA publishes
dust and quartz as separate files and never the silica figure itself. We derive it per sample,
score it against the limit, and set the operator's injury rate against a benchmark built from
the full MSHA operator record. With the 26-year penalty trail, contest posture, and fatality
history. Delivered as a PDF with the underlying data as CSV.