Mining Incidents

Highland No 5 Coal

Freeland, Luzerne County, PA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 3606862

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
8
Years on record
2005–2019
Latest incident
Jul 2019
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2006
70
citations
24
significant & substantial
$9,482
proposed penalties
$9,068
paid to date
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Quarterly safety rates
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2025 Q4 14,820 1 0 67.5
2025 Q3 16,588 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 13,585 1 0 73.6
2025 Q1 14,300 2 1 139.9
2024 Q4 15,600 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 16,016 1 1 62.4
2024 Q2 13,650 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 18,252 0 0 0.0
Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

8 on file

2019 · 1 incident

July 21, 2019 PA · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Northampton Fuel Supply Company Inc · Struck against a moving object

PRODUCT STUCK IN TRAILER CAUSED UNIT TO ROLL ONTO RIGHT SIDE. DRIVER WAS THROWN ONTO RIGHT SIDE OF CAB CAUSING NECK, BACK AND RIB INJURY.

2018 · 1 incident

January 3, 2018 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON

At approx. 6:25 am the manager was informed of an accident involving an EE operating a front end loader. A truck driver reported over the CB radio that the operator was on the ground bleeding from a head injury. Evidence suggests the EE was cleaning a mirror outside the cab and fell off the platform just under 6 feet.

2014 · 2 incidents

February 12, 2014 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Northampton Fuel Supply Company Inc · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Fall on packed snow/ice while doing a 360 inspection after fueling mobile equipment. Injury to left hip/hand initially self-treated. Taken to clinic 2/13/14, x-rays negative, no prescription. Follow-up visit on 3/13/14 employee given script for muscle relaxant for back causing recordable accident.

February 10, 2014 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Northampton Fuel Supply Company Inc · Fall onto or against objects

Employee attempted to move a section of suction hose for a diesel pump when he slid on some loose stone and fell. His right side struck some frozen material. Called NurseLine and they recommended medical examination at our local clinic. Fall/contact resulted in injury to right side ribs (2 fractured). Doctor prescribed pain medication and gave restricted duty instructions.

2013 · 2 incidents

October 10, 2013 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON

Changing primary fuel filter on CAT 980F. Employee descended ladder and lost grip/fell. Employee landed on left hip/buttock. NurseLine called and advised self-care with ice/ibuprofen for pain/swelling. Case handled as first aid until employee requested follow-up care 10/14/2013. X-ray and CatScan were negative, but doctor put employee off work 7 days.

May 8, 2013 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech STEPPING OR KNEELING ON OBJECT
Northampton Fuel Supply Company Inc · Struck against stationary object

Employee was replacing a broken screen on Screen Plant 4. As he dismounted ladder on west side of screen plant he turned his left ankle on a rock. It was raining, which may have been a contributing factor. Employee stated he was not looking at the ground where he was coming down the ladder, so he did not notice where his foot was landing as he stepped off the ladder.

2010 · 1 incident

March 23, 2010 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
U.S. Operating Services Company, LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Incident occurred at night with light rain condition. Employee's foot slipped while climbing wheeled loader ladder. Employee strained right shoulder when he started to fall. Employee worked with some pain from 3/23/10 until 4/12/10. On 4/12/10 he was seen by medical service, diagnosis rotator cuff strain. on light duty 4/12/10.

2005 · 1 incident

November 19, 2005 PA · Coal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
U.S. Operating Services Company, LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The employee reported that he had been working on a silt pan. He exited the pan by climbing over the side. Upon exiting he felt a strain in his back. On 11/21/05 employee visited a physician who believed he had a pinched cyatic nerve. It wasn't reported until 11/21/05