Affinity Preparation Plant has $29K in proposed MSHA penalties and $274 outstanding across 7 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
11
Years on record
2010–2024
Latest incident
Dec 2024
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
140
citations
15
significant & substantial
$29,398
proposed penalties
$26,408
paid to date
90% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $2,990 gap.
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.
140 citations across 4,768 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Affinity Preparation Plant has $29K in proposed MSHA penalties and $274 outstanding across 7 contested dockets.
Penalty disposition
ⓘDifferences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$29K
proposed penalties
$27K
current assessed
$26K
paid to date
$274
outstanding
140 assessments are final orders; 7 contested dockets.
Of $10K in penalties contested before the Commission, $8K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-04-23.
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.
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.
8citations taken to the federal commission · 6% of citations on record
Settled
8 · 100%
50%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 6 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
27%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$10K proposed, $8K 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 2025-06-17.
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 mine contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
MSHA sampling at Affinity Preparation Plant shows 99% of 268 respirable coal dust samples met the 1.5 mg/m3 standard.
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: 2026-06-16
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
268
samples
1.73
dust max (mg/m3)
0
over MSHA ECV
ⓘThe excessive concentration value (ECV) is MSHA's own per-sample enforcement threshold, which builds in measurement uncertainty; a sample over its ECV can trigger a citation. The count covers only samples MSHA assigned an ECV.
145 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 123 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.
Health sampling trend
ⓘ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 by year
ⓘ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.
Affinity Preparation Plant recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 3.89 cases per 100 workers that year.
Under 100,000 employee-hours were reported that year, so a single case moves the rate by two or more. Read the figure as approximate.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2025 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2024 *
3.18
0.00
0.000
2023 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2022 *
4.03
0.00
0.000
2021 *
4.16
0.00
0.000
2020 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
2.77
0.00
0.000
2018 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
* Fewer than 100,000 employee-hours that year; the rate is less stable.
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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2026
23
2025
28
2024
22
2023
20
2022
24
2021
26
2020
24
2019
30
2018
30
2017
27
2016
26
2015
28
2014
30
2013
24
2012
21
2011
5
2010
0
2009
0
2005
0
2004
0
2003
0
2002
0
2001
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Affinity Preparation Plant sits in Raleigh County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 4.0% of county employment.
Local economic context
ⓘCounty figures come from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year pooled estimates, so the 2023 vintage covers 2019 through 2023. The Census category is 'mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction', which is broader than MSHA jurisdiction and includes oil and gas workers no mine employs. These figures describe the surrounding county, not this mine, and are not a factor in any specific incident.
Raleigh County, West Virginia · Population 73,666
4.0%
Mining share of county employment
$52,055
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.
Quarterly safety rates
ⓘCitations per million reported employee-hours. Rates begin in 2000, when MSHA's quarterly employment data starts; earlier incidents are counted but cannot be rate-adjusted. Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2026 Q2
14,212
4
0
281.5
2026 Q1
15,443
0
0
0.0
2025 Q4
15,823
4
0
252.8
2025 Q3
16,811
1
1
59.5
2025 Q2
16,278
3
0
184.3
2025 Q1
15,405
2
2
129.8
2024 Q4
14,582
1
0
68.6
2024 Q3
16,005
0
0
0.0
Show 77 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
16,616
3
1
180.5
2024 Q1
15,788
0
0
0.0
2023 Q4
13,472
2
0
148.5
2023 Q3
13,144
0
0
0.0
2023 Q2
13,451
2
0
148.7
2023 Q1
13,028
3
0
230.3
2022 Q4
11,990
6
0
500.4
2022 Q3
12,399
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
12,738
1
0
78.5
2022 Q1
12,488
0
0
0.0
2021 Q4
11,150
1
0
89.7
2021 Q3
12,518
0
0
0.0
2021 Q2
12,263
4
0
326.2
2021 Q1
12,134
0
0
0.0
2020 Q4
12,143
2
0
164.7
2020 Q3
13,267
1
0
75.4
2020 Q2
13,746
0
0
0.0
2020 Q1
17,136
6
0
350.1
2019 Q4
16,236
2
0
123.2
2019 Q3
17,642
0
0
0.0
2019 Q2
19,327
5
0
258.7
2019 Q1
19,008
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
17,151
4
0
233.2
2018 Q3
16,463
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
19,110
3
0
157.0
2018 Q1
18,884
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
16,078
3
1
186.6
2017 Q3
17,395
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
20,261
4
0
197.4
2017 Q1
20,841
7
0
335.9
2016 Q4
15,923
6
1
376.8
2016 Q3
17,987
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
17,227
3
0
174.1
2016 Q1
14,387
2
0
139.0
2015 Q4
16,752
1
0
59.7
2015 Q3
14,947
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
17,272
4
0
231.6
2015 Q1
17,291
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
16,713
2
1
119.7
2014 Q3
18,219
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
17,419
1
0
57.4
2014 Q1
11,931
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
5,978
2
0
334.6
2013 Q3
12,871
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
11,905
1
1
84.0
2013 Q1
10,765
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
10,605
1
0
94.3
2012 Q3
10,054
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
7,827
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
6,490
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
7,492
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
2,182
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
3,000
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
0
0
0
2010 Q4
0
0
0
2010 Q3
0
0
0
2010 Q2
0
0
0
2010 Q1
0
0
0
2009 Q4
0
0
0
2005 Q3
0
0
0
2005 Q2
0
0
0
2005 Q1
0
0
0
2004 Q4
0
0
0
2004 Q3
0
0
0
2004 Q2
0
0
0
2004 Q1
0
0
0
2003 Q4
0
0
0
2003 Q3
0
0
0
2003 Q2
0
0
0
2003 Q1
0
0
0
2002 Q4
0
0
0
2002 Q3
0
0
0
2002 Q2
0
0
0
2002 Q1
0
0
0
2001 Q3
0
0
0
2001 Q2
0
1
0
2001 Q1
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
11 on file
2024 · 1 incident
December 10, 2024WV · Coalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverDUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
The Employee was attempting to change a spring on the De-Slime Screen when the slate bar the employee was using slipped and struck employee in the nose.
2019 · 1 incident
April 6, 2019WV · Coalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was cleaning loose coal from the wear plate in the feeder when the sharp edge of the wear plate cut EE's left index finger. The employee was taken to the hospital where EE received 5 sutures.
Driver observed an overheating condition in the cab of the truck, shut the truck off, and opened the hood from the side and not from the front of the vehicle. The OEM radiator plastic surge tank ruptured spilling hot antifreeze on the driver's left hand and lower arm inside.
March 10, 2016WV · Coalprep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was climbing the steps on an endloader when the bottom step broke causing the employee to slide down the ladder landing on EE's feet jarring EE's back. Note: Employee came back to work and worked until 3-17-16 at which EE was placed off of work due to a medical evaluation.
2015 · 2 incidents
June 4, 2015WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee (mechanic) was repairing floor jack and while trying to dislodge a small chisel (approximately 6" length) he was struck in the mouth with the chisel. Received 7 stitches to his lip.
April 30, 2015WV · Coalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was pulling a water hose and felt a pain in his belly button area. Doctor placed employee on restrictive duty on 06/21/13 and is on restrictive duty until his surgery is scheduled.
2010 · 1 incident
October 27, 2010WV · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Concrete form was lowered onto the injured party's lower back, resulting in a compression fracture of a vertebrae. The injury was not immediately known. The injured later saw a doctor.
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Other mines operated by Pocahontas Coal Company, LLC