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.
367 citations across 1,732 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.
2
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2011-02-07.
On record since 2010.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Apache Mine has $1.3M in proposed MSHA penalties and $1.3M outstanding across 10 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.
$1.3M
proposed penalties
$1.3M
current assessed
$3K
paid to date
$1.3M
outstanding
350 assessments are final orders; 10 contested dockets.
Of $1.1M in penalties contested before the Commission, $1.1M was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2011-03-03.
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.
102citations taken to the federal commission · 28% of citations on record
Settled
60 · 59%
Stood as issued
42 · 41%
100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 61 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$1.1M proposed, $1.1M 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2010-04-15.
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 Apache Mine shows 88% of 177 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: 2011-01-24, 15 years ago
88%
within 1.5 mg/m3
177
samples
9.23
dust max (mg/m3)
83 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 94 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.
Apache Mine recorded 30.44 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2010.
Injury rate, 2010
ⓘ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.
30.44
total case rate
30.44
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.96 and the all-US-mining average was 3.20 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.50 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.
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
ⓘCoal production is reported quarterly and lags the current period; the most recent quarters may be incomplete.
Year
Employees
Coal produced (tons)
2011
1
2010
23
96,293
2009
17
60,037
2008
10
54,959
2007
18
39,921
2006
28
61,715
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Apache Mine sits in McDowell County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 13.0% 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.
McDowell County, West Virginia · Population 18,413
13.0%
Mining share of county employment
$29,980
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
2011 Q1
10
35
16
3500000.0
2010 Q4
10
25
10
2500000.0
2010 Q3
19,003
15
3
789.3
2010 Q2
13,389
15
6
1120.3
2010 Q1
13,597
25
6
1838.6
2009 Q4
8,906
71
49
7972.2
2009 Q3
7,535
36
24
4777.7
2009 Q1
10
67
18
6700000.0
Show 7 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2008 Q3
3,816
3
2
786.2
2008 Q2
4,584
10
0
2181.5
2008 Q1
4,375
3
1
685.7
2007 Q4
3,266
1
0
306.2
2007 Q1
13,794
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
13,718
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
11,310
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
13 on file
2011 · 2 incidents
March 2, 2011WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
Repairing leveling chain on opposite side roof bolter. Mechanic went to stand up and fell forward, struck hand onto boom arm to hold himself up from falling into arm of bolter and his fingers(middle & ring) got caught between 2 boom arms cutting the 2 fingers off at 2nd knuckle.
Man was watching bolt man pin up spot bolt, when a piece of rock fell striking machine. Man had his hand on side of machine where rock landed, rock was 2'X1'X8" thick. Rock landed on his left hand catching and cutting his ring finger.
June 30, 2010WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Injured says he came thru man door on belt line and a piece of rock fell from the top hitting his leg and scraping skin. Victim says he just wanted to report it and then later says he went to the doctor.
Rider seam rolled up and bolts failed to 6 anchored in above rider. Bolts broke around edge and intersections fell. Occurred in worked out abandoned area.
January 27, 2010WV · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
Scoop oper. plaster stopping-height 8' elevated bucket plastering top part of stopping, stepped down and got between bucket and stopping. Had back towards scoop bucket, leaked down onto back of scoop operator, scoop operator said he he was ok. Operator checked and brakes worked.