Mining Incidents

Baumgardner Operation: 42 MSHA citations Coal

Controlled by Larry D Baumgardner
Lanse, Clearfield County, PA  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 3607561

Baumgardner Operation has $18K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

Watch this mine

Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Baumgardner Operation.

Fatalities
0
Total incidents
5
Years on record
1992–2014
Latest incident
Jun 2014
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
42
citations
24
significant & substantial
$17,723
proposed penalties
$10,136
paid to date
57% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $7,587 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
57
inspections on record
1,291
inspection hours
3.3
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.
42 citations across 1,291 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Baumgardner Operation has $18K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 3 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.
$18K
proposed penalties
$10K
current assessed
$10K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
41 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $14K in penalties contested before the Commission, $6K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-02-09.
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.
58.5%
significant & substantial
2.4%
high negligence or reckless
58.5%
reasonably likely or greater
19.5%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 26.8% low, 70.7% moderate, 2.4% high, 0.0% reckless.
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.
3 citations taken to the federal commission · 7% of citations on record
  • Settled 3 · 100%
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 3 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
55%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$14K proposed, $6K 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 2010-12-07.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
PENN 2008-641 Settlement Bulluck 2009 $8K → $5K
PENN 2008-577 Settlement Lesnick 2009 $4K → $541
PENN 2010-355 Settlement Lewis 2011 $2K → $163
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Baumgardner Operation shows 100% of 116 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: 2015-08-20, 11 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
116
samples
0.84
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.
98 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 18 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR41
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE35
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER34

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2009-10-16, 16 years ago
16.9
silica avg (%)
2
samples
28.8
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR1
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE1

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.

Last sampled: 2015-06-25, 11 years ago
0%
over PEL
52
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER21
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR16
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE14
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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.
Year within 1.5 mg/m3 samples
2015 100% 13
2014 100% 13
2013 100% 6
2012 100% 6
2011 100% 8
2010 100% 7
2009 100% 2
2008 100% 9
2007 100% 9
2005 100% 11
2004 100% 6
2003 100% 3
2002 100% 10
2001 100% 3
2000 100% 10
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2009 28.8 1
2005 5.1 1
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2015 0% 3
2014 0% 3
2012 0% 7
2011 0% 1
2010 0% 3
2009 0% 1
2008 0% 6
2007 0% 3
2005 0% 8
2004 0% 6
2003 0% 3
2002 0% 3
2001 0% 3
2000 0% 2
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Baumgardner Operation recorded 8.38 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2008.

Injury rate, 2008
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.
8.38
total case rate
8.38
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 4.41 and the all-US-mining average was 3.61 cases per 100 workers.
In Pennsylvania, coal mining averaged 5.40 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
2008 * 8.38 8.38 0.000
2007 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2005 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2004 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2003 * 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.
Ownership history
  1. Larry D Baumgardner Coal Company Inc 1984 to present
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)
2016 2 852
2015 4 24,139
2014 6 66,209
2013 6 56,062
2012 6 30,082
2011 7 41,026
2010 5 61,914
2009 5 15,168
2008 10 86,362
2007 10 86,799
2006 8 31,415
2005 12 114,691
2004 9 101,803
2003 8 74,702
2002 9 67,470
2001 8 100,083
2000 7 50,934
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Baumgardner Operation sits in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 1.3% 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.
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania · Population 78,902
1.3%
Mining share of county employment
$60,181
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
2016 Q2 1,280 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 1,264 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 1,333 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 2,044 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 3,510 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 3,061 1 0 326.7
2014 Q4 3,806 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 3,579 2 1 558.8
Show 58 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2014 Q2 4,053 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 3,821 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 3,815 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 3,540 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 3,763 1 0 265.7
2013 Q1 3,683 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 3,333 1 1 300.0
2012 Q3 3,363 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 2,472 1 0 404.5
2012 Q1 2,806 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 4,365 3 0 687.3
2011 Q3 4,427 1 0 225.9
2011 Q2 4,335 1 1 230.7
2011 Q1 3,685 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 3,121 2 0 640.8
2010 Q3 2,917 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 4,191 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 1,338 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 1,148 1 1 871.1
2009 Q3 1,325 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 1,431 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 6,767 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 6,152 1 1 162.5
2008 Q3 6,125 1 0 163.3
2008 Q2 5,960 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 5,636 2 1 354.9
2007 Q4 6,236 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 6,203 1 1 161.2
2007 Q2 6,729 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 5,179 1 1 193.1
2006 Q4 4,309 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 3,518 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 3,568 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 3,887 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 5,390 2 1 371.1
2005 Q3 6,608 1 1 151.3
2005 Q2 9,640 1 1 103.7
2005 Q1 8,405 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 7,355 1 0 136.0
2004 Q3 6,462 3 2 464.3
2004 Q2 6,244 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 5,826 2 2 343.3
2003 Q4 5,632 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 4,828 2 1 414.3
2003 Q2 4,917 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 5,501 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 5,454 1 1 183.4
2002 Q3 3,884 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 3,308 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 5,582 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 5,442 2 2 367.5
2001 Q3 4,185 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 5,097 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 5,020 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 4,627 1 1 216.1
2000 Q3 4,380 1 0 228.3
2000 Q2 2,810 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 2,193 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

5 on file

2014 · 1 incident

June 4, 2014 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
Larry D Baumgardner Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Holding grease gun bent over to grease 988B loader and felt back pain.

2008 · 1 incident

January 26, 2008 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Larry D Baumgardner Coal Company Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE climbed down from dozer and he forgot his cell phone, as he stepped on push beam to climb back up, his foot slipped and his leg went between push beam and track frame and he twisted his right knee.

2001 · 2 incidents

September 8, 2001 PA · Coal mine manager, mine foreman, mine owner HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Larry D Baumgardner Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

CO-WORKER WAS SWINGING A 20 LB SLEDGE HAMMER WHEN THE SLEDGE CAME OFF THE HANDLE AND BOUNCED OFF THE TIRE THEN FELL TO THE GROUND STRIKING INJURED ON THE LEFT FOOT, BREAKING THE BIG TOE.

1992 · 1 incident

April 21, 1992 PA · Coal crane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, rigger HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Larry D Baumgardner Coal Company Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS HOLDING 5 LB HAMMER ON A PIN WHILE ANOTHER EE WAS SLEDGEING OUT THE PIN HAMNMER HEAD WAS ROUNDED AND DID NOT MAKE FIRM CONTACT ON PIN HAMMER BOUNCED BACK AND HIT EE ON THE CHEEK AND ABO VE THE EYE.