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.
234 citations across 2,559 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Bee Tree Mine has $23K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K outstanding across 12 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.
$23K
proposed penalties
$21K
current assessed
$19K
paid to date
$2K
outstanding
231 assessments are final orders; 12 contested dockets.
Of $8K in penalties contested before the Commission, $6K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2003-10-14.
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.
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 Bee Tree Mine shows 93% of 417 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: 2003-10-07, 22 years ago
93%
within 1.5 mg/m3
417
samples
8.96
dust max (mg/m3)
181 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 236 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.
Bee Tree Mine recorded 3.70 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2003.
Injury rate, 2003
ⓘ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.
3.70
total case rate
3.70
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 5.87 and the all-US-mining average was 4.43 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 5.11 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
2003 *
3.70
3.70
0.000
2002 *
3.29
3.29
0.000
2001 *
19.08
9.54
0.000
2000
14.68
13.21
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
ⓘCoal production is reported quarterly and lags the current period; the most recent quarters may be incomplete.
Year
Employees
Coal produced (tons)
2004
0
2003
29
150,638
2002
28
160,598
2001
31
152,592
2000
61
282,005
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Bee Tree Mine sits in Buchanan County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 11.2% 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.
Buchanan County, Virginia · Population 19,857
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$42,216
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
2004 Q1
0
0
0
2003 Q4
8,920
2
0
224.2
2003 Q3
13,598
14
2
1029.6
2003 Q2
17,439
8
4
458.7
2003 Q1
14,103
11
3
780.0
2002 Q4
16,608
18
7
1083.8
2002 Q3
13,382
7
2
523.1
2002 Q2
16,638
9
1
540.9
Show 9 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2002 Q1
14,163
15
5
1059.1
2001 Q4
15,794
6
1
379.9
2001 Q3
13,347
24
8
1798.2
2001 Q2
18,129
9
5
496.4
2001 Q1
15,622
19
11
1216.2
2000 Q4
30,804
13
4
422.0
2000 Q3
31,651
18
13
568.7
2000 Q2
38,225
22
6
575.5
2000 Q1
35,583
33
9
927.4
Fatalities at this mine
1 recorded
June 4, 1998VA · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderFatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
EMPLOYEE KNOCKED A TIMBER WHILE RIDING A 3 WHEELER CAUSING THE ROCK TO FALL. SERIOUS INJURY. THE EMPLOYEE HE DIED 6-5-98 12:40 PM. 7.5' WIDE X 9.6' LONG X 7-9" THICK.
Reportable incidents
31 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2003 · 1 incident
January 29, 2003VA · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
SNOW & ICE ON GROUND - EE DIDN'T THINK HE HURT HIMSELF AT THE TIME HE FELL. IT WAS SEVERAL DAYS LATER HE STARTED HAVING HEADACHES AND FELT HE NEEDED TO GO TO A DOCTOR FOR A CHECKUP TO SEE IF H IS HEADACHES WERE FROM THE FALL HE HAD. FIRST DAY HE MISSED WORK WAS 2-10-03.
Bee Tree Coal Corp · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EE WAS SWINGING BOOM OF THE CONTINUOUS MINER. HEGOT HIS HAND CAUGHT BETWEEN THE BOOM & THE FRAMEOF THE MINER MASHING HIS SMALL & RING FINGERS ONHIS LEFT HAND.
July 9, 2001VA · Coalsection foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE HAD PIECE OF METAL 1/4" X 2" X 6" FT ON TOP OF HIS 3-WHEELER. AS HE WAS COMING DOWN INTAKE HE STARTED TO PASS ANOTHER 3-WHEELER. METAL HIT 3-WHEELER & HE WAS HIT IN RIBS.
June 5, 2001VA · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
EMPLOYEE WAS GETTING READY TO DRILL A HOLE. HE SWUNG BEAM IN POSITION. DRILL STEEL ON TOP OF ROOF BOLTER WAS STICKING OVER TRAP. AS HE SWUNG BOOM STEEL CAUGHT BETWEEN FRAME AND VALVE CAUSING S TEEL TO FLY UP AND HIT HIM.
2000 · 10 incidents
October 20, 2000VA · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderPOWERED HAULAGE
EE WAS TRYING TO UNSTOP A GREASE FITTING. HE HAD THE FITTING IN A GREASE FUN WITH P51 PUMPED ON IT. WHEN HE DUG AT THE FITTING IT CAME OUT OF GREASE HOSE STRIKING HIM IN THE RIGHT EYE.
May 25, 2000VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS MOVING THE PINNER OVER TO SET UP ON RIGHT SIDE OF PLACE WHEN HE RAN OVER A ROCK CAUSING THE PINNER TO ROCK UPWARD FROM THE OPERATOR COMPARTMENT HITTING THE EMPLOYEE RIGHT SHOUL DER IN THE MINE ROOF.
February 29, 2000VA · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerMACHINERY
ROOF FALL IN #7 HEADING 140' INBY SPAD #1547, FALL AREA WAS 19'X70' 4' TO 5' HIGH. IT IS IN RETURN, IT IS NOT AFFECTTING VENTILATION. NO PERSONAL INJURYED.
August 17, 1999VA · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossPOWERED HAULAGE
EMPLOYEE STATED HE WAS HELPING LIFT A PIECE OF METAL UP TO BE HUNG UP FOR BACK BOARD AT NEW DRIVE. HE SAID IT STRAINED HIS BACK WHILE LIFTING UPTHE BACK BOARD.
1998 · 2 incidents
December 22, 1998VA · Coalgreaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oilerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE WAS OPER A MOBILE BRIDGE WHEN A PIECE OF DRAWROCK FELL OUT BETWEN THE BOLTS HITTING HIM ON TOP OF HEAD & LEFT SHOULDER 64"LONG, 23"WIDE #6 ENTRY AT SPAD #1125 ONE LINE OUT OF FACE
EE STATED THAT THE BUGGY HAD TORE THE CABLE DOWN, A HE WAS ON HIS KNEES HANGING THE CABLE BOACK UP, HE FELT A SHARP PAIN IN HIS BACK. HE CONTINUED THE REST OF HIS SHIFT.
1994 · 1 incident
March 2, 1994VA · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
INJURED STATED THAT HE WAS DOWN ON HIS RIGHT KNEE;HE WENT TO PULL CABLE WHEN HE FELT A SHARP PAIN IN HIS KNEE.NOTE THAT HE WORKED THE REST OF THE SHIFT.