BELCHER BRANCH has $5.0M in proposed MSHA penalties and $4.3M outstanding across 33 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
24
Years on record
2022–2026
Latest incident
Aug 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2021
1,470
citations
390
significant & substantial
$4,985,022
proposed penalties
$371,164
paid to date
7% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $4,613,858 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.
1,470 citations across 4,998 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.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2024-07-09.
On record since 2024.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
BELCHER BRANCH has $5.0M in proposed MSHA penalties and $4.3M outstanding across 33 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.
$5.0M
proposed penalties
$4.7M
current assessed
$371K
paid to date
$4.3M
outstanding
1,319 assessments are final orders; 33 contested dockets.
Of $758K in penalties contested before the Commission, $484K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-06-19.
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.
558citations taken to the federal commission · 38% of citations on record
Settled
549 · 98%
Stood as issued
5 · 1%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 0%
Still open
3 · 1%
96%
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 160 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
36%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$758K proposed, $484K 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 2025-08-13.
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 BELCHER BRANCH shows 99% of 409 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: 2026-06-23
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
409
samples
8.85
dust max (mg/m3)
2
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.
114 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 295 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.
BELCHER BRANCH recorded 15.97 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.
15.97
total case rate
9.98
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above 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.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2025
15.97
9.98
0.000
2024 *
9.24
4.62
0.000
2023
5.73
5.73
0.000
2022 *
2.65
2.65
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)
2026
68
59,274
2025
54
139,977
2024
41
87,127
2023
59
304,390
2022
54
207,106
2018
0
2017
0
2016
0
2015
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
BELCHER BRANCH sits in Wyoming County, West 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.
Wyoming County, West Virginia · Population 20,948
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$48,038
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
A non injury roof fall occurred on the active working section inby the loading point between crosscut no. 18 and no. 20 in the no. 8 entry on the south west panel 4B. The roof fall occurred inby crosscut no. 18 and extended inby the no. 19 crosscut in the no. 9 entry.
February 26, 2026WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorOTHER
While using a drill with a wire wheel, EE was cleaning off a flanged surface. Unknowingly EE left a thin metal shim on one of the surfaces. When the wire wheel made contact with the shim. It spun it around at high speed resulting in cuts to EE's right hand.
March 28, 2025WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerPOWERED HAULAGE
Frontier Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
The employee had watered the scoop batteries. While letting the lid back down to cover them. One of the lids slipped from EE's grip striking the other hand and smashing two fingers on EE's right hand.
Employee was cutting open a miner cable splice. The knife slipped and cut the top of EE's left hand. The employee was taken to Welch hospital were EE received five stitches. The employee returned to work later that evening.
November 2, 2024WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
A bundle of bolt plates fell into the operator's deck of the bolter while tramming to another place. The plates struck EE on the hand. This caused a cut on EE's hand.
June 25, 2024WV · Coalexaminer, fire boss, pre-shift examiner, mine examinerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was hanging high line in the intake. The cable was above EE's head so lifting the cable over 6.5ft was required. While lifting and hanging the cable EE felt a pop in EE's back and began hurting. Ambulance was refused and EE finished the shift.
June 17, 2024WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)ELECTRICAL
Frontier Coal Company · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
EE WAS HELPING THE ELECTRICIAN WORK ON THE MANTRIP. WHILE TROUBLE SHOOTING THE RIDE A LED MUST HAVE ARCED OVER CAUSING ONE OF THE BATTERIES TO BLOW UP. DO TO EE'S LOCATION EE RECEIVED THE MAJORITY OF THE IMPACT. EE HAD MATERIAL HIT EE IN THE EYES AND IN THE NOSE. EE IMMEDIATLY SEATED KEEP CALM AND BEGAN FLUSHING EE'S EYES WITH WATER
HAD A ROOF FALL ON THE OLD S.W. MAINS IN THE #4 ENTRY BETWEEN BRK 28-29. THE FALL IS APPROX. 60'L X 20'W. NOBODY WAS IN THIS AREA AND NO AIR COURSE WAS BLOCKED.
The miner operator got tripped up in miner cable slack. The miner then fell into a shuttle car that was parked beside the slack. Injuring right side and ribs.
We had a roof fall between the intake and the belt line. the fall is located a brk 7 on the number 4 belt. It is approx. 60' in length and 20' wide. It is a non-injury fall and the primary escapeway was not affected due to having a second intake entry.
We had a roof fall outby the section in the return in the no.9 entry. Inby spad #312 extending approx. 60ft. the fall was approx. 60' long 20' wide 6' high. This is a non injury fall and the travel way is not blocked.
January 26, 2023WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Shuttle car cable was not reeling up. The operator got off EE's shuttle car to pull the cable slack out of the road. The cable was in mud so this made it hard to pull out of the road. When EE pulled the slack put off the road EE felt a sharp pain in EE's lower back.
#3 Entry Roof Fall. Inby spad #311 and outby spad #316. The roof fall was approximately 140' in length by approximately 20' in width by approximately 10' in height.
October 4, 2022WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Draw rock and changing roof conditions. EE was helping drop bolter cable. When they dropped the last hanger, EE stepped back toward the corner. It was then a piece of draw rock fell out striking EE on the head.