Mining Incidents

BELCHER BRANCH Coal

Frontier Coal Company · Underground
Controlled by James C Justice III
Pineville, Wyoming County, WV  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 4609474

BELCHER BRANCH has $4.7M in proposed MSHA penalties and $4.0M outstanding across 33 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
23
Years on record
2022–2026
Latest incident
Feb 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2021
1,436
citations
383
significant & substantial
$4,687,832
proposed penalties
$371,013
paid to date
8% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $4,316,819 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2021
148
inspections on record
4,781
inspection hours
30.0
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.
1,436 citations across 4,781 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

BELCHER BRANCH has $4.7M in proposed MSHA penalties and $4.0M 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.
$4.7M
proposed penalties
$4.4M
current assessed
$371K
paid to date
$4.0M
outstanding
1,298 assessments are final orders; 33 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-05-05.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at BELCHER BRANCH shows respirable coal dust averaging 0.30 mg/m3 (99% compliant) across 413 samples.

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.
0.30
dust avg (mg/m3)
8.85
dust max (mg/m3)
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
413
samples
Most recent sample: 2026-06-23.
Silica (quartz)
3.5
silica avg (%)
8.5
silica max (%)
40
samples
Most recent sample: 2026-06-29.
Noise
0%
over PEL
33
samples
Most recent sample: 2026-06-23.
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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
2025 Q4 21,313 77 11 3612.8
2025 Q3 30,435 71 29 2332.8
2025 Q2 20,058 64 18 3190.7
2025 Q1 28,400 113 28 3978.9
2024 Q4 27,893 149 40 5341.8
2024 Q3 15,826 117 46 7392.9
2024 Q2 17,528 51 10 2909.6
2024 Q1 25,320 102 25 4028.4
Show 19 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2023 Q4 27,495 119 36 4328.1
2023 Q3 29,023 56 8 1929.5
2023 Q2 24,195 122 22 5042.4
2023 Q1 23,980 110 24 4587.2
2022 Q4 32,650 104 25 3185.3
2022 Q3 27,475 42 15 1528.7
2022 Q2 12,454 14 1 1124.1
2022 Q1 2,800 10 2 3571.4
2018 Q1 0 0 0
2017 Q4 0 0 0
2017 Q3 0 0 0
2017 Q2 0 0 0
2017 Q1 0 0 0
2016 Q4 0 0 0
2016 Q3 0 0 0
2016 Q2 0 0 0
2016 Q1 0 0 0
2015 Q4 0 0 0
2015 Q3 0 0 0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

23 on file

2026 · 3 incidents

February 26, 2026 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator OTHER
Frontier Coal Company · Bodily reaction, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was switching seats to go back to the feeder, twisted right knee and said they heard a loud popping sound.

February 14, 2026 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Frontier Coal Company · Over-exertion in wielding or throwing objects

Employee was shoveling dust out onto the #5 conveyor belt. At that time the employee stated that they felt their left bicep pull.

January 26, 2026 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Frontier Coal Company · Struck by flying object

Employee was using a 4LB hammer to brad a splice when a piece of the hammer broke off and went into the employee's right forearm

2025 · 8 incidents

December 26, 2025 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Frontier Coal Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

employee went to step down off the platform to tram the bolter and misplaced EE's footing and all EE's weight went on EE's left ankle

November 13, 2025 WV · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Frontier Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Injured Employee was putting in belt structure and smashed right index finger.

November 13, 2025 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Frontier Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Injured employee was placing expanded metal guarding on the head drive when the metal slid around and caught EE's left pinky finger against the rib.

November 9, 2025 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Frontier Coal Company · Struck by flying object

Employee was dropping the high voltage cable and tie wire went under the employee's safety glasses striking the employee's right eye.

November 9, 2025 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Frontier Coal Company · Fall from ladders

Employee was plastering stopping when the employees foot slipped of the ladder causing the employee to fall and roll right ankle.

June 23, 2025 WV · Coal electrician, lineman MACHINERY
Frontier Coal Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

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, 2025 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler POWERED HAULAGE
Frontier Coal Company · Struck by falling object

Ran into rib with scoop causing the rib to slough and hit the operator.

January 24, 2025 WV · Coal scoop tram operator, load/haul/dump operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
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.

2024 · 5 incidents

December 8, 2024 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Frontier Coal Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

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, 2024 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Frontier Coal Company · Struck by falling object

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, 2024 WV · Coal examiner, fire boss, pre-shift examiner, mine examiner HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Frontier Coal Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects

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, 2024 WV · Coal roof 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

February 9, 2024 WV · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Frontier Coal Company · Accident type, without injuries

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.

2023 · 5 incidents

October 12, 2023 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Frontier Coal Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was cutting cable away from themselves with a razor knife. When they took another swipe with the knife they cut their right pinky finger.

September 7, 2023 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Frontier Coal Company · Fall onto or against objects

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.

August 23, 2023 WV · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Frontier Coal Company · Accident type, without injuries

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.

June 5, 2023 WV · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Frontier Coal Company · Accident type, without injuries

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, 2023 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Frontier Coal Company · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

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.

2022 · 2 incidents

November 12, 2022 WV · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Frontier Coal Company · Accident type, without injuries

#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, 2022 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Frontier Coal Company · Struck by falling object

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.

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

The full compliance file on BELCHER BRANCH

A dated report covering the 26-year penalty trail, line-item violation pattern, contest and docket posture, rate-normalized peer benchmark, and full fatality history. Delivered as a PDF with the underlying data as CSV.