Mining Incidents

Benezette Operation: 44 MSHA citations Coal

Benezette, Elk County, PA  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 3609090

Benezette Operation has $5K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
10
Years on record
2003–2011
Latest incident
Aug 2011
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2003
44
citations
23
significant & substantial
$4,637
proposed penalties
$4,637
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2003
32
inspections on record
639
inspection hours
n/a
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.
Rate withheld: 639 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Benezette Operation has $5K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 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.
$5K
proposed penalties
$5K
current assessed
$5K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
44 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2013-04-15.
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.
52.3%
significant & substantial
9.1%
high negligence or reckless
54.5%
reasonably likely or greater
11.4%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 13.6% low, 77.3% moderate, 9.1% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Benezette Operation shows 98% of 61 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: 2013-04-11, 13 years ago
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
61
samples
1.63
dust max (mg/m3)
54 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 7 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER31
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR16
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE12

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2008-11-25, 17 years ago
8.3
silica avg (%)
5
samples
10.8
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR5

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: 2012-11-01, 13 years ago
11%
over PEL
28
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR11
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER10
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE5
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
2013 100% 2
2012 100% 4
2011 100% 2
2010 100% 2
2009 100% 3
2008 100% 10
2007 100% 5
2006 100% 4
2005 100% 18
2004 89% 9
2003 100% 2
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2008 8.6 3
2004 7.8 2
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2012 0% 2
2011 0% 3
2009 0% 2
2008 10% 10
2005 0% 5
2004 0% 3
2003 67% 3
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Benezette Operation recorded 6.66 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.
6.66
total case rate
0.00
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 * 6.66 0.00 0.000
2007 * 19.36 12.91 0.000
2006 * 5.88 5.88 0.000
2005 * 9.78 9.78 0.000
2004 * 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. P & N Coal Company Inc 2002 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)
2013 3 21,374
2012 6 46,805
2011 2 10,690
2010 3 14,669
2009 6 26,642
2008 14 73,718
2007 16 52,595
2006 16 81,519
2005 16 96,051
2004 14 86,180
2003 10 23,711
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Benezette Operation sits in Elk County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 0.5% 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.
Elk County, Pennsylvania · Population 30,703
0.5%
Mining share of county employment
$64,103
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
2013 Q4 0 0 0
2013 Q3 492 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 1,798 3 2 1668.5
2013 Q1 2,256 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 2,406 1 0 415.6
2012 Q3 4,096 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 2,452 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 3,461 0 0 0.0
Show 35 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2011 Q4 2,063 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 1,776 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 0 0 0
2011 Q1 0 0 0
2010 Q4 112 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 852 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 2,465 1 1 405.7
2010 Q1 2,189 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 1,919 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 1,694 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 1,123 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 6,803 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 6,595 2 1 303.3
2008 Q3 7,304 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 7,563 1 1 132.2
2008 Q1 8,554 0 0 0.0
2007 Q4 7,611 3 3 394.2
2007 Q3 8,223 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 8,168 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 6,992 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 8,862 1 1 112.8
2006 Q3 8,507 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 7,543 7 3 928.0
2006 Q1 9,092 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 11,465 1 0 87.2
2005 Q3 11,928 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 8,528 3 2 351.8
2005 Q1 8,963 5 2 557.8
2004 Q4 9,867 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 9,289 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 6,728 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 6,588 1 1 151.8
2003 Q4 6,694 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 6,072 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 988 1 0 1012.1
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

10 on file

2011 · 1 incident

August 22, 2011 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
P & N Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While getting off the dozer he slipped on step and twisted his lower back.

2008 · 1 incident

January 15, 2008 PA · Coal assayer, geologist, metallurgist, engineer, engineer management SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
P & N Coal Company Inc · Fall to the walkway or working surface

While getting out of the excavator, he slipped on the ice falling on his left leg and hitting his knee on the ice.

2007 · 3 incidents

December 20, 2007 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
P & N Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

While repairing/replacing tilt cylinder on D-11 Cat dozer the strap slipped and the cylinder dropped smashing his left thumb.

March 16, 2007 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
P & N Coal Company Inc · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Trama or impact from operating machines over approx 29 years, causing Necrosis (loss of blood flow).

January 22, 2007 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
P & N Coal Company Inc · Fall from machine

He slipped while exiting the loader and fell to the ground, hurting his upper back on his left side.

2006 · 1 incident

August 7, 2006 PA · Coal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
P & N Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

While lifting a piece of steel his right knee popped.

2005 · 3 incidents

June 14, 2005 PA · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
P & N Coal Company Inc · Fall from machine

Fell off the rock truck while changing air filters.

February 7, 2005 PA · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
P & N Coal Company Inc · Fall to the walkway or working surface

HE SLIPPED OFF BACK BUMPER OF MECHANIC'S TRUCK WHILE REMOVING MATERIALS. HE LANDED FLAT ON BOTH FEET AND PAIN SHOT DOWN BOTH LEGS.

January 17, 2005 PA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
P & N Coal Company Inc · Struck by flying object

EE WAS CHANGING DRILL BIT ON RIG WITH WRENCH WHEN WRENCH FLEW BACK AND HIT HIM ON THE RIGHT WRIST.

2003 · 1 incident