Spurlockville, Lincoln County,
WV
·
Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4608744
Berry Branch Mine has $20K in proposed MSHA penalties and $3K outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
19
Years on record
1999–2002
Latest incident
Jul 2002
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
156
citations
90
significant & substantial
$19,596
proposed penalties
$16,458
paid to date
84% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $3,138 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.
156 citations across 1,067 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Berry Branch Mine has $20K in proposed MSHA penalties and $3K 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.
$20K
proposed penalties
$20K
current assessed
$16K
paid to date
$3K
outstanding
153 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2002-09-23.
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.
MSHA sampling at Berry Branch Mine shows 95% of 165 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: 2002-08-27, 23 years ago
95%
within 1.5 mg/m3
165
samples
6.42
dust max (mg/m3)
79 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 86 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.
Berry Branch Mine recorded 8.07 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2001.
Injury rate, 2001
ⓘ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.
8.07
total case rate
5.38
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 6.94 and the all-US-mining average was 5.26 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 8.13 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
2001 *
8.07
5.38
0.000
2000 *
14.03
14.03
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)
2002
11
108,467
2001
36
360,258
2000
35
428,991
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Berry Branch Mine sits in Lincoln County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 5.3% 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.
Lincoln County, West Virginia · Population 20,170
5.3%
Mining share of county employment
$48,593
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
EE WAS OPERATING A S-CAR HAULING COAL. HE RAN IN A HOLE IN THE MINER FLOOR WHICH CAUSED THE SEAT BACK TO HIT HIM IN THE LOWER BACK. HE WORKED UNTIL 7-33-02. HE WENT TO THE DR. AND BEGAN MISSIN G WORK ON 7-23-02. THE REPORT WAS FILED LATE DUE TO THE REASONS I HAVE NOTED.
2001 · 5 incidents
October 15, 2001WV · Coalroof bolter helper, rock bolter helper, pinner helperMACHINERY
TWO EMPLOYEES WERE LOADING BELT STRUCTURE TAKEN OUT AFTER A BELT PULL BACK. CO-WORKER WAS OPERATING SCOOP. HE PULLED SCOOP UP TO PILE OF STRUCTURE. EE STARTED LOADING WHILE CO-WORKER WAS GETTI NG OUT OF SCOOP. IN THE ACT OF GETTING OUT OF SCOOP HE ACCIDENTLY HIT LEVER IN SCOOP WHICH LET BUCKET DOWN ON INJURED'S FOOT.
FALL OF ROOF APP 2000 FT FROM WORKING SECTION FALL AREA HAS BEEN CRIBED AND TIMBERED FALL IS IN #3 ENTRY ALONG #4 BELT LIE 70 FT INBY SPAD #447 FALL IS APP 35 FT LONG 14 FT WIDE 4 FT THICK MSH A INSPECTOR EE WAS NOTIFIED AT 1:40 PM 7-14-01.
WHILE FIREBOSSING ROADWAY, FOUND FLL ON #4 BELT,#3 ENTRY INTERSECTION. S;AD #509 ON BELT TO THE LEFT FALL HALFWAY IN BREAK TO #3 ENTRY INTERSECITON. RETURN STOPPING WAS NOT KNOCKED OUT. CRIBS WERE ALREADY LET IN THIS AREA.
Laurel Coal Corp · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING ON RMOVING A SET OF SCOOP BATTERIES WITH A LIFTING JACK. BATTERIES WERE STUCK IN TRAY. JACK FELL OFF OF SCOOP AND MASHED HIS FINGER AGAINST A CRIB BLOCK.
DURING REGULAR WEEKLY EXAMINATION OF AIRWAYS A ROOF FALL WAS DISCOVERED ON 7/31/00 AT APPROX 8:00 AM. THE FALL IS LOCATED IN #7 ENTRY OF #4 MAINS BEGINNING 1 BREAK IN BY SPAD 502 AND EXTENDING TO NEXT INTERSECTION IN BY #7 ENTRY. APPROX 90'LONG, 20' WIDE AND RANGING FROM 5-8' THICK. 8 CRIBS AND 8 TIMBERS WERE ALREADY PRESENT. ALL ACCESS TO FALL HAS BEEN CRIBBED OFF.
DURING REGULAR WEEKLY EXAMINATION OF AIRWAYS A ROOF FALL WAS DISCOVERED ON 7-31-00 AT APPROX 8:00 AM THE FALL IS LOCATED IN #7 ENTRY OF #4 MAINS BEGINNING 1 BREAK INBY SPAD 502 & EXTENDEDING T O NEXT INTERSECTION INBY SPAD 502 & EXTENDING TO NEXT INTERSECTION INBY IN #7 ENTRY. APPROX 90'LX20'WX AND RANGING FROM 5' TO 8' T, 8 CRIBS & 8' INBERS WERE ALREADY PRESENT AREA WAS KNOWN TO
July 26, 2000WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
AT APPROX. 7:45 AM A FALL WAS DISCOVERED ON #4 BELT ENTRY 1 BREAK INBY SAPD #438. LENGTH 30' WIDTH 25' THICKNESS 4' FALL WILL BE CLEANED UP AND RE-BOLTED.
INTERSECTION OF #4 MAINS #1 ENTRY AND 4 LEFT PANEL BELT ENTRY (SPAD #545). WAS NOTICED TO BE WORKING BY SECTION FOREMAN WHILE MAKING FIREBOSS RUN. INTERSECTION FELL AT APPROX. 9:00 AM. AREA WA S CRIBBED OFF TO PREVENT ACCESS AND ADDITIONAL CRIBS WERE SET IN SURROUNDING AREAS OF QUESTIONABLE APPEARENCE.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER ARRIVAL ON SECT. A FALL WAS HEARD IN MAIN RETURN. FALL WAS FOUND AT 12:45 BY SECTION FOREMAN AT SPAD #504 IN MAIN RETURN #1 ENTRY. AREA WAS CRIBBED OFF TO PREVENT ACCESS AND ADDITIONAL CRIBS WERE SET IN SURROUNDING AREAS OF QUESTIONABLE APPEARANCE.
SMALL PIECE OF DRAW ROCK FELL FROM ROOF HITTING. VICTIM ON THE HEAD ROCK WAS 22 IN. X 26 IN. X 38 INCH X 1 1/2 IN THICK ENTRY WAS 64 IN HIGH 19 FT WIDE.
1999 · 2 incidents
December 16, 1999WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Laurel Coal Corp · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE WAS OPERATING ROOF OBLTER PEPARING TO INSTALL A BOLT IN HOLE THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN DRILLED A BOLT HAD BEEN POSITONED IN POT AND INSTEAD OF HITTING UP PRESSURE HE PUSHED LOWER WRONG WAY AND ROTATED BOLT AND THE PLATE CAUGHT GLOVE ON RIGHTHAND AND TWISTED AND SPRAINED WRIST.