Mining Incidents

Berryburg Mine: 95 MSHA citations Coal

Konya Enterprises Inc · Underground
Rt.18 @ Berryburg Jct., Barbour County, WV  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4608533

Berryburg Mine has $8K in proposed MSHA penalties and $5K outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
12
Years on record
1996–2001
Latest incident
Nov 2001
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
95
citations
30
significant & substantial
$8,112
proposed penalties
$3,502
paid to date
43% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $4,610 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
42
inspections on record
1,323
inspection hours
7.2
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.
95 citations across 1,323 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Berryburg Mine has $8K in proposed MSHA penalties and $5K 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.
$8K
proposed penalties
$8K
current assessed
$4K
paid to date
$5K
outstanding
93 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.
32.3%
significant & substantial
6.5%
high negligence or reckless
33.3%
reasonably likely or greater
15.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 2.2% low, 91.4% moderate, 6.5% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Berryburg Mine shows 93% of 184 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: 2002-09-16, 23 years ago
93%
within 1.5 mg/m3
184
samples
8.90
dust max (mg/m3)
84 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 100 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR105
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)14
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (OFF STANDARD)13

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2002-07-23, 24 years ago
2.3
silica avg (%)
6
samples
6.0
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER 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: 2001-06-12, 25 years ago
9%
over PEL
11
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)3
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR2
  • ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)2
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
2002 100% 52
2001 88% 66
2000 94% 66
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2002 2.0 3
2001 0.8 1
2000 3.5 2
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2001 14% 7
2000 0% 4
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Berryburg Mine recorded 17.51 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.
17.51
total case rate
8.75
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 * 17.51 8.75 0.000
2000 * 14.12 14.12 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. Tygart Valley Mining Inc 1995 to 1998
  2. Konya Enterprises Inc 1998 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)
2002 13 49,802
2001 13 53,024
2000 17 66,959
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Berryburg Mine sits in Barbour County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 6.8% 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.
Barbour County, West Virginia · Population 15,454
6.8%
Mining share of county employment
$48,347
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
2002 Q3 6,997 4 1 571.7
2002 Q2 5,077 10 5 1969.7
2002 Q1 6,805 10 2 1469.5
2001 Q4 5,569 15 4 2693.5
2001 Q3 6,780 20 10 2949.9
2001 Q2 5,060 4 1 790.5
2001 Q1 5,440 5 1 919.1
2000 Q4 5,920 7 1 1182.4
Show 3 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2000 Q3 6,521 2 1 306.7
2000 Q2 7,192 8 4 1112.3
2000 Q1 8,704 10 0 1148.9
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

12 on file

2001 · 2 incidents

November 29, 2001 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Konya Enterprises Inc · Struck by flying object

A LIGHT COVER WAS BEING REMOVED FROM NO.5 MINER,EE WAS HOLDING A HAMMER, CO-WORKER WAS USING ANOTHER HAMMER TO HIT THE FIRST ONE. THE HAMMER THAT EE WAS HOLDING BROKE AND WENT INTO HIS HAND .

May 18, 2001 WV · Coal mine manager, mine foreman, mine owner HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Konya Enterprises Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS ON HIS KNEES DRIVING SPADS IN THE BOTTOM TO HOLD DOWN LINE CURTAIN.

2000 · 2 incidents

May 3, 2000 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Konya Enterprises Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

ROOF BOLTER MECH STAB JACK PAD SMASHED LEFT BIG TOE AND TOP OF FOOT.

January 17, 2000 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Konya Enterprises Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

FOUR LEFT SECTION EMPLOYEE WAS REPAIRING THE MINER CONVEYER CHAIN, USING A HAMMER TO DRIVE THE CHAIN BACK TOGETHER, THE HAMMER STRUCK THE GATHERING ARM, DEFLECTING INTO THE HAND THAT WAS HOLDI NG ANOTHER HAMMER CAUSING A SMASHING BLOW.

1999 · 2 incidents

December 2, 1999 WV · Coal apprentice, trainee HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Konya Enterprises Inc · Fall to the walkway or working surface

EE WAS HELPING THREAD BELT THROUGH TAILPIECE BY USING CHANNEL LOCKS TO HELP PULL THE BELT. CHANNEL LOCKS SLIPPED ON THE BELT. EE LOST HIS BALANCE & FELL ON HIS LITTLE FINGER ON HIS LEFT HAND.

February 3, 1999 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator MACHINERY
Konya Enterprises Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE TRIED TO REMOVE A PIECE OF ROCK FROM ON TOP OF THE ROOF BOLTER DRILL HEAD HE DIDN'T STOP THE ROTATION OF THE DRILL HEAD WHILE TRYING TO REMOVE ROCK, AND HIS LEFT HAND GLOVE GOT CAUGHT IN TH E DRILL HEAD WHICH CAUSED HIS LEFT HAND AND ARM TO BE WRAPPED AROUND THE DRILL STEEL

1998 · 3 incidents

December 7, 1998 WV · Coal continuous miner helper, coal mole helper, bridgeman FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Konya Enterprises Inc · Struck by falling object

ROCK FELL FROM TOP INBETWEEN BOTLS, STRIKING EE ON BACK AND RT LEG.

July 14, 1998 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler OTHER
Tygart Valley Mining Inc · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS WALKING IN TO HIS WORK SITE WHEN HE SUFFERED A STROKE.

March 2, 1998 WV · Coal beltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor rider HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Tygart Valley Mining Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WORKING ON BELT DRIVE HEAD SCRAPER.STRUCK LEFT HAND WITH PUNDING AXE WHILE PUNCHING HOLES IN MINING BELT FOR BELT SCRAPER.

1997 · 2 incidents

July 7, 1997 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Tygart Valley Mining Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

MAIN WEST LAYED CABLE OVER STOOD UP DROPPED GLOVE BENT OVER TO PICK IT UP

June 25, 1997 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Tygart Valley Mining Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS HELPING MAKE A BELT MOVE! HE WAS USING A SLATE BAR TO UNROLL A ROL OF BELT WHEN THE SLATE BAR SLIPPED, SMASHING HIS FINGER ON THE METAL PIECE.

1996 · 1 incident

September 23, 1996 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Tygart Valley Mining Inc · Struck by falling object

WHILE BOLTING IN A X-CUT AREA A ROCK BROKE OFF THE BROW STRIKING THE OPERATOR IN THE RT LEG, BREAKING HIS LOWER LEG.