Birch River Surface Mine No. 1 has $48K in proposed MSHA penalties and $24K outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
6
Years on record
2007–2012
Latest incident
Apr 2012
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2006
68
citations
30
significant & substantial
$48,208
proposed penalties
$18,820
paid to date
39% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $29,388 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2006
55
inspections on record
1,385
inspection hours
4.9
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.
68 citations across 1,385 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Birch River Surface Mine No. 1 has $48K in proposed MSHA penalties and $24K outstanding across 2 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.
$48K
proposed penalties
$43K
current assessed
$19K
paid to date
$24K
outstanding
67 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-09-18.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at Birch River Surface Mine No. 1 shows respirable coal dust averaging 0.09 mg/m3 (100% compliant) across 99 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.
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
Operator was pushing spoil on Cut 5 in the C pit when he noticed smoke coming out of the engine comp. He then seen flames and exited the machine. EE attempted to retrieve the fire extinguisher at which time the fire was to hot for him to do so. All agencies and the Fire Dept. were called.
2011 · 1 incident
July 14, 2011WV · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanMACHINERY
EMPLOYEE WAS STEAM CLEANING A RADIATOR OF A DOZER. EMPLOYEE STOPPED TO REPOSITION HIS FOOTING AND THEN ACTIVATED HIS WAND SPRAYING HIMSELF IN THE LEFT THUMB CAUSING A PUNCTURE WOUND. EMPLOYEE WAS TAKEN TO SUMMERSVILLE HOSPITAL AND REFERRED TO CAMC HOSPITAL. HE WAS TAKEN INTO SURGERY TO CLEAN INFECTION OUT OF HIS HAND ON 7/15/2011. EMPLOYEE WAS RELEASED ON 7/18/2011.
2010 · 1 incident
October 18, 2010WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
While cutting a pin out of a D10 dozer track, a piece of hot metal popped into employee's ear causing a burn. Employee didn't go to the Dr until 10/21/10 at which time he was given a prescription for medication and returned to work.
2008 · 2 incidents
October 20, 2008WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerEXPLOSIVES AND BREAKING AGENTS
Employee was hit with a piece of fly rock while a single hole was being shot. The employee along with 3 other employees were positioned behind a D11 dozer while shot was being shot. The piece of rock measured 4" x 2" and either was a glancing blow or just brushed his back.
March 15, 2008WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
While getting off D11 dozer, employee put all of his weight on right arm causing a burning feeling and knotted up. Didn't say he slipped, just step down causing all his weight to be pulled against right arm.
2007 · 1 incident
August 15, 2007WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerSTRIKING OR BUMPING
The operator left the cab area, walked down the stairway toward the lower compartment of the Hitachi Excavator. He hit his head on a piece of metal causing a cut to his head requiring stitches.
For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants
The full compliance file on Birch River Surface Mine No. 1
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.