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Birch Surface Mine: 7 reportable incidents Coal

Erbacon, Webster County, WV  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 4607790

Birch Surface Mine has had no fatalities among 7 reportable incidents since 1990.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
7
Years on record
1990–1992
Latest incident
Sep 1992
Ownership history
  1. Grafton Coal Company 1989 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)
1992 19 115,456
1991 26 197,126
1990 19 110,500
1989 0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly; years before 2000 come from MSHA's archived Part 50 employment files.

Birch Surface Mine sits in Webster County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 7.2% 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.
Webster County, West Virginia · Population 8,253
7.2%
Mining share of county employment
$42,061
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

7 on file

1992 · 2 incidents

September 8, 1992 WV · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Grafton Coal Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WHILE CHECKING ANTIFREEZE IN HIS DOZER HIS FOOT SLIPPED CAUSING EE TO TWIST HIS BACK.

1991 · 4 incidents

December 31, 1991 WV · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Grafton Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

INJURED TURNER FILED A OCCUPATIONAL PNEUMOCONIOSIS CLAIM 12-91.

October 21, 1991 WV · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
Grafton Coal Company · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

ENPL FILED HEARING LOSS CLAIM WHICH WE RECEIVED 10/21/91.

August 20, 1991 WV · Coal blaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkey SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Grafton Coal Company · Fall onto or against objects

INJURED WAS ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB DOWN A LADDER OFF A ROCK TRUCK,SLIPPED ON RING OF LADDER.

August 2, 1991 WV · Coal belt foreman, maintenance foreman, maintenance supervisor SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Grafton Coal Company · Fall onto or against objects

EMPLOYEE WAS REMOVING A BOLT FROM A FUEL TANK ON A ROCK TRUCK WITH A RACHET. WHEN THE BOLT BROKE LOOSE THE EMPLOYEE LOST HIS BALANCE AND HIS MOMENTION CAUSED HIM TO STRIKE HIS LEFT EYE BROW ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK.

1990 · 1 incident

September 10, 1990 WV · Coal outside foreman, leadman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Grafton Coal Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

MOVING BAGS OF SODA ASH BRICKETS TO DUMP IN STREAM STOOPED OVER, TWISTING TO RIGHT AND OPENING BAG, TURNED TO LEFT AND TWISTED BACK.