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.
183 citations across 3,602 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Bishop Surface has $70K in proposed MSHA penalties and $9K outstanding across 8 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.
$70K
proposed penalties
$64K
current assessed
$54K
paid to date
$9K
outstanding
180 assessments are final orders; 8 contested dockets.
Of $40K in penalties contested before the Commission, $33K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-08-18.
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.
When citations were contested
ⓘContesting a citation before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission is a lawful right. These figures state the public outcomes of that process, from MSHA's Contested Violations file.
35citations taken to the federal commission · 19% of citations on record
Settled
15 · 43%
Stood as issued
17 · 49%
Vacated or withdrawn
3 · 9%
100%
S&S designation survived the contest
ⓘCounts a Significant & Substantial citation as surviving when a settlement or judge's decision kept the designation, or the contest was dismissed or defaulted so the citation stands as issued. Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.
of 8 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
16%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$40K proposed, $33K after decisions · industry: 39%
Source: MSHA Contested Violations file (public record), updated weekly. A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record. Latest contest filed 2020-01-14.
Contested penalties
ⓘA reduction or dismissal at the Commission is a lawful outcome of contesting a proposed penalty. Figures are the proposed amount and the amount upheld in the docket's decision.
Largest penalties this mine contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
MSHA sampling at Bishop Surface shows 100% of 423 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: 2026-08-10
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
423
samples
1.90
dust max (mg/m3)
0
over MSHA ECV
ⓘThe excessive concentration value (ECV) is MSHA's own per-sample enforcement threshold, which builds in measurement uncertainty; a sample over its ECV can trigger a citation. The count covers only samples MSHA assigned an ECV.
246 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 177 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.
Bishop Surface recorded 1.69 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ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.
1.69
total case rate
1.69
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 3.89 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2025
1.69
1.69
0.000
2024
0.00
0.00
0.000
2023
1.25
1.25
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
3.76
3.76
0.000
2014
1.86
1.86
0.000
2013
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.
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)
2026
22
81,643
2025
49
321,692
2024
74
514,131
2023
62
384,480
2022
31
346,709
2021
14
24,458
2020
3
2019
13
67,079
2018
24
66,420
2017
4
2,013
2016
1
2015
9
40,196
2014
34
496,004
2013
35
465,596
2012
43
438,943
2011
29
329,157
2010
23
178,819
2009
27
245,566
2008
27
209,370
2007
29
300,189
2006
7
61,206
2005
0
2004
15
155,770
2003
31
347,352
2002
35
485,384
2001
36
334,771
2000
26
274,168
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Bishop Surface sits in Fayette County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 3.0% 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.
Fayette County, West Virginia · Population 39,987
3.0%
Mining share of county employment
$52,672
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
2026 Q2
11,252
0
0
0.0
2026 Q1
16,465
0
0
0.0
2025 Q4
21,141
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
10,881
1
0
91.9
2025 Q2
41,629
0
0
0.0
2025 Q1
44,462
0
0
0.0
2024 Q4
40,564
3
0
74.0
2024 Q3
43,207
2
2
46.3
Show 97 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
46,882
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
56,033
1
0
17.8
2023 Q4
26,591
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
48,048
3
0
62.4
2023 Q2
49,674
0
0
0.0
2023 Q1
35,830
0
0
0.0
2022 Q4
13,244
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
16,138
2
0
123.9
2022 Q2
25,199
0
0
0.0
2022 Q1
20,976
0
0
0.0
2021 Q4
14,355
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
4,501
0
0
0.0
2021 Q2
4,571
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
4,664
0
0
0.0
2020 Q4
4,553
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
1,613
0
0
0.0
2020 Q2
0
0
0
2020 Q1
0
0
0
2019 Q4
0
0
0
2019 Q3
0
0
0
2019 Q1
13,544
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
13,443
21
5
1562.2
2018 Q3
16,077
1
1
62.2
2018 Q2
15,620
2
1
128.0
2018 Q1
8,055
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
8,055
1
0
124.1
2017 Q3
780
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
780
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
780
0
0
0.0
2016 Q4
780
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
780
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
702
2
0
2849.0
2016 Q1
1,169
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
0
0
0
2015 Q3
0
0
0
2015 Q2
390
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
10,008
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
26,545
5
3
188.4
2014 Q3
26,862
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
27,790
1
1
36.0
2014 Q1
26,296
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
27,232
1
1
36.7
2013 Q3
28,581
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
24,681
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
30,462
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
35,716
1
0
28.0
2012 Q3
35,930
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
28,098
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
28,424
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
28,070
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
20,115
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
14,792
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
17,752
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
12,669
1
1
78.9
2010 Q3
13,523
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
15,518
4
1
257.8
2010 Q1
15,161
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
13,744
3
1
218.3
2009 Q3
14,215
3
2
211.0
2009 Q2
16,391
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
18,752
2
0
106.7
2008 Q4
17,684
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
17,464
6
2
343.6
2008 Q2
17,062
0
0
0.0
2008 Q1
17,724
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
16,988
7
4
412.1
2007 Q3
17,002
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
19,497
3
2
153.9
2007 Q1
18,343
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
15,052
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
0
0
0
2006 Q2
0
0
0
2006 Q1
0
0
0
2005 Q4
0
0
0
2005 Q3
0
3
2
2005 Q2
0
0
0
2005 Q1
0
2
1
2004 Q4
0
0
0
2004 Q3
0
0
0
2004 Q2
10,969
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
18,264
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
15,941
0
0
0.0
2003 Q3
17,294
3
3
173.5
2003 Q2
18,261
1
1
54.8
2003 Q1
17,813
14
11
785.9
2002 Q4
18,554
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
19,099
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
21,163
0
0
0.0
2002 Q1
21,601
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
21,610
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
14,579
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
20,891
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
21,534
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
14,217
2
1
140.7
2000 Q3
12,972
1
1
77.1
2000 Q2
14,222
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
14,894
4
3
268.6
Fatalities at this mine
1 recorded
December 29, 2017WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerFatality · MACHINERY
Two bulldozers pushing in the same area, operators talking on CB. D9 operator is injured worker. D-11 is colleague. D9 stopped talking. D11 found that D9 had gone over highwall. Injured worker passed away from injuries sustained.
EE was standing on right side fender doing EE's pre-trip inspection when EE went to exit fender EE missed a step and slipped. Then EE fell to the ground on EE's right side elbow/arm. Went to ER, had strain to right arm.
2024 · 1 incident
October 14, 2024WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was removing hose from axle cooler pump on 993k Z9K00314 when pulling hose back for removal, hand slipped making contact with top of transmission. Unknown exactly what the right hand contact on transmission. The contact caused a laceration on top of right hand
2023 · 1 incident
December 5, 2023WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Reported 1/30/19 - Proceeded to back up the drill, the rear of the drill dipped sharply down, causing the front of the drill to jump into the air, throwing employee into the control console, woke up the next morning with pain in the right knee
2017 · 1 incident
December 19, 2017WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was loading a bulk truck. While on the top of the truck, he bent to go under a beam on the bin. In doing so, something in his back went out. He elected to seek medical attention.
2005 · 1 incident
November 3, 2005WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerPOWERED HAULAGE
EE WAS CLEANING LIGHTS ON HIS TRUCK WHEN HE GOT BRIGHT LIGHT SHONE IN HIS EYES. DUE TO A WORK STOPPAGE (LAYOFF), COMPANY WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF INCIDENT UNTIL 5/2/02 WHEN WORKER'S COMP. PAPERWORK WAS RECEIVED.
1993 · 1 incident
December 22, 1993WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techPOWERED HAULAGE
Patience Inc · Struck by rolling or sliding object
ROCK TRUCK/EUC DUMPING ON LIFT. GRADER DOWN BELOW. MECHANIC WAS TIGHTENING A CHAIN ON THIS GRADER AND A ROCK ROLLED DOWN AS TRUCK WAS DUMPING, HITTING MECHANIC ON HIS SHIN OR LEG.