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BISON MINE: 101 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Worthington, Armstrong County, PA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 3610107

BISON MINE has $38K in proposed MSHA penalties and $151 outstanding across 13 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
9
Years on record
2015–2024
Latest incident
Jul 2024
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2015
101
citations
14
significant & substantial
$38,478
proposed penalties
$24,252
paid to date
63% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $14,226 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See ALLEGHENY MINERAL CORPORATION's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2015
74
inspections on record
1,705
inspection hours
5.9
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.
101 citations across 1,705 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘ A Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
2
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2017-09-27.
On record since 2017.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

BISON MINE has $38K in proposed MSHA penalties and $151 outstanding across 13 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.
$38K
proposed penalties
$24K
current assessed
$24K
paid to date
$151
outstanding
95 assessments are final orders; 13 contested dockets.
Of $25K in penalties contested before the Commission, $10K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-05-05.
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.
14.6%
significant & substantial
9.4%
high negligence or reckless
14.6%
reasonably likely or greater
39.6%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 2.1% none, 61.5% low, 27.1% moderate, 9.4% high, 0.0% reckless.
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.
22 citations taken to the federal commission · 22% of citations on record
  • Settled 15 · 68%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 6 · 27%
  • Still open 1 · 5%
44%
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 9 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
60%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$25K proposed, $10K 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 2026-06-24.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
PENN 2018-0081 Settlement McCarthy 2018 $6K → $4K
PENN 2017-0219 Settlement Lewis 2018 $5K → $287
PENN 2018-0105 Settlement Rae 2018 $4K → $1K
PENN 2018-0191 Settlement McCarthy 2018 $3K → $2K
PENN 2018-0192 Settlement McCarthy 2018 $3K → $800
PENN 2018-0065 Settlement Rae 2018 $3K → $998
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
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.

Metal and nonmetal contaminants (personal samples)
ⓘ Many samples are screening measurements of substances with no applicable exposure limit; they are counted as samples but excluded from every over-limit figure. Over-limit shares use only limit-tested samples.

Last sampled: 2026-05-05
3%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
53
samples
36
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz161 over
  • Diesel particulate (total carbon)32
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg5
Show the individual readings (100)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2026-03-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.55 1.18 1.31 Scaling (mechanical)
2026-05-05 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.13 Utility Man
2026-05-05 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-05-05 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-04-22 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.23 Drill Operator, Rotary
2026-04-22 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.45 Roof Bolter, Rock
2026-04-22 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-04-22 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.5 1.35 0.37 Scaling (mechanical)
2026-03-18 EC @ 160 91 160 0.57 Roof Bolter, Rock
2026-03-18 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Roof Bolter, Rock
2026-03-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.2 Roof Bolter, Rock
2026-03-18 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-03-18 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-03-18 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-03-18 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-03-18 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-03-18 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Scaling (mechanical)
2026-03-18 TC @ 160 146 160 0.91 Scaling (mechanical)
2026-03-18 EC @ 160 104 160 0.65 Scaling (mechanical)
2026-03-18 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Scaling (mechanical)
2026-03-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.31 Drill Operator, Rotary
2026-03-18 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Drill Operator, Rotary
2026-03-18 EC @ 160 64 160 0.40 Drill Operator, Rotary
2026-03-18 TC @ 160 105 160 0.66 Drill Operator, Rotary
2026-03-18 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Rotary
2026-03-18 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Roof Bolter, Rock
2026-03-18 TC @ 160 126 160 0.79 Roof Bolter, Rock
2025-10-07 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Blaster, Powder Gang
2025-10-07 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Roof Bolter, Mounted
2025-10-07 TC @ 160 90 160 0.56 Roof Bolter, Mounted
2025-10-07 EC @ 160 61 160 0.38 Roof Bolter, Mounted
2025-10-07 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Roof Bolter, Mounted
2025-10-07 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-10-07 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-10-07 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-10-07 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-10-07 ORGANIC CARBON 68 Blaster, Powder Gang
2025-10-07 TC @ 160 115 160 0.72 Blaster, Powder Gang
2025-10-07 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Blaster, Powder Gang
2025-06-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-06-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.27 Roof Bolter, Rock
2025-06-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.4 1.67 0.24 Roof Bolter, Rock
2025-06-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.27 Belt Crew
2025-05-14 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-05-14 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Roof Bolter, Rock
2025-05-14 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Roof Bolter, Rock
2025-05-14 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Roof Bolter, Rock
2025-05-14 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Roof Bolter, Rock
2025-05-14 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-05-14 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-05-14 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2024-04-02 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2024-04-02 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2024-04-02 TC @ 160 34 160 0.21 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2024-04-02 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2024-04-02 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2024-04-02 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2024-04-02 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2024-04-02 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2023-10-12 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.13 Front-end Loader Operator
2023-10-12 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.51 1.52 0.34 Scaling (mechanical)
2023-10-12 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.15 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2022-11-02 TC @ 160 63 160 0.39 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2022-11-02 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Roof Bolter, Mounted
2022-11-02 EC @ 160 71 160 0.44 Roof Bolter, Mounted
2022-11-02 TC @ 160 110 160 0.69 Roof Bolter, Mounted
2022-11-02 ORGANIC CARBON 39 Roof Bolter, Mounted
2022-11-02 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-11-02 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-11-02 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-11-02 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-11-02 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2022-11-02 EC @ 160 33 160 0.21 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2022-11-02 ORGANIC CARBON 31 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2022-11-02 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Scaling (mechanical)
2022-11-02 EC @ 160 34 160 0.21 Scaling (mechanical)
2022-11-02 TC @ 160 59 160 0.37 Scaling (mechanical)
2022-11-02 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Scaling (mechanical)
2022-04-14 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-04-14 ORGANIC CARBON 54 Laborer, Bullgang
2022-04-14 TC @ 160 130 160 0.81 Laborer, Bullgang
2022-04-14 EC @ 160 76 160 0.48 Laborer, Bullgang
2022-04-14 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2022-04-14 ORGANIC CARBON 47 Blaster, Powder Gang
2022-04-14 TC @ 160 91 160 0.57 Blaster, Powder Gang
2022-04-14 EC @ 160 43 160 0.27 Blaster, Powder Gang
2022-04-14 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Blaster, Powder Gang
2022-04-14 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-04-14 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-04-14 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2021-11-03 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.22 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-11-03 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.28 Scraper Operator
2021-11-03 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.4 Scaling (mechanical)
2020-11-17 EC @ 160 51 160 0.32 Roof Bolter, Mounted
2020-11-17 TC @ 160 54 160 0.34 Laborer, Bullgang
2020-11-17 EC @ 160 36 160 0.23 Laborer, Bullgang
2020-11-17 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2020-11-17 TC @ 160 79 160 0.49 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2020-11-17 EC @ 160 47 160 0.29 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2020-11-17 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
Showing 100 of 135 laboratory readings: every over-limit reading, then the most recent. MSHA reads one air sample several times, so readings outnumber the samples counted above. The full set is in MSHA's Personal Health Samples file.

Area samples (mill and shop air)

Last sampled: 2026-03-18
6
samples
Show the individual readings (12)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Area sampled
2026-03-18 TC @ 160 67 UG ACTIVE MINING
2026-03-18 EC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2025-10-07 EC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2025-10-07 TC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2025-05-14 EC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2025-05-14 TC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2024-04-02 EC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2024-04-02 TC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2022-11-02 TC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2022-11-02 EC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2022-04-14 TC from EC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2022-04-14 EC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly. Metal/nonmetal contaminant figures come from MSHA's Personal Health Samples and Area Samples files (public record), updated weekly.

BISON MINE recorded 0.00 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.65 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Pennsylvania, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.07 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
2025 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2024 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2023 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2022 * 5.15 5.15 0.000
2021 * 13.66 6.83 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. Allegheny Mineral Corporation 2014 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 15
2025 16
2024 19
2023 20
2022 17
2021 15
2020 8
2019 5
2018 6
2017 10
2016 8
2015 2
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

BISON MINE sits in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 2.2% 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.
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania · Population 65,069
2.2%
Mining share of county employment
$64,295
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 8,903 1 0 112.3
2026 Q1 8,031 2 1 249.0
2025 Q4 8,395 1 0 119.1
2025 Q3 8,634 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 8,467 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 8,335 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 7,870 1 0 127.1
2024 Q3 8,686 1 0 115.1
Show 38 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 13,369 1 1 74.8
2024 Q1 12,062 2 0 165.8
2023 Q4 11,775 1 0 84.9
2023 Q3 13,042 1 0 76.7
2023 Q2 10,752 5 0 465.0
2023 Q1 9,682 1 0 103.3
2022 Q4 9,454 3 0 317.3
2022 Q3 10,110 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 10,274 1 0 97.3
2022 Q1 9,020 1 0 110.9
2021 Q4 8,364 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 7,046 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 7,625 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 6,238 2 0 320.6
2020 Q4 4,621 1 0 216.4
2020 Q3 4,187 5 1 1194.2
2020 Q2 3,101 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 2,790 1 1 358.4
2019 Q4 2,095 2 0 954.7
2019 Q3 2,150 1 0 465.1
2019 Q2 2,429 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 2,489 1 0 401.8
2018 Q4 2,472 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 2,422 1 1 412.9
2018 Q2 2,653 1 0 376.9
2018 Q1 3,448 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 3,614 1 0 276.7
2017 Q3 5,644 8 1 1417.4
2017 Q2 6,036 6 2 994.0
2017 Q1 4,048 11 1 2717.4
2016 Q4 4,473 9 2 2012.1
2016 Q3 3,978 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 3,473 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 2,841 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 1,810 1 0 552.5
2015 Q3 528 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 528 1 0 1893.9
2015 Q1 264 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

9 on file

2024 · 3 incidents

July 31, 2024 PA · Metal/Non-Metal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Allegheny Mineral Corporation · Accident type, without injuries

Employees found the fall as they were entering into the mine at main 8 face out by. The fall area was approximately 40' long, 40' wide. MSHA was notified within 15 minutes of the fall being discovered. The 103 (k) order was modified by MSHA.

July 25, 2024 PA · Metal/Non-Metal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Allegheny Mineral Corporation · Accident type, without injuries

A roof fall occurred in 1R2 between crosscuts 7 and 8. The area was approximately 40'x 40'. MSHA was notified within 15 minutes of the fall occurring and the prior 103 (K) order was expanded.

July 24, 2024 PA · Metal/Non-Metal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Allegheny Mineral Corporation · Accident type, without injuries

Foreman was conducting workplace examination of the mine and discovered a roof fall at the intersection of 1R4 and 1RC10.The fall area is approximately 40' long, 35' wide, and 12' high. MSHA was notified within 15 minutes of the fall being discovered. A 103 (k) order was issued by MSHA.

2022 · 1 incident

May 24, 2022 PA · Metal/Non-Metal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Allegheny Mineral Corporation · Struck by falling object

Employee was standing inby the roof bolter in Entry 1R6 looking for loose material to hand scale. A piece of stone, approximately 2'x2'x3" fell and hit the employee in the hard hat and right shoulder. EE received a shoulder contusion.

2021 · 2 incidents

July 14, 2021 PA · Metal/Non-Metal mechanical scaling worker HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Allegheny Mineral Corporation · Struck by falling object

While changing steels on the roof bolter, the steel slipped from the employee's hand. It struck EE on the top of EE's left foot behind the steel toed portion of EE's boot. EE was diagnosed with a fracture of the 4th metatarsal bone.

July 12, 2021 PA · Metal/Non-Metal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Allegheny Mineral Corporation · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was installing a 7' roof bolt when EE felt a pain in the arm. EE was diagnosed with a left rotator cuff tear.

2019 · 1 incident

December 16, 2019 PA · Metal/Non-Metal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Allegheny Mineral Corporation · Accident type, without injuries

Foreman was conducting workplace examination of the mine. Foreman saw the roof fall when foreman entered into Main 10 from Main 9. The roof fall is in by of crosscut 10. The exact date of the roof fall is unknown because the mine was unoccupied on 12/14/2019 and 12/15/2019. MSHA was notified within 15 minutes of the fall being discovered.

2017 · 1 incident

March 10, 2017 PA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Allegheny Mineral Corporation · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Injured was installing tail pulley guard on the dump belt under the crusher. As they were trying to position the guard, employee suffered low back strain.

2015 · 1 incident

September 28, 2015 PA · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Allegheny Mineral Corporation · Fall from machine

Employee slipped while exiting a drill during a rainstorm. Employee bruised chest and was in pain the next morning.