BIG ROCK, Buchanan County,
VA
·
Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4407082
Conaway Creek Deep Mine has $320K in proposed MSHA penalties and $197K outstanding across 21 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
12
Years on record
2005–2011
Latest incident
Jan 2011
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2005
725
citations
197
significant & substantial
$320,326
proposed penalties
$106,134
paid to date
33% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $214,192 gap.
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.
725 citations across 4,767 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Conaway Creek Deep Mine has $320K in proposed MSHA penalties and $197K outstanding across 21 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.
$320K
proposed penalties
$303K
current assessed
$106K
paid to date
$197K
outstanding
707 assessments are final orders; 21 contested dockets.
Of $98K in penalties contested before the Commission, $80K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-07-14.
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.
175citations taken to the federal commission · 24% of citations on record
Settled
148 · 85%
Stood as issued
26 · 15%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 1%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 67 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
18%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$98K proposed, $80K 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 2015-05-14.
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 Conaway Creek Deep Mine shows 96% of 378 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: 2015-04-11, 11 years ago
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
378
samples
8.84
dust max (mg/m3)
3
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.
169 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 209 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.
Conaway Creek Deep Mine recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2015.
Injury rate, 2015
ⓘ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 coal mining average was 3.76 and the all-US-mining average was 2.72 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 6.64 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
2015 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2010 *
4.51
0.00
0.000
2008 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2007 *
30.37
30.37
0.000
2006 *
13.51
13.51
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)
2015
14
23,442
2014
6
11,092
2013
0
2012
9
16,847
2011
7
12,469
2010
23
30,057
2009
10
28,038
2008
12
47,722
2007
13
64,888
2006
13
56,756
2005
10
28,538
2003
3
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Conaway Creek Deep Mine sits in Buchanan County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 11.2% 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.
Buchanan County, Virginia · Population 19,857
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$42,216
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
2015 Q4
0
0
0
2015 Q3
4,658
1
0
214.7
2015 Q2
11,843
104
30
8781.6
2015 Q1
19,509
104
36
5330.9
2014 Q4
12,341
32
6
2593.0
2014 Q3
4,971
32
7
6437.3
2014 Q2
0
0
0
2014 Q1
0
5
0
Show 33 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2013 Q4
0
5
1
2013 Q3
0
2
0
2013 Q2
0
2
0
2012 Q3
6,548
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
310
2
0
6451.6
2012 Q1
6,193
38
24
6136.0
2011 Q4
7,348
22
6
2994.0
2011 Q3
1,330
4
2
3007.5
2011 Q2
573
15
6
26178.0
2011 Q1
179
1
0
5586.6
2010 Q4
363
5
0
13774.1
2010 Q3
14,466
41
10
2834.2
2010 Q2
17,168
64
20
3727.9
2010 Q1
12,395
21
9
1694.2
2009 Q4
0
0
0
2009 Q3
4,088
6
0
1467.7
2009 Q2
6,850
7
1
1021.9
2009 Q1
6,544
24
5
3667.5
2008 Q4
6,435
19
2
2952.6
2008 Q3
6,209
26
3
4187.5
2008 Q2
8,838
12
1
1357.8
2008 Q1
8,725
12
3
1375.4
2007 Q4
9,177
24
3
2615.2
2007 Q3
8,017
5
1
623.7
2007 Q2
7,823
26
7
3323.5
2007 Q1
7,911
21
6
2654.5
2006 Q4
7,938
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
7,518
3
0
399.0
2006 Q2
6,870
5
2
727.8
2006 Q1
7,274
6
2
824.9
2005 Q4
7,517
4
1
532.1
2005 Q3
4,830
3
1
621.1
2003 Q3
220
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
12 on file
2011 · 1 incident
January 6, 2011VA · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Employee was scaling the top with a slate bar as he was checking the mine and as he was pulling a piece rock, a piece slid down the bar and hit his left thumb, causing the bone in the tip of his finger to be broken.
2010 · 1 incident
March 4, 2010VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee was tightening bolts on fan motor. Base moved and motor fell on left hand. Fractured left middle finger, cut ring finger, middle finger and pinky finger. Employee had to have stitches in all three fingers.
2007 · 5 incidents
December 10, 2007VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee claimed he was reaching for supplies when his knee slipped and slid down between tire and frame of the roof bolter he was operating resulting in his knee being twisted. The roof bolter was stationary at the time of injury.
November 8, 2007VA · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
Employee was cleaning #7 entry with scoop in low coal seam. While moving forward with scoop, he struck coal rib with bucket causing scoop to buckle somewhat in the center section causing him to strike his head on the mine roof resulting in employee complaining with pain in back of neck.
May 31, 2007VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)OTHER
Employee was loading parts and supplies, tripped and fell with a hydraulic boom jack in his hands. When he fell he caught his finger between the jack and the metal frame of a Mac 8 transport buggy resulting in a fractured fingertip and cut.
February 14, 2007VA · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorMACHINERY
Injured EE and another EE were drilling an anchor hole in the mine floor to anchor belt tail piece with a hyd drill. The augar got entangled in a tool pouch, hanging from the other EE's belt, causing injured EE's fingers to become twisted around the handle of the drill. This resulted in a fracture of the middle and ring fingers of the right hand.
Miner operator was loading coal into shuttle car. When the car moved forward, the tire rolled into miner operators foot. (Remote miner) This resulted in bruising around the ankle and side of foot.
February 7, 2006VA · Coalcontinuous miner helper, coal mole helper, bridgemanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS INSTALLING ROOF BOLTS & AS HE STARTED TO DRILL A HOLE A PIECE OF DRAW ROCK APPROX. 1.5"THICK X 1'WIDE X 2'LONG, DISLODGED & FELL STRIKING HIM ON THE LEFT ELBOW RESULTING IN DEEP BRUISING.
October 14, 2005VA · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerPOWERED HAULAGE
AFTER BEING LOADED BY THE CONTINUOUS MINER, THE S/C OPERATOR PROCEEDED OUT OF THE #7 HEADING TOWARD THE DUMPING POINT. AS HE MADE THE TURN AROUND THE CORNER THE REAR OF THE S/C STRUCK EE WHO WAS KNEELING WITH HIS BACK TURNED AWAY FROM THE OPERATOR & S/C HANGING LINE CURTAIN THAT HAD FALLEN DOWN.