Mining Incidents

Davy Branch Mine: 1 recorded fatality Coal

Aracoma Coal Company · Underground
Logan, Logan County, WV  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 4609574

Davy Branch Mine has $403K in proposed MSHA penalties and $6K outstanding across 13 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
25
Years on record
2021–2026
Latest incident
Feb 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2020
728
citations
127
significant & substantial
$403,050
proposed penalties
$351,731
paid to date
87% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $51,319 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2020
60
inspections on record
6,746
inspection hours
10.8
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.
728 citations across 6,746 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Davy Branch Mine has $403K in proposed MSHA penalties and $6K 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.
$403K
proposed penalties
$358K
current assessed
$352K
paid to date
$6K
outstanding
677 assessments are final orders; 13 contested dockets.
Of $96K in penalties contested before the Commission, $51K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-06-11.
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.
17.8%
significant & substantial
0.8%
high negligence or reckless
17.9%
reasonably likely or greater
16.2%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.1% none, 43.5% low, 55.5% moderate, 0.8% 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.
34 citations taken to the federal commission · 5% of citations on record
  • Settled 31 · 91%
  • Stood as issued 3 · 9%
78%
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 23 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
49%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$99K proposed, $51K 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 2026-05-10.
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
WEVA 2022-0149 Settlement Sullivan 2022 $28K → $19K
WEVA 2025-0561 Settlement 2025 $19K → $9K
WEVA 2023-0124 Settlement Moran 2023 $12K → $6K
WEVA 2022-0441 Settlement Bulluck 2022 $12K → $2K
WEVA 2022-0531 Settlement Voisin 2022 $11K → $5K
WEVA 2026-0262 Settlement 2026 $6K → $3K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Davy Branch Mine shows 100% of 5,172 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: 2026-08-19
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
5,172
samples
3.30
dust max (mg/m3)
12
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.
631 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 4,541 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR1,526
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (RETURN SIDE)1,446
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)1,242

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2026-06-02
6.8
silica avg (%)
282
samples
26.1
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR93
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (RETURN SIDE)87
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)66

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.

Last sampled: 2026-05-27
6%
over PEL
147
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)39
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR32
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (RETURN SIDE)26
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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.
Year within 1.5 mg/m3 samples
2026 100% 595
2025 100% 915
2024 100% 923
2023 100% 876
2022 100% 815
2021 100% 913
2020 99% 135
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2026 4.9 28
2025 5.0 52
2024 6.2 42
2023 5.4 41
2022 5.3 49
2021 10.9 61
2020 11.7 9
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2026 0% 11
2025 5% 19
2024 0% 20
2023 0% 27
2022 5% 20
2021 3% 32
2020 33% 18
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Davy Branch Mine reported liberating 13 metric tons of methane to EPA in 2023.

Methane emissions (EPA-reported)
Methane figures are what the operator reported to EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (subpart FF), collected at facility level. Only EPA facilities that resolve to a single MSHA mine record are shown, and the CO2-equivalent applies the GWP-25 factor EPA's published data uses.
13
t CH4 reported, 2023
325
t CO2e equivalent
Year t CH4 t CO2e
2023 13 325
2022 2 50
2021 0 0
2020 0 0
Source: EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, subpart FF (underground coal mines), reported annually.

Davy Branch Mine recorded 2.80 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.
2.80
total case rate
0.00
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 2.80 0.00 0.000
2024 1.35 0.67 0.000
2023 3.35 2.01 0.000
2022 1.50 1.50 0.000
2021 7.24 2.72 0.905
2020 * 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.
Ownership history
  1. Aracoma Coal Company 2019 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)
2026 116 329,850
2025 115 753,959
2024 119 804,301
2023 119 781,552
2022 111 738,884
2021 96 625,727
2020 25 73,431
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Davy Branch Mine sits in Logan County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 6.6% 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.
Logan County, West Virginia · Population 31,826
6.6%
Mining share of county employment
$47,237
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 72,393 43 3 594.0
2026 Q1 76,708 22 1 286.8
2025 Q4 66,443 29 6 436.5
2025 Q3 74,151 35 4 472.0
2025 Q2 70,886 29 3 409.1
2025 Q1 74,441 15 1 201.5
2024 Q4 63,190 16 1 253.2
2024 Q3 72,786 57 14 783.1
Show 18 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 79,942 25 10 312.7
2024 Q1 80,473 16 2 198.8
2023 Q4 74,898 19 2 253.7
2023 Q3 73,630 24 1 326.0
2023 Q2 74,462 30 3 402.9
2023 Q1 75,317 36 8 478.0
2022 Q4 64,284 26 8 404.5
2022 Q3 66,392 22 2 331.4
2022 Q2 66,171 23 4 347.6
2022 Q1 70,462 52 16 738.0
2021 Q4 58,140 30 4 516.0
2021 Q3 61,344 30 6 489.0
2021 Q2 59,903 22 6 367.3
2021 Q1 41,570 25 3 601.4
2020 Q4 30,938 26 2 840.4
2020 Q3 3,497 9 0 2573.6
2020 Q2 0 0 0
2020 Q1 0 0 0

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
January 22, 2021 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by powered moving object

#2 shuttle car was traveling back toward #5 entry to turn down towards feeder, and the #3 shuttle car was already traveling this entry when the #2 car came thru the fly pad they contacted the operators compartment of the #3 car injuring the operator. The EE died on 2/21/21, autopsy results state EE died as the result of a thromboembolism.

Reportable incidents

24 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2026 · 1 incident

February 14, 2026 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Aracoma Coal Company · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was moving a miner cable when EE tripped over a rock measuring 6"x12 " landing on EE's right hand and shoulder, EE hasn't missed any work due to this incident but started physical therapy treatments on 4/14/26 which makes it a reportable incident, EE has continued to experience pain on EE's shoulder since EE's fall

2025 · 4 incidents

October 13, 2025 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Aracoma Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee was diagnosed with occupational pneumoconiosis on 10/13/25 by a B reader

September 29, 2025 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by falling object

Installing a roof bolt in the corner of 3 left when the top rib rock came out striking them on left arm as they were inserting roof bolt into hole causing laceration requiring 6 sutures, rock measured 48 long x 32 wide x 3 inches thick , employee was taken to hospital and released back to work.

September 12, 2025 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by falling object

Employee was helping another employee remove the discharge shaft from the shuttle car conveyor reducer while the other employee was using slate bar to hold up the shaft, EE was prying with a bar when EE reach down to pick up the shaft it fell striking EE's rt foot big toe causing laceration and fractured big toe requiring 7 sutures

January 27, 2025 WV · Coal lw propman, propman helper, move crew if lw, move-up man, jacksetter, advanceman lw helper HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Aracoma Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was loading an argon tank onto a scoop when EE smashed the tip of EE's right index finger against the light housing on the scoop.

2024 · 2 incidents

October 24, 2024 WV · Coal examiner, fire boss, pre-shift examiner, mine examiner DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Aracoma Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee was diagnosed with occupational pneumoconiosis on 10-24-24. EE continues to work.

September 4, 2024 WV · Coal beltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor rider POWERED HAULAGE
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by powered moving object

Employee was in process of installing a keeper on the left side tie rod end on a battery four wheeler, as EE reached up to get EE's channelocks , EE made contact with the foot pedal causing the machine to reverse striking EE's left leg & abdomen, EE continued to work until 9-16-24

2023 · 7 incidents

December 2, 2023 WV · Coal electrician, lineman MACHINERY
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was using a Milwaukee handheld grinder to cut a seized set screw on a light. While holding the housing with their left hand, EE was using right hand to operate grinder. It kicked back when contacting another screw. This caused a laceration thru EE's glove on left hand requiring 7 stitches to close the wound.

November 28, 2023 WV · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Aracoma Coal Company · Accident type, without injuries

A non-injury roof fall occurred on the #4-A belt; #12 break, in the #4 entry (track entry). The fall measured approximately 40'x50' and 4.5 to 5' in height.

September 19, 2023 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck against stationary object

Employee stated was in the process of cutting a piece of conveyor belt to prep for a move, as EE was cutting away from self EE's right arm came in contact with a frayed belt pin that was in an old splice next to where EE was cutting the pin. Caused a laceration requiring 5 sutures to close the wound

September 14, 2023 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Aracoma Coal Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee stated: was lifting 1 bundle of roof bolter plates from the side of the bolter to the tray and felt pain in right shoulder. Went to ER, told to follow up with Ortho who placed employee off work for 2 weeks.

February 3, 2023 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Aracoma Coal Company · Fall onto or against objects

Employee stated they were walking to the shuttle car and their foot got stuck in a hole or mud causing them to fall striking left knee on a rock. They finished the shift then went to the Dr on Sat, they were taken off work on Monday by a specialist for a bruise/contusion

January 20, 2023 WV · Coal scoop tram operator, load/haul/dump operator POWERED HAULAGE
Aracoma Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee stated employee was cleaning the face and was backing up scoop to set over, employee placed left hand on top of the operator door and got the deck into the rib smashing hand between rib and scoop door causing fractured thumb.

2022 · 3 incidents

March 23, 2022 WV · Coal utility man, errand boy, service truck operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by falling object

EE stated EE and another employee was laying rail at the #4 head drive. The rail was raised up using a forklift they were attempting to pry the rail over when it slipped off the forklift, the slate bar and rail came down landed on front of EE's foot causing bruising, they said the chain they had secured the rail with came undone allowing it to fall

February 19, 2022 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Aracoma Coal Company · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee stated was spraying a stopping with a TC machine The wand clogged up and stopped spraying. As EE turned around to tell scoop operator to turn off machine, something hit EE in the left eye face. Employee stated was wearing safety glasses at the time. EE is off work for further medical treatment.

January 17, 2022 WV · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck against stationary object

Night shift driver of 036 tractor at Davey Branch Mine was starting the engine on the bed treatment rack. EE's right hand came back and struck the container cage, peeling EE's skin off 3/4 to 1 inch across the top of the hand.

2021 · 7 incidents

December 30, 2021 WV · Coal electrician, lineman MACHINERY
Aracoma Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Removing 1 inch bolts out of offside tram gearcase while removing one of the bolts with the impact gun, when the bolt extracted EE's left middle finger was caught between a #12 90 degree JIC fitting coming out of the tram panel mashing EE's nail into the nail bed

October 22, 2021 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Aracoma Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee took chest x ray on 8-3-21 and was diagnosed with occupational pneumoconiosis, we was notified of EE's diagnosis on 10/22/21.

October 14, 2021 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Aracoma Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

We was notified on 10/14/2021 that employee was diagnosed on 6/15/21 with occupational pneumoconiosis by a b reader and chest x rays.

August 25, 2021 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Aracoma Coal Company · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Employee was pulling on miner cable felt pain in abdomen, did continue to work from 08/25/21 until 7-25-22 when EE had to have the place repaired due to increased pain in that area.

June 8, 2021 WV · Coal motorman, motor person, swamper, switchman, locomotive operator DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Aracoma Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

We were notified on 6/8/2021 that employee was diagnosed with occupational pneumoconiosis on 10/23/2020 by a b-reader

April 22, 2021 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Aracoma Coal Company · Fall onto or against objects

Employee was using Channel locks to straighten up belt that was being racked up. EE's Channel locks slipped off the belt causing EE to fall backwards into the coal rib hitting EE's head, elbow. The height in the area was 79 inches.

March 18, 2021 WV · Coal belt foreman, maintenance foreman, maintenance supervisor SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Aracoma Coal Company · Fall onto or against objects

Employee was hunched down against the wall of pump house, when employee stood up felt lightheaded and fell into the pump that was in front of employee, employee was supervising the ongoing work inside the pumphouse.