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.
346 citations across 1,924 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Deskins Mine has $216K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 12 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.
$216K
proposed penalties
$139K
current assessed
$139K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
337 assessments are final orders; 12 contested dockets.
Of $160K in penalties contested before the Commission, $76K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2009-03-23.
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.
91citations taken to the federal commission · 26% of citations on record
Settled
90 · 99%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 1%
69%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 88 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
52%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$160K proposed, $76K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2009-04-28.
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 Deskins Mine shows 90% of 271 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: 2009-03-12, 17 years ago
90%
within 1.5 mg/m3
271
samples
9.50
dust max (mg/m3)
123 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 148 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.
Deskins Mine recorded 8.40 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2008.
Injury rate, 2008
ⓘ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.
8.40
total case rate
5.04
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 4.41 and the all-US-mining average was 3.61 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.91 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2008
8.40
5.04
0.000
2007
3.40
1.70
0.000
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)
2009
15
51,120
2008
69
414,689
2007
50
454,830
2006
23
28,395
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Deskins Mine sits in Kanawha County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 1.9% 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.
Kanawha County, West Virginia · Population 178,198
1.9%
Mining share of county employment
$58,887
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
2009 Q3
0
0
0
2009 Q2
1,428
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
24,165
10
2
413.8
2008 Q4
14,651
30
12
2047.6
2008 Q3
15,507
49
8
3159.9
2008 Q2
47,049
75
16
1594.1
2008 Q1
41,875
40
17
955.2
2007 Q4
31,644
95
30
3002.1
Show 4 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2007 Q3
32,229
11
4
341.3
2007 Q2
36,008
12
6
333.3
2007 Q1
17,810
14
7
786.1
2006 Q4
12,105
10
8
826.1
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
16 on file
2009 · 2 incidents
April 20, 2009WV · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Remington LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Injured was in the process of opening the first set of airlock doors at the mine portal, when he got his right hand pinched between the doors. This caught between injury, resulted in a fracture to his right ring finger.
January 14, 2009WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
While making a belt move, the crew was positioning the tailpiece and applying tension with the scoop to align the belt. A chain broke that was hooking the scoop to the tailpiece, which allowed the tailpiece to slide around and strik the employees foot, resulting in a fracture to his foot.
A roof fall was dicovered on 12-09-2008 at apprx 7:00 am. The fall was located 2 breaks outby spad 743 near the #5 beltline. The fall measured apprx 18'W by 50' long. All entries of the roof fall area was cribbed or timbered to prevent travel. 4' resin bolts were used at the location of the fall.
The mine foreman and the safety director were traveling to the section when they noticed the top working near #7 belt/track entry in the nuetral airway. The men cribbed the area off then the top fell shortly after.
Miner was removing a piece of rock from the left side continuous miner on the 1st right section. The rock broke causing his right hand index & middle fingers to come in contact with the sharp edges of the rock causing a laceration that required 9 sutures.
Section foreman noticed that the rib needed scaled where work was being performed on a shuttle car. He scaled the rib and was rolling a large piece of rock from the work area when another piece of rock fell striking his left index finger causing a severe laceration.
August 20, 2008WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorMACHINERY
Miner was moving the left side miner on the Mains section so he could scoop the 2nd right intersection. While tramming the miner the boom was swung to the right and miner was struck by the boom. Miner continued to work after the incident but decided to go to the hospital due to pain. ER doctors found no injuries but told miner to take off until 8-24 due to soreness.
EE was installing a rub rail on the right side continuous miner of the mains section when the rail slipped off the miner, falling on his left foot causing a fracture.
Ee was walking to the section when he stepped in a hole just inby the power center causing him to strain his knee. He finished his shift and went to the dr. The dr gave him a full release to work but required him to wear a knee brace for four days.
The superintendent was walking the returnes and discovered a roof fall. The fall measured approx. 6' in height and included an area about 18 ft wide by 18ft long. The fall in the returns off of the main section in the #2 entry. located at/near spad 1242.
Was carrying a timber past a mantrip. Foot slipped and fell forward onto mantrip.
July 26, 2007WV · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossMACHINERY
Remington LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Employee was operating a roof bolter with his right leg outside the operator's compartment. The roof bolter came in close proximity with the mine rib. Employee's right knee was pushed into circuit panel in operator's compartment.