Dingess Chilton Mine has $496K in proposed MSHA penalties and $3K outstanding across 55 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
41
Years on record
2009–2013
Latest incident
Apr 2013
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2008
629
citations
186
significant & substantial
$496,068
proposed penalties
$375,937
paid to date
76% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $120,131 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.
629 citations across 4,244 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.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2011-03-23.
On record since 2011.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Dingess Chilton Mine has $496K in proposed MSHA penalties and $3K outstanding across 55 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.
$496K
proposed penalties
$379K
current assessed
$376K
paid to date
$3K
outstanding
608 assessments are final orders; 55 contested dockets.
Of $435K in penalties contested before the Commission, $316K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2013-02-05.
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.
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.
290citations taken to the federal commission · 46% of citations on record
Settled
283 · 98%
Stood as issued
1 · 0%
Vacated or withdrawn
6 · 2%
67%
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 252 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
27%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$435K proposed, $316K 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 2013-10-17.
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 Dingess Chilton Mine shows 95% of 698 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: 2013-02-15, 13 years ago
95%
within 1.5 mg/m3
698
samples
5.95
dust max (mg/m3)
314 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 384 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.
Dingess Chilton Mine recorded 7.32 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2012.
Injury rate, 2012
ⓘ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.
7.32
total case rate
5.13
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.74 and the all-US-mining average was 2.96 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.13 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2012
7.32
5.13
0.000
2011
8.11
8.11
0.000
2010
10.35
10.35
0.000
2009 *
12.06
8.04
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)
2013
17
49,022
2012
113
489,305
2011
132
565,763
2010
92
474,349
2009
45
233,830
2008
3
4,573
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Dingess Chilton 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
2013 Q3
0
0
0
2013 Q2
1,891
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
31,934
21
5
657.6
2012 Q4
51,480
37
4
718.7
2012 Q3
57,327
35
9
610.5
2012 Q2
82,947
40
11
482.2
2012 Q1
81,361
26
6
319.6
2011 Q4
73,053
47
15
643.4
Show 14 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2011 Q3
78,710
55
21
698.8
2011 Q2
74,191
46
17
620.0
2011 Q1
70,139
50
16
712.9
2010 Q4
56,941
43
11
755.2
2010 Q3
55,682
38
18
682.4
2010 Q2
48,926
54
23
1103.7
2010 Q1
12,319
19
2
1542.3
2009 Q4
29,077
24
4
825.4
2009 Q3
30,938
24
3
775.7
2009 Q2
21,023
27
6
1284.3
2009 Q1
18,458
7
3
379.2
2008 Q4
3,745
3
1
801.1
2008 Q3
0
0
0
2008 Q2
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
41 on file
2013 · 2 incidents
April 4, 2013WV · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was moving timber sled when a rib rolled catching another timber and the timber came into the scoop deck and hit the employee's knee. The employee never missed work until 4/19/13.
2012 · 11 incidents
August 30, 2012WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorMACHINERY
Employee was@entrance to Chilton's warehse bay door.Bent over transport crate&picked up5 gal.bucket of paint by handle.As he was lifting bucket the handle broke.The employee lost his balance&fell back&struck wooden crate that was behind him.After several min.he got up&went to phone&called his supervisor.Floor was dry w/o adverse conditions.Lower back pain(strain)/injury.
July 17, 2012WV · Coalutility man, errand boy, service truck operatorFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Employee was making fireboss run operating a small mantrip when the steering wheel of the mantrip whipped around catching two of the employees fingers causing a fracture
January 6, 2012WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was operating continuous miner when a rib rolled and a piece of rock hit his right hand landing on his thumb which was on the remote box at the time.
April 8, 2011WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Employee was leaving miner and came around corner, back end of buggy: hooked miner cable & water line and drug it to belt entry; He then experienced pain in his lower back.
April 5, 2011WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was assisting with a belt move in tramming the feeder off of tailpiece. Tailpiece jumped off the MA walkway side of belt hitting him in the left shin and ankle.
January 31, 2011WV · Coalcontinuous miner operator, coal mole operatorMACHINERY
Employee was plastering a stopping (while laying on his side) and pieces of coal fell loose from the rib hitting his right knee. Measurements: 9" x 10" x 3" thick and 14" x 9" x 3 1/2" thick. All Coal
2010 · 9 incidents
September 16, 2010WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorMACHINERY
Employee stated he was helping move continuous miner to #6 entry, said he was walking beside of a miner when it kicked sideways pushing him against the rib injuring his left knee.
August 9, 2010WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee stated that something hit him as he was getting in the shuttle car. An investigation was done and management believes that the employee slipped and hit shuttle car. Section was wet and muddy.
Employee stated that as the manbus he was riding went through the truck doors on way outside, the doors shut, causing the door to strike the manbus, bouncing his foot out of the ride. The doors then struck his foot as the bus struck the doors the second time.
Employee stated that he was stepping off of the ladder on the fork lift. As he stepped down he slipped causing him to twist his knee. The area was muddy and wet.
February 17, 2010WV · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee stated that as they were pulling a rock off the miner with a chain, the rock came loose from the chain, struck his hand and pinched his ring finger against the side of the continuous miner.
2009 · 6 incidents
November 21, 2009WV · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
EE was tramming a shuttle car from the miner to the feeder in the #4 entry when he hit a hole in the roadway which caused him to strike his head against the canopy.
August 12, 2009WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
The employee had moved the CM from #3 heading to #2 heading. He then moved the cable from one side of #2 heading to the other side of the heading when he sprained his back.
The equipment is in good condition. The ribs are soft and unstable in area. Employee was driving by the weakened rib, rib rolled out into the deck of the buggy. He was struck on the left wrist by a piece of coal 6" x 8" x 3-4" thick.