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.
513 citations across 6,016 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Dogwood #3 has $163K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 30 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.
$163K
proposed penalties
$129K
current assessed
$129K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
500 assessments are final orders; 30 contested dockets.
Of $102K in penalties contested before the Commission, $69K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2011-11-30.
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.
102citations taken to the federal commission · 20% of citations on record
Settled
97 · 95%
Stood as issued
5 · 5%
96%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 81 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
33%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$102K proposed, $69K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2011-12-22.
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 Dogwood #3 shows 94% of 637 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: 2011-05-04, 15 years ago
94%
within 1.5 mg/m3
637
samples
4.13
dust max (mg/m3)
287 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 350 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.
Dogwood #3 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2010.
Injury rate, 2010
ⓘ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 3.96 and the all-US-mining average was 3.20 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.29 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
2010 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2009 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2008 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2007 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2006 *
5.84
2.92
0.000
2005
1.99
0.00
0.000
2004 *
4.16
2.08
2.081
* 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)
2011
11
49,786
2010
17
113,104
2009
17
119,348
2008
19
171,818
2007
18
184,970
2006
30
158,765
2005
42
241,138
2004
39
233,001
2003
25
83,067
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Dogwood #3 sits in Wise County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 5.9% 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.
Wise County, Virginia · Population 35,727
5.9%
Mining share of county employment
$50,740
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
2011 Q3
96
1
0
10416.7
2011 Q2
4,658
21
4
4508.4
2011 Q1
9,019
28
11
3104.6
2010 Q4
9,090
28
6
3080.3
2010 Q3
8,272
31
10
3747.6
2010 Q2
10,259
26
9
2534.4
2010 Q1
9,267
15
4
1618.6
2009 Q4
9,357
12
3
1282.5
Show 26 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2009 Q3
8,828
50
11
5663.8
2009 Q2
9,663
33
5
3415.1
2009 Q1
10,007
20
4
1998.6
2008 Q4
11,730
22
5
1875.5
2008 Q3
11,067
24
6
2168.6
2008 Q2
10,523
22
4
2090.7
2008 Q1
11,027
7
1
634.8
2007 Q4
12,367
9
1
727.7
2007 Q3
11,233
15
2
1335.4
2007 Q2
8,879
5
0
563.1
2007 Q1
8,694
6
2
690.1
2006 Q4
8,370
6
1
716.8
2006 Q3
3,647
13
3
3564.6
2006 Q2
29,287
16
5
546.3
2006 Q1
27,246
8
4
293.6
2005 Q4
24,917
7
1
280.9
2005 Q3
24,613
13
6
528.2
2005 Q2
26,380
14
3
530.7
2005 Q1
24,587
11
6
447.4
2004 Q4
24,118
4
3
165.9
2004 Q3
20,956
4
2
190.9
2004 Q2
25,606
5
1
195.3
2004 Q1
25,405
5
3
196.8
2003 Q4
18,520
9
4
486.0
2003 Q3
20,451
6
1
293.4
2003 Q2
1,728
0
0
0.0
Fatalities at this mine
1 recorded
September 24, 2004VA · Coalutility man, errand boy, service truck operatorFatality · ELECTRICAL
HE WAS ASSISTING A CERTIFIED ELECTRICIAN IN INSTALLING A 7200 VOLT PLUG (CATHEAD) WHEN HE APPARENTLY CAME IN CONTACT WITH AN ENERGIZED RECEPTACLE ON THE POWER DISTRIBUTION BOX (VCB). THIS RESULTED IN A FATAL.
Using a Lo-Trac to assist in hanging an airlock door. The employee was trying to steady the door by placing his left hand on the top of the door. The Lo-Trac raised the door and caught the employee's left ring finger between the roof and the top of the airlock door.
A ROOF FALL DURING RETREAT MINING CAUGHT THE HEAD OF THE MINER. WHILE RETREAT MINING UNDER 28' OF DRAWROCK THE DRAWROCK FELL TRAPPING THE MINER HEAD FOR OVER THE 1 HR TIME LIMIT.
February 28, 2006VA · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerPOWERED HAULAGE
A roller was stuck on the 1 east belt at break #6. The EE attempted to free the roller without locking out or turning off the belt. His hand slipped and caught his lower right arm (forearm) between the belt and the roller. The Dr. took him off work on 3/7/06.
2005 · 2 incidents
November 22, 2005VA · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
A CREW MEMBER WAS USING A RAILROAD JACK TO ALIGN A DRIVE UNIT. THE JACK HANDLE BECAME STUCK. WHEN THE HANDLE WAS FREED UP IT WAS EJECTED FROM THE JACK HANDLE SLEEVE. THE HANDLE TRAVELED ABOUT 5 FEET AND STRUCK THE INJURED EMPLOYEE ABOVE THE RIGHT EYE CAUSING A LACERATION.
While second mining the miner became stuck because of floor conditions. Time was needed to remove the attached bridge system, and to assemble the retriever. During this time a rock fell from the roof onto the miner head. Miner was removed with the assistance of the retriever. Miner was not damaged.
EE WAS TIGHTENING LUG NUT ON SCOOP TIRE WHEN THE SOCKET SLIPPED OFF THE LUG NUT. EE WAS PUTTING DOWN PRESSURE ON THE 3/4" RATCHET WHEN THE SOCKET SLIPPED. HE LOST HIS BALANCE AND FELL FACE-FIRST INTO THE LEFT REAR FENDER OF THE SCOOP.
CONTINUOUS MINER CUT 8'IN THE #7 FACE & PENETRATED END OF AUGER HOLE. AUGER HOLE WAS FULL OF WATER, WHICH DRAINED ONTO THE SECTION. AUGER HOLE WAS OVER 200'CLOSER TO THE ACTIVE WORKINGS THAN WAS SHOWN ON OUR MAP PROJECTIONS. #7 ENTRY IS SEALED & WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE FACE DRILLING PLAN FOR APPROVAL.