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.
Rate withheld: 412 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Fork Ridge Strip has $1K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 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.
$1K
proposed penalties
$1K
current assessed
$1K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
16 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2003-05-03.
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.
MSHA sampling at Fork Ridge Strip shows 100% of 34 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: 2003-05-02, 23 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
34
samples
1.38
dust max (mg/m3)
27 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 7 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.
Fork Ridge Strip recorded 12.24 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2002.
Injury rate, 2002
ⓘ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.
12.24
total case rate
12.24
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 6.89 and the all-US-mining average was 5.05 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 6.43 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
2002 *
12.24
12.24
0.000
2001 *
6.26
4.17
0.000
2000 *
2.26
2.26
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)
2004
0
2003
8
21,194
2002
36
362,674
2001
44
420,930
2000
39
345,416
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Fork Ridge Strip 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
2004 Q1
0
0
0
2003 Q4
238
0
0
0.0
2003 Q3
1,686
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
3,907
2
1
511.9
2003 Q1
9,813
1
0
101.9
2002 Q4
26,449
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
24,471
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
23,708
0
0
0.0
Show 9 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2002 Q1
23,421
1
0
42.7
2001 Q4
22,550
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
27,679
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
12,253
2
0
163.2
2001 Q1
33,426
5
4
149.6
2000 Q4
19,318
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
23,021
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
29,443
3
2
101.9
2000 Q1
16,659
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
11 on file
2003 · 1 incident
March 21, 2003VA · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
A & G Coal Corp · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects
EMPLOYEE WAS PULLING ON A WRENCH TO LOOSEN A BOLT WHILE WORKING ON A DOZER. HE FELT A PULL IN HIS LOWER BACK ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING ON D-10 DOZER HARD BAR, PAD THAT GOES TO THE HARD BAR CAME LOOSE HITTING EMPLOYEE IN THE HEAD. THIS CAUSED A SMALL CUT THAT REQUIRED 2 OR 3 STITCHES.
EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING HAUL ROAD WITH HIS LOADER. HE RAN INTO A HOLE IN THE ROAD THAT JARRED HIS BACK. HE DID NOT TURN IN A WORK RELATED COMPENSATION CLAIM UNTIL MONDAY, JUNE 10, 2002.
May 14, 2002VA · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerMACHINERY
EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING WATER TRUCK AND HIT A HOLE IN THE ROAD COMING OFF THE DUMP, TWISTING HIS BODY AND NECK.
July 25, 2001VA · Coaldriller, highwall operator, highwall drill operatorDUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
A & G Coal Corp · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
EMPLOYEE HAD A CHEST X-RAY AND IT WAS FOUND HE HAD ABNORMALITIES SUGGESTING COALESCENCE AND SMALL PNEUMOCONIOTIC OPACITIES, COR PULMONALE, ENLARGEMENT OF HILAR AND MEDIASTINAL LYMPH NODES, DIS TORTION OF INTRATHORACIC ORGANS, PLEURAL THICKENING AND POSSIBLE CHANGES CONSISTENT WITH TUBERCULOSIS.