Mining Incidents

HARDROCK COAL CO.: 19 MSHA citations Coal

HARDROCK COAL COMPANY, INC. · Surface
Controlled by Roger Ohler
Berlin, Somerset County, PA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 3608307

HARDROCK COAL CO. has $2K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
0
Years on record
Latest incident
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2002
19
citations
5
significant & substantial
$2,165
proposed penalties
$2,165
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
73
inspections on record
860
inspection hours
n/a
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: 860 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

HARDROCK COAL CO. has $2K 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.
$2K
proposed penalties
$2K
current assessed
$2K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
19 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2020-01-23.
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.
26.3%
significant & substantial
5.3%
high negligence or reckless
26.3%
reasonably likely or greater
63.2%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 36.8% low, 57.9% moderate, 5.3% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at HARDROCK COAL CO. shows 100% of 30 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: 2024-09-06
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
30
samples
0.44
dust max (mg/m3)
0
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.
23 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 7 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR9
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER7
  • CRANE OPER/DRAGLINE OPERATOR6

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2004-09-15, 21 years ago
0.4
silica avg (%)
1
samples
0.4
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR1

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: 2022-07-15, 4 years ago
11%
over PEL
18
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • CRANE OPER/DRAGLINE OPERATOR4
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER4
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR3
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
2024 100% 1
2022 100% 2
2021 100% 1
2020 100% 3
2019 100% 1
2016 100% 1
2010 100% 2
2009 100% 1
2008 100% 2
2007 100% 1
2005 100% 1
2004 100% 2
2003 100% 2
2002 100% 5
2001 100% 2
2000 100% 3
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2022 0% 1
2019 0% 4
2010 0% 1
2008 0% 2
2004 0% 1
2003 25% 4
2002 33% 3
2001 0% 1
2000 0% 1
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
  1. Hard Rock Coal Company 1992 to 2001
  2. Hard Rock Coal Co. 2001 to 2003
  3. Hardrock Coal Company, Inc. 2003 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 1
2025 1 430
2024 1
2023 1 3,358
2022 1 2,453
2021 1 1,784
2020 1
2019 1
2018 0
2017 1
2016 1 500
2015 1
2011 1
2010 1 1,468
2009 1 155
2008 1 2,551
2007 1 4,533
2006 1 8,477
2005 1 7,698
2004 1 10,803
2003 3 31,562
2002 5 48,022
2001 1 12,974
2000 2 12,220
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

HARDROCK COAL CO. sits in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 1.6% 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.
Somerset County, Pennsylvania · Population 73,255
1.6%
Mining share of county employment
$59,378
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 100 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 100 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 200 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 200 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 100 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 100 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 100 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 200 0 0 0.0
Show 82 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 100 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 20 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 200 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 200 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 100 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 100 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 200 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 400 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 400 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 100 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 500 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 300 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 300 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 10 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 40 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 100 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 100 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 100 1 0 10000.0
2019 Q4 200 3 0 15000.0
2019 Q3 120 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 0 0 0
2019 Q1 10 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 0 0 0
2018 Q3 10 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 0 0 0
2018 Q1 0 0 0
2017 Q4 10 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 25 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 20 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 0 0 0
2016 Q4 20 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 50 1 0 20000.0
2016 Q2 75 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 80 6 0 75000.0
2015 Q4 95 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 75 1 0 13333.3
2015 Q2 20 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 40 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 400 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 420 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 480 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 310 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 480 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 480 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 480 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 480 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 480 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 320 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 450 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 0 0 0
2007 Q4 400 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 480 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 800 1 1 1250.0
2007 Q1 480 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 480 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 480 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 800 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 480 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 480 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 480 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 480 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 160 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 480 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 480 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 500 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 480 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 500 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 286 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 2,318 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 2,468 4 3 1620.7
2002 Q4 3,036 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 2,782 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 2,938 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 2,098 1 1 476.6
2001 Q4 960 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 480 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 480 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 480 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 580 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 480 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 800 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 960 0 0 0.0

No reportable incidents on file.

MSHA has no recorded reportable accidents for this mine in the current dataset. New reports appear here within a week of being filed.