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Huffman Fk.: 142 MSHA citations Coal

Controlled by Metinvest B V
Big Rock, Buchanan County, VA  ·  NonProducing
MSHA Mine ID: 4407225

Huffman Fk. has $38K in proposed MSHA penalties and $246 outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
10
Years on record
2009–2015
Latest incident
May 2015
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2009
142
citations
53
significant & substantial
$38,138
proposed penalties
$33,722
paid to date
88% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $4,416 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Surface Minerals Company's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2008
52
inspections on record
2,212
inspection hours
6.4
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.
142 citations across 2,212 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Huffman Fk. has $38K in proposed MSHA penalties and $246 outstanding across 2 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.
$38K
proposed penalties
$34K
current assessed
$34K
paid to date
$246
outstanding
140 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $6K in penalties contested before the Commission, $1K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-02-06.
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.
37.9%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
37.9%
reasonably likely or greater
10.7%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 22.1% low, 77.9% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
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.
3 citations taken to the federal commission · 2% of citations on record
  • Settled 3 · 100%
50%
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 2 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
74%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$6K proposed, $1K 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 2012-06-07.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
VA 2011-517 Settlement Barbour 2012 $5K → $1K
VA 2012-487 Settlement Koutras 2013 $632 → $462
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Huffman Fk. shows 100% of 228 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: 2023-04-26, 3 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
228
samples
1.10
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.
140 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 88 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR105
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR51
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER28

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2020-10-30, 5 years ago
15.3
silica avg (%)
21
samples
39.4
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR15
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR6
See US coal mines ranked by silica in their dust samples.

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: 2023-01-10, 3 years ago
1%
over PEL
99
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE28
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR24
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER20
See US mines ranked by noise samples over the legal limit.
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
2023 100% 5
2022 100% 7
2021 100% 5
2020 100% 14
2019 100% 34
2018 100% 19
2017 100% 30
2016 100% 33
2015 100% 35
2014 100% 10
2012 100% 10
2011 100% 11
2010 100% 5
2009 100% 10
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2020 13.6 2
2019 13.9 2
2017 12.0 5
2016 8.8 3
2014 16.2 1
2011 21.5 6
2010 17.9 2
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2023 0% 3
2020 0% 3
2019 0% 15
2018 0% 10
2017 0% 10
2016 0% 12
2015 0% 12
2014 0% 5
2012 0% 10
2011 0% 4
2010 0% 5
2009 10% 10
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Huffman Fk. recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2019.

Injury rate, 2019
ⓘ 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 3.39 and the all-US-mining average was 2.32 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 2.65 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
2019 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2018 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2017 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2016 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2015 * 2.86 0.00 0.000
2012 * 4.71 4.71 0.000
2011 * 2.01 0.00 0.000
2010 * 2.01 2.01 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.
Ownership history
  1. Surface Minerals Company 2008 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 0
2025 3
2024 2
2023 2
2022 4
2021 3
2020 6 10,646
2019 33 34,495
2018 30
2017 33 20,906
2016 27 26,780
2015 22 53,354
2014 5 12,916
2013 3
2012 34 208,931
2011 34 376,807
2010 34 328,414
2009 16 73,865
2008 3
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Huffman Fk. sits in Buchanan County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 11.2% 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.
Buchanan County, Virginia · Population 19,857
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$42,216
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 0 0 0
2026 Q1 0 0 0
2025 Q4 569 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 1,588 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 1,997 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 1,953 2 0 1024.1
2024 Q4 1,100 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 1,919 0 0 0.0
Show 63 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 2,057 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 0 0 0
2023 Q4 0 0 0
2023 Q3 1,769 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 0 0 0
2023 Q1 3,061 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 0 0 0
2022 Q3 3,120 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 3,180 1 0 314.5
2022 Q1 2,817 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 2,574 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 3,033 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 2,592 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 0 0 0
2020 Q4 0 0 0
2020 Q3 2,874 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 2,965 4 1 1349.1
2020 Q1 9,941 1 0 100.6
2019 Q4 19,886 3 2 150.9
2019 Q3 20,707 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 23,270 1 0 43.0
2019 Q1 5,908 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 19,607 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 18,770 3 1 159.8
2018 Q2 19,445 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 23,142 3 0 129.6
2017 Q4 21,132 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 23,679 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 22,905 4 0 174.6
2017 Q1 23,129 5 1 216.2
2016 Q4 21,177 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 20,953 3 2 143.2
2016 Q2 19,544 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 17,048 3 2 176.0
2015 Q4 18,157 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 17,870 7 1 391.7
2015 Q2 18,030 2 1 110.9
2015 Q1 15,773 7 3 443.8
2014 Q4 8,150 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 5,387 3 1 556.9
2014 Q2 0 0 0
2014 Q1 1,480 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 1,983 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 1,713 1 0 583.8
2013 Q2 2,155 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 1,813 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 10,847 5 2 461.0
2012 Q3 18,503 2 1 108.1
2012 Q2 27,107 2 1 73.8
2012 Q1 28,448 8 4 281.2
2011 Q4 20,461 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 24,076 4 2 166.1
2011 Q2 27,041 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 27,708 6 2 216.5
2010 Q4 22,999 4 2 173.9
2010 Q3 24,370 7 2 287.2
2010 Q2 26,739 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 25,276 2 1 79.1
2009 Q4 23,166 4 1 172.7
2009 Q3 11,800 3 0 254.2
2009 Q2 1,377 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 0 0 0
2008 Q4 1,763 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

10 on file

2015 · 1 incident

May 18, 2015 VA · Coal outside foreman, leadman FIRE
Surface Minerals Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

The employee was in the process of trying to extinguish a non-reportable fire on a dozer and possibly experienced smoke inhalation.

2012 · 4 incidents

September 20, 2012 VA · Coal blaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkey HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Surface Minerals Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Loading wet hole material(bags)from trailer to truck when employee felt a sudden sharp pain in his lower back

March 20, 2012 VA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Surface Minerals Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee is a mechanic and he was working under a truck. As he was getting out from under the truck he twisted his knee. When he stood up, the pain of the knee & standing up made him pass out & he fell on his face.

January 16, 2012 VA · Coal pumper HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Surface Minerals Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was helping load crib blocks onto a mechanic truck when he felt a pain in his stomach. He was diagnosed as having a hernia. He required surgery and has not returned to work as of today.

January 11, 2012 VA · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Surface Minerals Company · Struck against a moving object

As the loader operator dumped into a 777 Cat. truck, a rock from the bucket hit in the truck bed and the driver backed into the loader bucket causing a strain to his back. He has been on restricted duty for four days and is working now at full duty.

2011 · 2 incidents

July 30, 2011 VA · Coal rotary bucket excavator operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Surface Minerals Company · Fall to the walkway or working surface

As employee was doing his pre-opt he stepped on an oily spot and fell hitting his left knee on the deck of a loader causing bruising.

February 21, 2011 VA · Coal FIRE
Surface Minerals Company · Accident type, without injuries

Employee was tramming a D11N dozer out of a shot and when he got to the haulroad he noticed that the hydraulic gauge was showing hot. He stopped the dozer and trammed it backward to a wide spot (50 to 60 feet) to keep from blocking the haulroad. When he stopped, fire shot up beside both doors. The right side fire lesson and he exited the dozer. No injuries occurred.

2010 · 2 incidents

October 19, 2010 VA · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Surface Minerals Company · Struck against a moving object

Was decending a haul road with a loaded truck, he went to change gears and could not get the transmission in another gear. He turned the truck over onto the passenger side. On an approximately 8 percent grade. This accident is a contractor for Huffman Fork (LB Trucking #K193) but we are required to report the accident according to our MSHA district.

2009 · 1 incident

September 11, 2009 VA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Surface Minerals Company · Struck by flying object

Employee got a foreign object in his left eye as he was blowing dust off of a dust hood on a drill. Employee missed no work, but had to use prescription medication.