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.
131 citations across 2,036 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
HWM 61 has $215K in proposed MSHA penalties and $9K outstanding across 10 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.
$215K
proposed penalties
$134K
current assessed
$125K
paid to date
$9K
outstanding
118 assessments are final orders; 10 contested dockets.
Of $200K in penalties contested before the Commission, $119K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2019-06-12.
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.
51citations taken to the federal commission · 39% of citations on record
Settled
43 · 84%
Stood as issued
8 · 16%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 28 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
40%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$200K proposed, $119K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2020-01-05.
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 HWM 61 shows 99% of 74 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: 2018-11-06, 7 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
74
samples
2.14
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.
74 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
AUGER OPERATOR16
HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER15
GROUNDMAN13
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.
HWM 61 recorded 6.59 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2018.
Injury rate, 2018
ⓘ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.
6.59
total case rate
6.59
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.34 and the all-US-mining average was 2.33 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.77 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
2018 *
6.59
6.59
0.000
2017 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2014 *
6.59
6.59
6.592
2013 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2012 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2011 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2010 *
0.00
0.00
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)
2019
9
40,891
2018
11
131,051
2017
10
77,453
2016
5
2015
4
2014
14
2013
20
2012
21
2011
16
2010
12
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
HWM 61 sits in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 1.7% 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.
Greenbrier County, West Virginia · Population 32,688
1.7%
Mining share of county employment
$48,662
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
2019 Q3
2,129
0
0
0.0
2019 Q2
6,379
11
5
1724.4
2019 Q1
7,049
31
13
4397.8
2018 Q4
6,429
3
0
466.6
2018 Q3
7,789
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
7,900
2
0
253.2
2018 Q1
8,245
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
6,855
0
0
0.0
Show 31 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2017 Q3
7,286
1
1
137.2
2017 Q2
3,987
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
4,648
0
0
0.0
2016 Q4
4,730
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
4,701
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
2,682
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
0
0
0
2015 Q4
0
0
0
2015 Q3
820
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
1,220
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
4,595
15
3
3264.4
2014 Q4
4,320
7
4
1620.4
2014 Q3
7,951
7
0
880.4
2014 Q2
7,641
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
10,427
3
0
287.7
2013 Q4
10,958
0
0
0.0
2013 Q3
11,544
2
0
173.3
2013 Q2
10,422
1
0
96.0
2013 Q1
13,610
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
12,099
3
0
248.0
2012 Q3
13,965
12
4
859.3
2012 Q2
10,965
3
0
273.6
2012 Q1
11,184
5
1
447.1
2011 Q4
7,753
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
8,694
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
10,729
2
0
186.4
2011 Q1
9,979
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
11,438
8
2
699.4
2010 Q3
0
7
6
2010 Q2
10,704
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
5,343
0
0
0.0
Fatalities at this mine
2 recorded
March 7, 2019WV · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorFatality · MACHINERY
Victim was assisting with extracting the highwall miner cars. EE had been shoveling dirt/mud off the deck of the miner. EE was standing at the rear of the deck while a car was being extracted and for unknown reason head came forward and was caught between the car and a support post. Suffered crushing injuries to the head.
October 7, 2014WV · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorFatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Employee apparently entered into highwall miner hole in an attempt to retrieve a cutter chain. While at the chain, the employee was struck by rock from roof.
Reportable incidents
3 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2019 · 1 incident
January 30, 2019WV · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanMACHINERY
EE was using a hand held drill to clear dirt and other material from the hole that the pin goes into in order to connect two highwall miner cars. The drill bit hung in the pin hole and the drill twisted causing the injury.
Victim is groundman/padman on highwall miner. Was using a hand operated drill with an auger bit. Bit got bound; handle on drill hit the back of employee's hand when it spun around. Two bones fractured by the impact (metacarpal bones leading to the index & middle fingers). Victim was taken to the hospital by the foreman; hand was put in a cast.