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: 362 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Job #15 Surface has $8K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 3 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.
$8K
proposed penalties
$8K
current assessed
$8K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
23 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $2K in penalties contested before the Commission, $1K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2013-01-24.
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.
4citations taken to the federal commission · 17% of citations on record
Settled
4 · 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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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%
31%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$2K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2011-06-16.
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 Job #15 Surface shows 100% of 20 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: 2011-04-04, 15 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
20
samples
0.92
dust max (mg/m3)
20 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 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.
Job #15 Surface recorded 4.17 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2008.
Injury rate, 2008
ⓘ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.
4.17
total case rate
4.17
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 4.41 and the all-US-mining average was 3.61 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 3.66 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.
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)
2017
0
2016
0
2015
0
2014
0
2013
0
2012
0
2011
15
51,157
2010
3
2009
6
27,872
2008
15
91,577
2007
44
297,477
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Job #15 Surface 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
2017 Q1
0
0
0
2016 Q4
0
0
0
2016 Q3
0
0
0
2016 Q2
0
0
0
2016 Q1
0
0
0
2015 Q4
0
0
0
2015 Q3
0
0
0
2015 Q2
0
0
0
Show 25 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2015 Q1
0
0
0
2014 Q4
0
0
0
2014 Q3
0
0
0
2013 Q1
0
1
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
0
0
0
2012 Q2
0
0
0
2012 Q1
0
0
0
2011 Q4
3,046
1
1
328.3
2011 Q3
8,782
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
12,595
2
0
158.8
2010 Q3
0
0
0
2010 Q2
1,172
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
2,582
1
0
387.3
2009 Q4
10,636
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
723
1
1
1383.1
2009 Q2
0
0
0
2009 Q1
0
3
0
2008 Q4
153
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
7,359
1
0
135.9
2008 Q2
11,788
0
0
0.0
2008 Q1
28,683
5
4
174.3
2007 Q4
29,018
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
34,880
5
1
143.3
2007 Q2
30,527
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
3 on file
2008 · 1 incident
January 21, 2008VA · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techIGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST
Employee was using torch to cut a broken place out of a hydraulic cylinder, when the oil in the cylinder ignited and flames shot underneath his helmet, burning his face.
Drill steel fell on hand when the steel fell through an auger hole mashing his right middle finger and thumb against the deck. Received several stitches in middle finger of right hand.
Employee was operating WT-8 water truck, travelling towards Job #14 at approx 800pm. a 1998 Chevy truck traveling the same direction hit WT-8 in the right rear area demolishing the pickup truck. The driver, though bleeding heavily, left the scene on foot. 911 call was made by foreman & after searching for injured driver (to no avail), MSHA & DMME were called.