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.
69 citations across 2,291 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
LAFLIN QUARRY has $8K in proposed MSHA penalties and $453 outstanding across 5 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
$453
outstanding
66 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $458 in penalties contested before the Commission, $367 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-06-16.
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.
2citations taken to the federal commission · 3% of citations on record
Settled
2 · 100%
0%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 1 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
7%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$172 proposed, $160 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2010-01-22.
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.
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.
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.
Metal and nonmetal contaminants (personal samples)
ⓘMany samples are screening measurements of substances with no applicable exposure limit; they are counted as samples but excluded from every over-limit figure. Over-limit shares use only limit-tested samples.
Last sampled: 2026-06-17
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
11
samples
4
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg6
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz5
Show the individual readings (11)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2026-06-17
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.73
0.94
0.78
Crusher Oper/Worker
2026-06-17
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Utility Man
2023-08-17
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Tractor Operator
2023-08-17
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.36
1.14
0.32
Crusher Oper/Worker
2023-08-17
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2021-11-02
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2021-11-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.36
0.56
0.64
Crusher Oper/Worker
2021-11-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.21
0.58
0.36
Laborer, Bullgang
2021-11-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.13
Backhoe Operator
2018-11-28
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2018-11-28
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly. Metal/nonmetal contaminant figures come from MSHA's Personal Health Samples and Area Samples files (public record), 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.
LAFLIN QUARRY recorded 6.58 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ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.
6.58
total case rate
6.58
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.65 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Pennsylvania, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.07 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
2025 *
6.58
6.58
0.000
2024 *
5.49
0.00
0.000
2023 *
5.35
0.00
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
7.42
7.42
0.000
2019 *
12.41
12.41
0.000
2018 *
7.25
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)
2026
11
2025
14
2024
22
2023
19
2022
24
2021
23
2020
23
2019
19
2018
13
108
2017
13
20,532
2016
13
5,943
2015
12
3,139
2014
11
2013
12
7,600
2012
12
4,722
2011
9
1,971
2010
14
13,728
2009
11
1,613
2008
10
677
2007
8
2,418
2006
6
1,189
2005
10
445
2004
15
403
2003
17
2002
20
102
2001
11
2000
11
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
LAFLIN QUARRY sits in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 0.2% 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.
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania · Population 325,978
0.2%
Mining share of county employment
$62,321
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
Employee lost balance and fall off of the track to the ground. Employee first made contact with the ground on left shoulder/elbow area. They received 3 stitches in left elbow, has a sprained left shoulder, and a fractured left scapula.
2024 · 1 incident
March 21, 2024PA · Metal/Non-Metalutility man, shift tech, service/dump truck operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was in close proximity of another welder, and when EE lifted hood up a piece of debris went up under EE's safety glasses. EE went to a medical facility and a piece of metal was removed from the right eye. EE was not given any restrictions.
2023 · 1 incident
August 16, 2023PA · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
The employee was attempting to put an oxygen bottle away for storage, employee put the bottle on end and turned away for a moment, the bottle topped over striking employee's foot.
An employee was cleaning material out from under the primary conveyor so that EE could wash down the area that was unable to reach with a shovel. As EE bent to pick up a large rock, a second rock came off the conveyor from above EE and hit EE's hand. Xrays showed it's fractured.
While cleaning behind the bearing journal the come-along slipped allowing the load to drop onto the employee's right hand, injuring their thumb and index finger.
2018 · 1 incident
April 4, 2018PA · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorOTHER
Employee was climbing down the ladder of a WA500 Komatsu loader and experienced pain in upper back.
2017 · 4 incidents
November 13, 2017PA · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Customer was filling water tank on pick up truck. Stepped up on rear bumper of truck and slipped, falling backwards landing on berm, fractured ankle. Bumper was 27" above the ground.
October 30, 2017PA · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Upon removal of vandal shield from door of excavator, the shield slipped from the hand of the employee. EE proceeded to throw out left foot to stop it from falling to the ground. This action resulted in a pulled groin muscle.
Miner was manually adjusting the tines on a forklift, while letting go of tine with left hand before removing right hand, gravity took over, resulting in the right middle finger being pinched by the tine and tine backboard.
2016 · 1 incident
September 13, 2016PA · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS