Eskdale, Kanawha County,
WV
·
Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4608836
Laurel Fork Deep Mine has $60K in proposed MSHA penalties and $36K outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
35
Years on record
2000–2006
Latest incident
Jun 2006
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
292
citations
174
significant & substantial
$59,548
proposed penalties
$23,456
paid to date
39% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $36,092 gap.
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.
292 citations across 2,766 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Laurel Fork Deep Mine has $60K in proposed MSHA penalties and $36K outstanding across 1 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.
$60K
proposed penalties
$59K
current assessed
$23K
paid to date
$36K
outstanding
287 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $733 in penalties contested before the Commission, $524 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2008-03-11.
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.
5citations taken to the federal commission · 2% of citations on record
Settled
5 · 100%
100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 5 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
29%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$733 proposed, $524 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 2003-11-10.
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 Laurel Fork Deep Mine shows 92% of 353 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: 2006-10-12, 19 years ago
92%
within 1.5 mg/m3
353
samples
6.62
dust max (mg/m3)
121 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 232 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.
Laurel Fork Deep Mine recorded 9.31 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2006.
Injury rate, 2006
ⓘ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.
9.31
total case rate
9.31
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 4.87 and the all-US-mining average was 3.91 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 5.26 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
2006 *
9.31
9.31
0.000
2005 *
6.41
0.00
0.000
2004
7.88
3.94
0.000
2003
7.64
3.82
0.000
2002 *
2.27
2.27
0.000
2001 *
8.14
8.14
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)
2007
5
2006
30
64,028
2005
45
181,875
2004
44
231,029
2003
39
202,790
2002
30
202,404
2001
24
84,452
2000
21
22,653
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Laurel Fork Deep Mine sits in Kanawha County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 1.9% 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.
Kanawha County, West Virginia · Population 178,198
1.9%
Mining share of county employment
$58,887
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
Titan Mining, Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EMPLOYEE WAS HELPING TO MOVE A CONT MINER DOWN #5 ENTRY, WATCHING THE SLACK ON THE CABLE. THE MINER TRAMMED OVER AN 8 TO 10 INCH LEDGE IN THE BOTTOM, CAUSING THE MINER BOOM TO SUDDENLY FLY UPWARDS, STRIKING THE ROOF AND CRUSHING THE VICTIM'S HEAD, HE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO STAY BACK AND WATCH THE CABLE SLACK AND TO STAY AWAY FROM THE MINER AND MINER BOOM.
Reportable incidents
34 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2006 · 3 incidents
June 8, 2006WV · Coalelectrician, linemanELECTRICAL
Employee stoles the feeder breaker knocked and he reset breaker. He states he thinks he leaned on cat head and put breaker in may have pushed cat head out-burnt rt hand.
April 29, 2006WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
Titan Mining, Inc. · Caught in, under or between two or more moving objects
Employee left manbus in gear. Injured employee walked between manbus and shuttle car. Another employee accidently hit tram pedal causing manbus to move forward catching injured employee between manbus and shuttle car.
EE running s/c being loaded when mine operator lowered conveyer boom into s/c causing ee's head to strike roof- height about 42".
October 25, 2004WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerMACHINERY
Titan Mining, Inc. · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EE emptying out hyd rock duster when ee's glove became caught in auger pulling his finger into auger cutting his finger, ee had his glove taped to his wrist.
October 21, 2004WV · Coalcontinuous miner operator, coal mole operatorMACHINERY
EE WAS INSTALLING BOLT IN ROOF TO CHECK HYD. PRESSURE ON THE ROOF BOLTER. WHEN INSTALLING THE 2ND BOLT TO CHECK PRESSURE A PIECE OF ROCK FELL FROM THE TOP & HIT HIS RT. HAND WHILE LAYING ON TH E DRILL POT CUTTING HIS MIDDLE FINGER ON HIS RT.HAND. ROCK MEASURED 18"ROUND & 2"THICK. HEIGHT IN THIS AREA 62".
January 29, 2003WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Titan Mining, Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
SWING ROOF BOLTER OVER TO INSTALL RIB BOLT AND HAD HOLE STARTED. STEEL IN HOLE AND SWUNG THE HEAD OVER AND CAUGHT HIS HAND BETWEEN THE FINISHING STEEL AND THE DRILL STEEL IN TOP.
January 13, 2003WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerOTHER
FILED FOR COMP. WILL PROTEST IT. I RECIEVED A CALL FROM EE ON JAN. 13TH, HE STATED THAT HIS SHOULDER & NECK WERE SORE, HE DID NOT KNOW WHY, I ASKED IF HE FELL, HE SAID NO BUT HE STILL CLAIMED THAT HIS ARM, SHOULDER & NECK WAS SORE. HE WENT TO THE DR. AND X-RAYS DID NOT SHOW ANYTHING.
2002 · 7 incidents
November 12, 2002WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
WHILE REACHING DOWN TO MOVE PUMP HE FELT SOMETHING IN HIS BACK PULL, HE STATES THAT HE FLUNG HIMSELF UPRIGHT IN REACTION AND HIT HIS HEAD ON THE MINE ROOF.
June 3, 2002WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerALL OTHER OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES
EE WAS CARRYING OIL CANS FROM THE SUPPLY STATION WHEN HE FELT PAIN IN BOTH HANDS. THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME AT ANOTHER MINE ON 12-17-01. IT WAS REPORTED. HE WAS WORKING FOR FORK CREEK MININ G AT THE TIME. THIS IS CLASSIFIED AS A REOCCURRENCE OF AN OLD INJURY.
March 15, 2002WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
A PIECE OF DUST IN RT. EYE, EE RUBBED EYE AND SCRATCHED IT. EE DID NOT REPORT INJURY. EMPLOYER RECEIVED WORKERS COMP FORM AND CALLED EE TO GET ACCIDENT REPORT 4-11-02.
January 15, 2002WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Titan Mining, Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
TRAMMING R/B TOWARD FEEDER WHEN EE PULLED PRESSURE TO ONE SIDE, BOLTER KICKED AROUND AND CAUGHT FOOT BETWEEN RIB AND BOLTER.
2001 · 9 incidents
July 2, 2001WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS CARRYING WATER DOWN STEPS, FELL FROM BOTTOM OF STEPS(8"X12"OFF GROUND) HE SAID HE HIT HIS HEAD AND LEFT SIDE. COULDN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH EMPLOYEE UNTIL 05-15-01.
May 1, 2001WV · Coalsection foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS
RROCK MEASURING 8-10" LONG- 6" WIDE-1-1 1/2" THICK HIT HIM IN LOWER BACK. HE CAME BACK TO WORK FOLLOWING MONDAY THEN QUIT. HE WAS HIT WITH BALL BUT IN HEAD AND BACK 11-13-2000 (DIDN'T WORK 11- 14-00) (AT HOME)
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