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: 354 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Lick Fork Strip has $3K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K outstanding across 0 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.
$3K
proposed penalties
$3K
current assessed
$255
paid to date
$2K
outstanding
27 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2001-01-04.
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.
MSHA sampling at Lick Fork Strip shows 97% of 31 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: 2002-12-17, 23 years ago
97%
within 1.5 mg/m3
31
samples
2.26
dust max (mg/m3)
28 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 3 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.
Lick Fork Strip recorded 5.96 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2002.
Injury rate, 2002
ⓘ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.
5.96
total case rate
5.96
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 6.89 and the all-US-mining average was 5.05 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 6.43 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2002
5.96
5.96
0.000
2001
2.91
2.91
0.000
2000 *
23.68
20.30
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)
2003
0
2002
38
353,820
2001
55
430,055
2000
31
151,756
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Lick Fork Strip 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
2003 Q3
0
0
0
2003 Q2
0
0
0
2003 Q1
0
0
0
2002 Q4
17,915
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
21,389
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
28,825
0
0
0.0
2002 Q1
32,585
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
37,587
0
0
0.0
Show 7 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2001 Q3
37,322
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
40,132
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
22,606
3
0
132.7
2000 Q4
0
0
0
2000 Q3
14,067
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
14,920
10
6
670.2
2000 Q1
30,123
9
2
298.8
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
19 on file
2002 · 3 incidents
May 13, 2002VA · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE WAS WORKING ON A 789 HAULER TAKING OFF THE REAR SUSPENSION CYLINDERS...THE WIND WAS BLOWING HARD, SOME DIRT OR OTHER OBJECT CAME OFF THE CYLINDER INTO EE'S EYE.
March 20, 2002VA · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE WAS PUTTING HYDRAULIC TANK COVER BACK ON A 789 HAULER. THE COVER SLIPPED & PUSHED HIS THUMB BACKWARDS. EE WORKED UNTIL MARCH 29, HE HAD SURGERY ON HIS THUMB ON THIS DATE.
January 3, 2002VA · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE STEPPED OUT OF HIS SERVICE TRUCK TO GET A FLASHLIGHT OUT OF HIS PERSONAL TRUCK. THE SERVICE TRUCK STARTED TO ROLL AND THE EE REACHED FOR THE DOOR HANDLE TO CATCH THE TRUCK, FELL TO THE GROU ND, HURTING HIS LEFT SHOULDER.
EE WAS WALKING ACROSS THE DRILL BENCH STEPPED IN A HOLE AND FELL HITTING HIS HAND ON A SHARP STICK CAUSING A PUNCTURE ON LEFT HAND BETWEEN THE THUMB AND FOREFINGER.
April 6, 2000VA · Coalblaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkeyHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE WAS PUTTING FUEL IN THE SERVICE TRUCK, STARTED TO CLIMB DOWN THE LADDER. HE FELL AND THE VCORD ON HIS CAP LIGHT CAUGHT ON THE HAND RAIL. CORD WAS CAUGHT AROUND LEFT WRIST AND STRETCHED LEFT SHOULDER.
February 3, 2000VA · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EMPLOYEE WAS CLIMBING ON DRILTECH DRILL WHEN HIS HAND SLIPPED OFF HAND RAIL, CAUSING HIM TO FALL BACKWARDS. HE DID NOT WANT TO GO TO DOCTOR. THE FALL WAS RECORDED ON SHIFT REPORT.
EE WAS HELPING A MECHANIC, PULL THE ENGINE ON A D-9 DOZER. HE STARTED TO GET DOWN OF THE TRACK OH THE DOZER AND SLIPED AND FELL ON HIS LEFT SHOULDER. THERE WAS SNOW ON THE TRACK.
February 1, 2000VA · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerPOWERED HAULAGE
WHILE EE WAS BACKING DOZER UP STEEP INCLINE, HE BACKED OVER A ROCK LEDGE, CAUSING THE BACK OF THE DOZER TO COME DOWN HARD AND SHAKING THE OPERATOR CAUSING NECK AND BACK STRAINED MUSCLES.
1999 · 7 incidents
December 29, 1999VA · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
WHILE STANDING ON TOP OF BERM THAT PROTECTS FUEL AND OIL STORAGE, EE SLIPPED OFF AND FELL BESIDE OF HAULER WHILE TRYING TO REACH OIL HOSE TO HAULER DRIVER.
December 20, 1999VA · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techALL OTHER OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES
WHILE OPERATING A 992C LOADER EE WAS LOADING THE BUCKET ON THE LOADER WHEN THE PILE HE WAS LOADING IN FELL FROM THE TOP LANDING IN THE BUCKET. EE BACKED THE LOADER UP AND WENT INTO A HOLE THAT HAD WALLOWED OUT WHERE HE HAD BEEN WORKING AND PULLED A MUSCLE IN HIS BACK.