McDonald Fork Impoundment has $13K in proposed MSHA penalties and $478 outstanding across 8 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
34
Years on record
1983–2017
Latest incident
Apr 2017
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2004
57
citations
16
significant & substantial
$12,545
proposed penalties
$7,753
paid to date
62% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $4,792 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.
57 citations across 1,334 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
McDonald Fork Impoundment has $13K in proposed MSHA penalties and $478 outstanding across 8 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.
$13K
proposed penalties
$8K
current assessed
$8K
paid to date
$478
outstanding
54 assessments are final orders; 8 contested dockets.
Of $9K in penalties contested before the Commission, $5K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2021-07-27.
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.
27citations taken to the federal commission · 47% of citations on record
Settled
23 · 85%
Stood as issued
4 · 15%
82%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 11 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
46%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$9K proposed, $5K 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 2014-09-02.
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 McDonald Fork Impoundment shows 100% of 5 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: 2021-07-19, 5 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
5
samples
0.24
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.
1 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 4 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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2026
0
2025
0
2024
0
2023
0
2022
0
2021
0
2020
0
2019
0
2018
0
2017
0
2016
0
2015
0
2014
0
2013
0
2012
0
2011
2
2010
3
2009
1
2008
0
2007
0
2006
0
2005
0
2004
0
2000
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
McDonald Fork Impoundment sits in Wyoming County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 11.2% 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.
Wyoming County, West Virginia · Population 20,948
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$48,038
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
2026 Q2
0
0
0
2026 Q1
0
0
0
2025 Q4
0
0
0
2025 Q3
0
0
0
2025 Q2
0
0
0
2025 Q1
0
0
0
2024 Q4
0
0
0
2024 Q3
0
0
0
Show 77 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
0
0
0
2024 Q1
0
0
0
2023 Q4
0
0
0
2023 Q3
0
0
0
2023 Q2
0
0
0
2023 Q1
0
0
0
2022 Q4
0
0
0
2022 Q3
0
0
0
2022 Q2
0
0
0
2022 Q1
0
0
0
2021 Q4
0
0
0
2021 Q3
0
0
0
2021 Q2
0
0
0
2021 Q1
0
0
0
2020 Q4
0
0
0
2020 Q3
0
0
0
2020 Q2
0
0
0
2020 Q1
0
0
0
2019 Q4
0
0
0
2019 Q3
0
0
0
2019 Q2
0
0
0
2019 Q1
0
0
0
2018 Q4
0
2
0
2018 Q3
0
0
0
2018 Q2
0
0
0
2018 Q1
0
0
0
2017 Q4
0
0
0
2017 Q3
0
0
0
2017 Q1
0
1
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
3
0
2014 Q4
0
0
0
2014 Q3
0
0
0
2014 Q2
0
2
1
2014 Q1
0
0
0
2013 Q4
0
0
0
2013 Q3
0
0
0
2013 Q2
0
4
0
2013 Q1
0
0
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
0
0
0
2012 Q2
0
1
0
2012 Q1
0
0
0
2011 Q4
0
1
0
2011 Q3
1,046
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
2,099
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
2,092
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
2,050
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
2,259
1
0
442.7
2010 Q1
1,817
2
0
1100.7
2009 Q4
48
1
0
20833.3
2009 Q3
240
6
0
25000.0
2009 Q2
56
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
0
0
0
2008 Q3
0
13
7
2008 Q2
0
0
0
2008 Q1
0
0
0
2007 Q4
0
3
1
2007 Q3
0
0
0
2007 Q2
0
3
1
2007 Q1
0
0
0
2006 Q2
0
0
0
2006 Q1
0
0
0
2005 Q4
0
0
0
2005 Q3
0
2
1
2005 Q2
0
0
0
2005 Q1
0
4
1
2004 Q4
0
4
3
2000 Q4
0
0
0
2000 Q3
0
0
0
2000 Q2
0
0
0
2000 Q1
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
34 on file
2017 · 5 incidents
April 15, 2017WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerPOWERED HAULAGE
Injured was a passenger, back seat of pickup truck. After driver started downhill the driver applied brakes and brakes were OK. When truck picked up speed, driver applied brakes again and brakes failed. Driver tried to down shift but was forced to make a hard left turn causing truck to roll over, causing injuries
April 15, 2017WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerPOWERED HAULAGE
Injured was a passenger in front seat of pickup truck and was not wearing a seat belt when driver started downhill. Driver applied the brakes and breaks were OK. As truck got fast driver applied the brakes and brakes failed and driver tried to down shift and was forced to make a hard left, causing truck to roll over.
April 15, 2017WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerPOWERED HAULAGE
Injured was driving pickup when going downhill after leaving worksite. Driver applied brakes and brakes where OK, then as truck got faster, driver applied brakes again, brakes failed. Drive tried down shifting and at this time made a hard left turn and truck rolled over causing injury.
April 15, 2017WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerPOWERED HAULAGE
Injured was a passenger in back seat of pickup truck and was not wearing a seat belt when driver started down the hill and applied brakes and they were OK. After pickup started getting faster, driver applied brakes again and the brakes failed. Driver tried to down shift but was forced to make a hard left causing pickup to roll over causing injury.
January 28, 2017WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techOTHER
The medical examiner: (Preliminary report) Reported the victim died of a pulmonary embolism, natural cause. According to co-workers, the victim complained feeling ill throughout the shift. Became unconscious with a faint pulse and respiration. EMS was summoned. Efforts to revive were unsuccessful.
GLASS IN DOOR WAS BROKE, S/O PREPARED TO CLEAN UP THE GLASS & REMOVE REMAINING GLASS FROM DOOR WHEN HE CUT & RECEIVED LACERATION TO THE LT. INDEX FINGER. S/O WAS TREATED AT MAN ARH HOSPITAL-RE CIEVED 7 STITCHES & SENT HOME.
SECURITY OFFICER PREPARED TO WALK OUT OF THE BUILDING TO MAKE SECURITY PATROL SLIPPED ON A RUG IN THE HALLWAY, FALLING BACKWARDS FLAT ON HIS BACK AND HITTING THE BACK OF HIS HEAD. HE MADE BACK TO A TELEPHONE, CALL FOR HELP FROM ANOTHER SECURITY OFFICE. 911 WAS CALL AND HE WAS SENT TO HOSPITAL, TREATED AND SENT HOME. Y
1992 · 1 incident
January 28, 1992WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerDISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
WHILE CLEANING THE WALKWAY AT THE TOP OF THE SIO.BELT AT THE TRUCK DUMP.INJURED MASHED HIS FINGER AFTER A SPROCKET CHAIN FELL ON THE INDEX FINGER OF HIS LEFT HAND(7 STITCHES).
OPERATOR WAS USING GRADER DOOR TO HELP PULL HIMSELF INTO GRADER AND THE DOOR CAME LOOSE FROM LATCH AND CORNER OF DOOR HIT OPERATOR BETWEEN HIS EYES CAUSING A LACERATION THAT REQUIRED 8 STITCHE S.
HE WAS HELPING 7O CLOSE A DOOR ON A LOADED RAILROAD CAR WHEN THE BAR THEY WERE USING FOR THE HANDLE BROKE, STRIKING HIM ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FACE CAUSING A SEVERE CAT AND BRUISE TO HIS C HEEK. 3
September 28, 1987WV · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)