Meridian Mine: 14 MSHA citations
Coal
Whitewood,
Buchanan County,
VA
·
Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4406856
Meridian Mine has $1K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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- Fatalities
- 0
- Total incidents
- 3
- Years on record
- 1997–1999
- Latest incident
- Sep 1999
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
4
significant & substantial
$1,021
proposed penalties
98% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $18 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
n/a
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: 156 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Meridian Mine has $1K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 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.
14 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $73 in penalties contested before the Commission, $55 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2000-11-01.
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.
28.6%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
28.6%
reasonably likely or greater
7.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 0.0% low, 100.0% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
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.
| Docket |
Decision |
Judge |
Year |
Proposed / upheld |
| VA 20000031 |
Settlement |
Hodgdon |
2000 |
$73 → $55 |
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at Meridian Mine shows 100% of 23 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: 2000-04-24, 26 years ago
6 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 17 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
- CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR11
- ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)1
- SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (OFF STANDARD)1
Silica (quartz)
Last sampled: 2000-03-22, 26 years ago
Most-sampled occupations
- CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR1
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.
Last sampled: 2000-03-13, 26 years ago
Most-sampled occupations
- CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR1
- ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)1
- SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)1
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
-
Calico Coal Inc
1996 to present
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) |
| 2000 |
17 |
28,469 |
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Meridian Mine sits in Buchanan County, 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.
Buchanan County, Virginia · Population 19,857
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$42,216
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 |
| 2000 Q2 |
5,639 |
2 |
1 |
354.7 |
| 2000 Q1 |
7,844 |
9 |
3 |
1147.4 |
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
3 on file
1999 · 2 incidents
September 30, 1999
VA · Coal
shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator
FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Calico Coal Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EE WAS ON HIS KNEES WATCHING MINER CABLE BEING PULLED UP, WHEN A PIECE OF ROCK FELL FROM TOP BETWEEN BOLTS. THE PIECE OF ROCK HIT HIM ON MINING HAT, CAUSING IT TO CUT HIM ABOVE HIS RT EYE.\
Calico Coal Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EMPLOYEE WAS HELPING TO CHANGE PLANETARY GEAR ONMINER, AND WAS STRUCK IN THE LEFT EYE BY A SLATEBAR.
1997 · 1 incident
Calico Coal Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
INJURED WAS RIDING IN SCOOP BUCKET ENROUTE TO SECTION. HE CAUGHT HIS RIGHT SHOULDER AGAINST THE TOP, ROLLED OVER IN BUCKET BREAKING HIS LEFT ARM (HUMERUS). HEIGHT WAS 48" WHERE ACCIDENT OCCURR ED.