MINE 78 PREPARATION PLANT has $43K in proposed MSHA penalties and $100 outstanding across 12 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
7
Years on record
2008–2020
Latest incident
Feb 2020
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2007
205
citations
51
significant & substantial
$43,253
proposed penalties
$38,143
paid to date
88% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $5,110 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.
205 citations across 2,935 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
MINE 78 PREPARATION PLANT has $43K in proposed MSHA penalties and $100 outstanding across 12 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.
$43K
proposed penalties
$38K
current assessed
$38K
paid to date
$100
outstanding
205 assessments are final orders; 12 contested dockets.
Of $10K in penalties contested before the Commission, $5K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-04-20.
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.
19citations taken to the federal commission · 9% of citations on record
Settled
18 · 95%
Stood as issued
1 · 5%
68%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 19 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
52%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$10K 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 2018-05-17.
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 MINE 78 PREPARATION PLANT shows 98% of 351 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: 2026-06-09
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
351
samples
2.23
dust max (mg/m3)
2
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.
205 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 146 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.
MINE 78 PREPARATION PLANT recorded 0.00 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Pennsylvania, coal mining averaged 2.63 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 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2024 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2023 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
4.65
4.65
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
0.00
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
Year
Employees
2026
5
2025
17
2024
18
2023
18
2022
16
2021
19
2020
21
2019
24
2018
22
2017
20
2016
18
2015
16
2014
20
2013
24
2012
26
2011
28
2010
28
2009
15
2008
26
2007
6
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
MINE 78 PREPARATION PLANT sits in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 1.6% 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.
Somerset County, Pennsylvania · Population 73,255
1.6%
Mining share of county employment
$59,378
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
2,205
2
0
907.0
2026 Q1
4,481
0
0
0.0
2025 Q4
6,410
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
8,345
2
0
239.7
2025 Q2
8,651
0
0
0.0
2025 Q1
6,976
4
0
573.4
2024 Q4
7,023
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
7,370
4
0
542.7
Show 69 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
7,064
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
7,164
7
0
977.1
2023 Q4
6,836
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
7,130
7
0
981.8
2023 Q2
7,967
1
0
125.5
2023 Q1
7,859
14
2
1781.4
2022 Q4
7,628
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
6,883
5
1
726.4
2022 Q2
7,394
0
0
0.0
2022 Q1
7,506
5
0
666.1
2021 Q4
7,893
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
9,028
3
0
332.3
2021 Q2
9,350
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
10,149
1
0
98.5
2020 Q4
9,909
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
9,909
2
0
201.8
2020 Q2
10,058
0
0
0.0
2020 Q1
13,095
13
3
992.7
2019 Q4
11,558
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
12,447
9
2
723.1
2019 Q2
12,610
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
13,326
4
0
300.2
2018 Q4
13,005
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
13,712
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
12,334
1
0
81.1
2018 Q1
13,324
3
0
225.2
2017 Q4
9,725
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
11,371
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
11,799
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
10,119
8
2
790.6
2016 Q4
11,013
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
7,910
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
8,092
1
1
123.6
2016 Q1
7,893
1
0
126.7
2015 Q4
8,726
1
0
114.6
2015 Q3
9,511
1
1
105.1
2015 Q2
7,984
11
2
1377.8
2015 Q1
7,272
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
9,332
8
5
857.3
2014 Q3
10,296
6
2
582.8
2014 Q2
9,773
2
0
204.6
2014 Q1
9,692
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
9,657
1
0
103.6
2013 Q3
12,820
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
4,458
2
1
448.6
2013 Q1
14,175
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
10,456
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
12,513
3
1
239.8
2012 Q2
12,902
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
4,074
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
12,122
3
0
247.5
2011 Q3
12,629
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
12,819
4
1
312.0
2011 Q1
13,082
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
12,242
3
0
245.1
2010 Q3
13,049
3
0
229.9
2010 Q2
13,516
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
13,294
6
5
451.3
2009 Q4
12,054
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
9,188
5
3
544.2
2009 Q2
4,573
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
3,110
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
15,705
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
17,376
3
3
172.7
2008 Q2
15,664
3
0
191.5
2008 Q1
9,502
3
1
315.7
2007 Q4
3,500
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
3,913
2
0
511.1
2007 Q2
2,650
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
7 on file
2020 · 1 incident
February 3, 2020PA · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee was cleaning a chute on the stacker belt when coal broke loose and the rock bar struck face. This resulted in concussion-like symptoms and a lost time accident.
2017 · 1 incident
May 8, 2017PA · Coalutility man, shift tech, service/dump truck operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
While lifting a pipe with a chain block a strap broke, which caused EE a strain in his shoulder. EE never reported it till 1/29/14. He went to the doctor on 1/31/14 and reported back to work as lite duty. We had no lite duty work so EE was sent home on 2/3/14 pending further evaluation. Contacted us on 2/20/14 - he will have surgery & will be off longer.
This was a no lost time accident-there was done for a few months. The was decided to do surgery to repair torn ligament's. The first day missed due to accident was 4/16/10 for surgery
Employee entered dangered off area, under construction on the 3rd floor of the plant. He was looking up and fell in a hole cut for mag seperator being installed.
As individual was cutting a hole in a piece of conveyor belt, the utility knife he was using slipped and cut his right knee which required three stitches.