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.
171 citations across 2,728 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mine No. 1 has $126K in proposed MSHA penalties and $19K outstanding across 3 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.
$126K
proposed penalties
$66K
current assessed
$47K
paid to date
$19K
outstanding
168 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $72K in penalties contested before the Commission, $12K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-11-18.
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.
4citations taken to the federal commission · 2% of citations on record
Settled
3 · 75%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 25%
50%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 2 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
83%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$72K proposed, $12K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2017-03-13.
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 No. 1 shows 100% of 371 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: 2026-07-27
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
371
samples
2.28
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.
206 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 165 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 No. 1 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 West Virginia, coal mining averaged 3.89 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 *
2.26
2.26
0.000
2022
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
3.51
3.51
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)
2026
14
11,375
2025
16
77,656
2024
23
69,696
2023
33
151,961
2022
40
151,307
2021
52
263,282
2020
59
340,895
2019
29
189,123
2018
17
60,522
2017
27
138,016
2016
18
111,183
2015
22
149,721
2014
23
224,128
2013
23
251,128
2012
16
147,388
2011
12
82,274
2010
8
68,836
2009
6
45,000
2008
3
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mine No. 1 sits in Mercer 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.
Mercer County, West Virginia · Population 59,062
1.9%
Mining share of county employment
$47,799
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
7,509
0
0
0.0
2026 Q1
21,044
0
0
0.0
2025 Q4
25,328
10
2
394.8
2025 Q3
9,552
3
0
314.1
2025 Q2
8,642
2
1
231.4
2025 Q1
8,025
1
0
124.6
2024 Q4
3,162
2
0
632.5
2024 Q3
7,370
0
0
0.0
Show 63 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
26,278
7
3
266.4
2024 Q1
29,058
3
3
103.2
2023 Q4
24,929
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
20,674
0
0
0.0
2023 Q2
20,275
8
3
394.6
2023 Q1
22,727
0
0
0.0
2022 Q4
22,921
6
1
261.8
2022 Q3
28,725
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
29,252
8
1
273.5
2022 Q1
29,311
5
0
170.6
2021 Q4
29,399
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
37,348
13
3
348.1
2021 Q2
42,104
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
43,612
12
2
275.2
2020 Q4
40,942
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
45,695
2
0
43.8
2020 Q2
40,938
4
2
97.7
2020 Q1
23,718
6
3
253.0
2019 Q4
24,766
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
14,162
0
0
0.0
2019 Q2
15,734
3
0
190.7
2019 Q1
7,858
2
0
254.5
2018 Q4
4,614
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
9,159
2
0
218.4
2018 Q2
21,450
1
0
46.6
2018 Q1
21,737
2
1
92.0
2017 Q4
20,979
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
20,701
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
20,413
2
0
98.0
2017 Q1
20,956
3
1
143.2
2016 Q4
20,361
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
1,628
6
4
3685.5
2016 Q2
12,734
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
18,778
2
1
106.5
2015 Q4
13,856
3
1
216.5
2015 Q3
16,597
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
19,654
2
1
101.8
2015 Q1
18,376
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
19,160
3
0
156.6
2014 Q3
15,423
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
17,404
3
0
172.4
2014 Q1
18,773
4
3
213.1
2013 Q4
17,579
1
0
56.9
2013 Q3
18,143
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
19,113
4
1
209.3
2013 Q1
16,179
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
12,469
1
0
80.2
2012 Q3
12,581
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
12,712
2
1
157.3
2012 Q1
12,241
4
2
326.8
2011 Q4
10,683
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
9,503
4
1
420.9
2011 Q2
8,075
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
8,371
2
1
238.9
2010 Q4
6,342
2
0
315.4
2010 Q3
6,697
1
1
149.3
2010 Q2
7,092
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
4,253
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
5,019
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
4,419
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
3,177
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
1,868
1
0
535.3
2008 Q4
535
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
8 on file
2023 · 1 incident
August 21, 2023WV · Coalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Onyx Energy, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Employee stated hand slipped on access ladder on rear of water truck and EE's wedding ring got caught and cut EE's finger.
2021 · 1 incident
January 18, 2021WV · Coalblaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkeySLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was using an impact wrench to remove a bolt from belt skirting when the socket broke. A small piece of metal flew back striking employee on cheek and then metal went under the safety glasses and penetrated employee's eyelid.
A timber cutter for Virco Inc. was cutting a tree on a mine site located in Mercer County WV. As EE was cutting the tree there was another tree lodged up against the tree that EE was cutting. When the tree fell it pulled the other tree down hitting the timber cutter in the back. (broken arm)(broken shoulder)(broken ribs)(cut on hand).
2015 · 1 incident
May 28, 2015WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Replacing control valve on D11. Used swivel socket to take out bottom bolts. Had socket on impact. Safety ring came off the socket and the pin came out cutting his left hand through his safety glove.