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.
1,109 citations across 6,093 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mine No. 2 has $544K in proposed MSHA penalties and $516K outstanding across 4 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.
$544K
proposed penalties
$544K
current assessed
$28K
paid to date
$516K
outstanding
1,100 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $2K in penalties contested before the Commission, $2K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2009-04-16.
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.
16citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
Settled
1 · 6%
Stood as issued
15 · 94%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$980 proposed, $980 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2007-02-23.
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. 2 shows 95% of 588 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: 2009-03-26, 17 years ago
95%
within 1.5 mg/m3
588
samples
6.24
dust max (mg/m3)
240 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 348 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. 2 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2008.
Injury rate, 2008
ⓘ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 4.41 and the all-US-mining average was 3.61 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 3.66 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
2008 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2006 *
7.55
7.55
0.000
2005 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2002 *
9.52
9.52
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)
2008
15
87,343
2007
14
100,521
2006
13
67,225
2005
13
61,546
2004
21
30,995
2003
7
5,728
2002
18
56,952
2001
10
29,459
2000
10
35,410
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mine No. 2 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
While making a weekly return, inspection, the roof fall was discovered in the No. 6 Entry of No. 3 S.E. Mains at SS 1150 3000' outby the active mining section. The area where the fall occurred had previously been dangered off and all entries blocked off leading to it. It doesn't interfere with the ventilation.
6 Breaks from Main face in #4 portal entry, fall of approx 12" to 19" of loose unconsolidated roof. 2 roof bolts turn out (conventional bolts 36"). Fall approx 21' wide by 15' long. Approx 12,000' outby face area in the intake escapeway, impeding traval. (At spad 38 + 60')
Was making weekly check in return & observed roof fall about 800 feet off section at spad # 1381, 1 break outby. Cribbed and timbered off entries, moved stopping line over to open return air course. Roof fall is about 140 ft long, 20 ft wide x about 15 or 20 ft high.
Working on belt with slate bar. Picking up structure, when a piece of rock fell striking person on left side, knocking him down, catching both feet under rock.
March 23, 2007VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Snapco, Inc. · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Employee was operating the left side of a dual head bolter when his glove tangled in the steel injuring his left hand.
February 5, 2007VA · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Began 70' right of spad 1111 extending from # 6 entry to # 8 entry & outby 50' down the # 8 entry roof was supported with 4' resin rods. Laminated shale roof.
Roof fall 5R+to #6+ outby 1 brk. Roof had been supported with 4' resin and 8' cable bolts, laminated shale roof. Fall was 140' long X 20' wide X 8' thick.
AN UNPLANNED ROOF FALL WAS DISCOVERED ONE CROSS CUT INBY SS 770 IN THE NO 2 ENTRY 1500 FOOT OUTBY WORKING SECTION. FALL MEASURES 4 TO 8 FEET THICK, 20 FEET WIDE, 40 FEET LONG. NO INJURY OR EQU IPMENT INVOLVED. ROCK FALL FELL IN A CREEK LIKE AREA.
EMPLOYEE WAS RUNNING SCOOP CLEANING FEEDER, PUT BUCKET DOWN TO CLEAN ROADWAY, WHEN SCOOP HIT FEEDER IT BUCKED UP CAUSING EMPLOYEE TO HIT HIS HEAD AGAINST THE TOP.
Cal Coal Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EE WAS MAKING A PRESHIFT EXAM WHEN HE SAW A WATER VALVE LEAKING WATER. HE STARTED TO TIGHTEN THEVALVE UP TO STOP THE LEAK. THE VALVE BLEW OUT AND HIT HIM IN THE CHIN & NECK & SHOULDER, KNOCKIN G HIM BACKWARDS & HIT HIS HEAD AGAINST THE GROUND.
2001 · 1 incident
November 10, 2001VA · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderPOWERED HAULAGE
Cal Coal Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE GOT BETWEEN 270 TRACTOR AND FEEDER WHILE HOOKING UP A CHAIN. THE TRACTOR JUMPED ON POINT CATCHING HIM BETWEEN THE FEEDER AND TRACTOR.
DISCOVERED A ROOF FALL DURING WEEKLY EXAMINATION OF RETURNS. THE FALL APPEARS TO BE A CONTINUATION OF A PREVIOUS ROOF FALL ON 3-2-98 IN #2 ENTRY OF NORTH EAST MAINS INBY SPAD NO. 167. THE ROOF FALL APPEARS TO BE 6 FT HIGH AND 20 FT WIDE AND20 FT OUTBY INTERSECTION OF LAST OPEN CROSS CUT.
March 6, 1998VA · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossPOWERED HAULAGE
SHUTTLE CAR PULLED MINER CABLE DOWN, FOREMAN WAS LIFTING IT UP TO REHAND IT WHEN THE SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR STARTED TRAMMING THE SHUTTLE CAR. THE WHEEL ON THE OFF SIDE, DUMP END OF THE SHUTTLE C AR PUSHED THE FOREMAN INTO THE MINE ROOF.
A ROOF FALL OCCURRED APPROX 65' INBY LAST OPEN CROSS CUT IN #4 ENTRY. FALL WAS APPROX 18' WIDE AND 35' LONG FROM 1" ON OUTER EDGE TO 5" THICK IN CENTER. THERE WAS A 3" COAL SEAM PRESENT AT THE TOP OF THE FALL AREA.