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.
791 citations across 6,113 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mine No 2 has $352K in proposed MSHA penalties and $3K outstanding across 58 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.
$352K
proposed penalties
$253K
current assessed
$250K
paid to date
$3K
outstanding
765 assessments are final orders; 58 contested dockets.
Of $289K in penalties contested before the Commission, $183K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-07-16.
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.
470citations taken to the federal commission · 59% of citations on record
Settled
448 · 95%
Stood as issued
10 · 2%
Vacated or withdrawn
12 · 3%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 115 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
37%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$289K proposed, $183K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2025-12-16.
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 99% of 1,115 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: 2026-08-05
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
1,115
samples
4.64
dust max (mg/m3)
1
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.
438 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 677 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 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 *
4.51
4.51
0.000
2023 *
4.53
4.53
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
8.94
0.00
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
3.93
3.93
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
35,698
2025
17
69,748
2024
21
121,926
2023
19
112,627
2022
18
87,579
2021
16
77,159
2020
15
56,733
2019
22
112,876
2018
27
99,206
2017
20
34,526
2016
3
1,990
2015
2
2014
17
35,059
2013
17
56,095
2012
29
69,277
2011
16
62,065
2010
13
67,513
2009
10
25,333
2008
21
108,186
2007
8
33,560
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mine No 2 sits in McDowell County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 13.0% 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.
McDowell County, West Virginia · Population 18,413
13.0%
Mining share of county employment
$29,980
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
7,097
7
0
986.3
2026 Q1
5,771
6
0
1039.7
2025 Q4
8,003
12
1
1499.4
2025 Q3
4,658
14
3
3005.6
2025 Q2
7,350
7
1
952.4
2025 Q1
7,789
9
1
1155.5
2024 Q4
11,123
10
0
899.0
2024 Q3
10,110
8
1
791.3
Show 69 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
12,211
13
1
1064.6
2024 Q1
10,934
7
0
640.2
2023 Q4
11,814
13
2
1100.4
2023 Q3
9,593
4
0
417.0
2023 Q2
11,013
8
0
726.4
2023 Q1
11,775
6
0
509.6
2022 Q4
9,379
4
0
426.5
2022 Q3
8,982
20
4
2226.7
2022 Q2
7,887
11
2
1394.7
2022 Q1
8,663
12
0
1385.2
2021 Q4
9,623
10
3
1039.2
2021 Q3
8,322
16
2
1922.6
2021 Q2
6,512
16
1
2457.0
2021 Q1
6,972
16
2
2294.9
2020 Q4
6,465
14
1
2165.5
2020 Q3
4,640
16
2
3448.3
2020 Q2
7,775
6
0
771.7
2020 Q1
3,494
3
1
858.6
2019 Q4
7,660
4
0
522.2
2019 Q3
8,020
21
4
2618.5
2019 Q2
11,491
17
1
1479.4
2019 Q1
13,013
23
4
1767.5
2018 Q4
16,369
14
0
855.3
2018 Q3
11,965
5
0
417.9
2018 Q2
11,251
15
4
1333.2
2018 Q1
11,291
24
8
2125.6
2017 Q4
8,840
27
6
3054.3
2017 Q3
4,958
10
3
2016.9
2017 Q2
7,817
14
0
1791.0
2017 Q1
5,254
9
1
1713.0
2016 Q4
2,193
15
7
6839.9
2016 Q3
0
0
0
2016 Q2
0
0
0
2016 Q1
0
0
0
2015 Q4
0
0
0
2015 Q3
616
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
1,052
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
884
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
5,993
27
5
4505.3
2014 Q3
5,917
11
4
1859.1
2014 Q2
6,500
8
5
1230.8
2014 Q1
5,506
4
1
726.5
2013 Q4
9,828
5
2
508.8
2013 Q3
8,153
21
9
2575.7
2013 Q2
9,166
29
11
3163.9
2013 Q1
8,400
11
3
1309.5
2012 Q4
9,508
18
5
1893.1
2012 Q3
8,182
25
7
3055.5
2012 Q2
9,495
12
1
1263.8
2012 Q1
9,576
5
0
522.1
2011 Q4
7,781
9
1
1156.7
2011 Q3
6,859
10
6
1457.9
2011 Q2
7,413
14
6
1888.6
2011 Q1
7,532
14
3
1858.7
2010 Q4
5,962
5
3
838.6
2010 Q3
6,007
5
1
832.4
2010 Q2
6,244
6
0
960.9
2010 Q1
6,019
12
3
1993.7
2009 Q4
7,745
15
5
1936.7
2009 Q3
4,169
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
0
0
0
2009 Q1
0
0
0
2008 Q4
7,861
8
2
1017.7
2008 Q3
10,130
7
4
691.0
2008 Q2
10,063
16
4
1590.0
2008 Q1
3,428
3
2
875.1
2007 Q4
5,598
5
1
893.2
2007 Q3
4,209
1
1
237.6
2007 Q2
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
9 on file
2026 · 1 incident
February 19, 2026WV · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee went into con x 2 to get a box of belt splices. After picking up the box, they turned around to exit the con x and felt pain in left knee. Employee went for medical treatment.
2024 · 1 incident
August 20, 2024WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)POWERED HAULAGE
EE was helping to move a trailer car loaded with timbers. The EE was located behind the trailer. As the scoop was pushing the car backwards, the car suddenly moved towards the inby rib. This movement caught the employee's right foot between the car and the mine floor injuring EE's right foot.
2023 · 1 incident
September 25, 2023WV · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was bringing the steel out of the hole. EE reached to grab the steel to keep from falling on ground & instead of hitting the lever to run the steel on out EE accidentally hit the rotation and a burr on the steel caught EE's glove and wrapped EE's arm up in steel.
2018 · 1 incident
August 27, 2018WV · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Injured Person stated while changing out a bottom roller IP hung one side and went to pull up to hook other side and the side IP first hooked came off causing the bottom roller to strike IP in right side. There was no witness and IP didn't tell nobody till next day.
2013 · 1 incident
December 17, 2013WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Electrician /Mechanic kneel down and turned around and felt his knee hurting. EE had prior surgery on his knee before employment at mine. EE said that he had forgotten to wear his knee brace. The EE said he would RTW the next day. He did not go to hospital after leaving mine property.
2011 · 2 incidents
December 1, 2011WV · Coalcontinuous miner helper, coal mole helper, bridgemanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Electrician/mechanic was change a tire on std shuttle car, when he went to put wedge under tire, the tire fell off the shuttle car hub and landing on Electricians ankle. Electrician continued working on wheel until he completed job then leaving to outside to go home.
2009 · 1 incident
October 7, 2009WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS