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.
590 citations across 3,878 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mine No 3 has $154K in proposed MSHA penalties and $33K 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.
$154K
proposed penalties
$87K
current assessed
$54K
paid to date
$33K
outstanding
585 assessments are final orders; 12 contested dockets.
Of $89K in penalties contested before the Commission, $22K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2010-06-23.
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.
119citations taken to the federal commission · 20% of citations on record
Settled
118 · 99%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 1%
86%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 49 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
75%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$89K proposed, $22K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2010-09-14.
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 3 shows 96% of 467 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: 2010-06-19, 16 years ago
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
467
samples
6.67
dust max (mg/m3)
200 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 267 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 3 recorded 10.45 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2009.
Injury rate, 2009
ⓘ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.
10.45
total case rate
10.45
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 4.16 and the all-US-mining average was 3.36 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.22 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
2009 *
10.45
10.45
0.000
2005 *
19.47
14.60
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)
2011
0
2010
17
43,599
2009
17
78,569
2008
11
34,430
2007
26
43,091
2006
14
38,242
2005
14
57,742
2004
7
23,962
2003
0
2002
4
17,667
2001
3
12,904
2000
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mine No 3 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
2011 Q1
0
0
0
2010 Q3
5,345
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
8,442
27
13
3198.3
2010 Q1
15,131
55
14
3634.9
2009 Q4
12,806
33
6
2576.9
2009 Q3
8,505
37
4
4350.4
2009 Q2
8,961
21
3
2343.5
2009 Q1
8,017
25
6
3118.4
Show 34 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2008 Q4
6,592
21
7
3185.7
2008 Q3
5,547
12
3
2163.3
2008 Q2
5,962
9
0
1509.6
2008 Q1
0
13
4
2007 Q4
2,395
36
10
15031.3
2007 Q2
13,452
31
14
2304.5
2007 Q1
8,251
21
10
2545.1
2006 Q3
458
20
9
43668.1
2006 Q2
10,378
34
9
3276.2
2006 Q1
9,982
6
2
601.1
2005 Q4
10,058
20
12
1988.5
2005 Q3
10,190
15
7
1472.0
2005 Q2
10,510
15
8
1427.2
2005 Q1
10,325
12
3
1162.2
2004 Q4
10,190
18
7
1766.4
2004 Q3
9,310
29
12
3114.9
2004 Q2
0
0
0
2004 Q1
0
0
0
2003 Q4
0
0
0
2003 Q3
0
0
0
2003 Q2
0
0
0
2003 Q1
0
0
0
2002 Q4
0
0
0
2002 Q3
0
0
0
2002 Q2
0
0
0
2002 Q1
9,636
6
3
622.7
2001 Q4
10,108
4
1
395.7
2001 Q3
0
1
0
2001 Q2
0
0
0
2001 Q1
0
0
0
2000 Q4
0
0
0
2000 Q3
0
0
0
2000 Q2
0
0
0
2000 Q1
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
26 on file
2009 · 2 incidents
October 16, 2009VA · Coalbelt foreman, maintenance foreman, maintenance supervisorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Cavalier Mineral Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Lid covering pick breaker chain on feeder was raised up and braced so work could be done, when brace slipped letting lid fall suddenly hitting EE on finger of left hand.
EE said he was walking away from his 21SC. He then stopped on the corner, put his hand on the rib and rock rolled off the rib striking him on his right side. Witnesses from 3rd shift state that they pulled this rib prior to the beginning of the shift.
2008 · 1 incident
January 9, 2008VA · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorOTHER
WHILE TRAVELING #5 HEADING OF OUR SOUTH MAINS A ROOF FALL MEASURING 600' IN LENGTH; 20' IN WIDTH; APPROXIMATELY 36' HIGH WAS DISCOVERED ON A 7 DAY CHECK. THIS FALL WILL NOT BE CLEANED UP. IT DOES NOT ADVERSLEY AIR COURSES OR TRAVELWAYS.
A ROCK FALL LOCATED 60 INBY S.S# 728 MEASURING 120' IN LENGTH & 120'WIDTH WAS DISCOVERED ON OUR WEEKLY EXAM OF WORKED OUT AREAS. THIS FALL WILL NOT BE CLEANED UP. THE FALL WAS DANGERED OFF. THE RETURN AIR COURSE IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE FALL.
1998 · 1 incident
September 9, 1998VA · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
THE INJURED PERSON HELPED PUT A SET OF CUTTER DRUMS ON CONT. MINER ON THE REGULAR SHIFT. HE SAID HE HURT HIS BACK TIGHTENING BOLTS WITH A 3/4" RATCHET & BAR.
USING HAMMER TO DRIVE A WHEEL ON EASY GO GOLF CART,HIT THE RIM.PIECE OF METAL WENT INTO FIRST FINGER LEFT HAND.WORKED 6TH & 7TH OF MARCH. FINGER GOT INFECTED.WENT TO CLINIC 3-9-92.