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Mine No 3: 11 reportable incidents Coal

Murphy'S Branch Inc · Underground
Controlled by William G Skewes
Elbert, Mcdowell County, WV  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4608630

MSHA sampling at Mine No 3 shows 44% of 9 respirable coal dust samples met the 1.5 mg/m3 standard, plus the mine's fatality, citation, and penalty record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
11
Years on record
1998–1999
Latest incident
Nov 1999
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
1
inspections on record
25
inspection hours
n/a
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.
Rate withheld: 25 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Mine No 3 shows 44% of 9 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: 2000-02-29, 26 years ago
44%
within 1.5 mg/m3
9
samples
3.06
dust max (mg/m3)
0 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 9 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR9
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
  1. Murphy'S Branch Inc 1997 to present
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)
2000 24 48,259
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Mine No 3 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
2000 Q1 10,142 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

11 on file

1999 · 4 incidents

November 11, 1999 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator MACHINERY
Murphy'S Branch Inc · Struck by falling object

A ROCK FELL ON EMPLOYEE'S HAND WHILE HE WAS PINNING TOP.

October 8, 1999 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Murphy'S Branch Inc · Fall onto or against objects

SLIPPED AND FELL AND HIT ELBOW ON SHUTTLE CAR.

August 9, 1999 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Murphy'S Branch Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WHILE LOADING BOLT SUPPLIES (OUTSIDE IN SUPPLY YARD). STRAINED BACK.

1998 · 7 incidents

December 15, 1998 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator MACHINERY
Murphy'S Branch Inc · Struck against a moving object

WHILE TRAMMING MINER TO FACE, MINER TEEDEN-TOODER OVER HUMP CAUSING OPERATOR TO HIT TOP WITH HEAD JAMMING NECK

December 8, 1998 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech OTHER
Murphy'S Branch Inc · Struck against stationary object

RAN INTO TRS WITH HEAD HAD PAIN IN SHOULDER

September 28, 1998 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Murphy'S Branch Inc · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

PULLING MINER CABLE STRAINED BACK.

August 21, 1998 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Murphy'S Branch Inc · Struck by falling object

ROCK FELL OUT FROM BETWEEN BOLT, WHILE OPERATOR WAS CLEANING UP PLACE.

July 29, 1998 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Murphy'S Branch Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

GETTING ROCK OFF TAILPIECE. PULLED SOMETHING OUT ON BACK.

June 15, 1998 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Murphy'S Branch Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

SMASHED FINGER WHILE INSTALLING BOLT.

May 18, 1998 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Murphy'S Branch Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

HAND ON DRILL HEAD & HEAD LEVERS STUCK.