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.
1,106 citations across 10,249 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘA Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
2
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2011-12-30.
On record since 2011.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
MINE NO. 32 has $504K in proposed MSHA penalties and $87K outstanding across 22 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.
$504K
proposed penalties
$400K
current assessed
$313K
paid to date
$87K
outstanding
1,051 assessments are final orders; 22 contested dockets.
Of $261K in penalties contested before the Commission, $117K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-05-20.
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.
115citations taken to the federal commission · 10% of citations on record
Settled
109 · 95%
Stood as issued
3 · 3%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 1%
Still open
2 · 2%
70%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 53 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
55%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$262K proposed, $117K 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 2026-04-19.
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. 32 shows 98% of 1,244 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: 2026-07-28
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
1,244
samples
3.85
dust max (mg/m3)
0
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.
527 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 717 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. 32 recorded 4.45 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.
4.45
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above 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 *
4.45
0.00
0.000
2024 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2023 *
5.12
0.00
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
3.29
3.29
0.000
2008 *
2.32
0.00
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
35
13,298
2025
31
64,838
2024
30
45,769
2023
25
91,661
2022
25
75,627
2021
23
93,377
2020
21
67,327
2019
42
156,983
2018
21
47,832
2017
1
2016
2
19,559
2010
5
2009
4
2008
36
166,593
2007
38
167,664
2006
36
216,994
2005
35
218,419
2004
19
88,200
2003
19
114,175
2002
19
134,247
2001
20
177,470
2000
15
117,216
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
MINE NO. 32 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 Q1
13,431
26
7
1935.8
2025 Q4
10,711
16
2
1493.8
2025 Q3
9,938
34
4
3421.2
2025 Q2
13,894
15
0
1079.6
2025 Q1
10,443
16
0
1532.1
2024 Q4
10,653
1
1
93.9
2024 Q3
9,230
25
3
2708.6
2024 Q2
14,738
5
0
339.3
Show 74 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q1
9,334
21
3
2249.8
2023 Q4
10,303
10
3
970.6
2023 Q3
9,314
4
0
429.5
2023 Q2
10,752
13
0
1209.1
2023 Q1
8,667
5
0
576.9
2022 Q4
10,053
17
2
1691.0
2022 Q3
8,892
11
0
1237.1
2022 Q2
9,621
18
3
1870.9
2022 Q1
9,460
0
0
0.0
2021 Q4
13,620
27
3
1982.4
2021 Q3
13,969
13
1
930.6
2021 Q2
10,760
18
1
1672.9
2021 Q1
9,423
25
1
2653.1
2020 Q4
10,153
48
6
4727.7
2020 Q3
6,899
35
8
5073.2
2020 Q2
11,573
35
6
3024.3
2020 Q1
14,222
12
4
843.8
2019 Q4
15,964
31
5
1941.9
2019 Q3
21,252
34
1
1599.8
2019 Q2
3,121
55
11
17622.6
2019 Q1
20,516
31
9
1511.0
2018 Q4
13,665
22
7
1610.0
2018 Q3
10,886
25
7
2296.5
2018 Q2
4,882
6
2
1229.0
2017 Q4
0
0
0
2017 Q3
100
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
100
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
100
0
0
0.0
2016 Q4
300
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
450
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
784
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
855
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
3,177
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
2,121
3
0
1414.4
2009 Q4
2,079
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
1,997
2
1
1001.5
2009 Q2
2,217
6
0
2706.4
2009 Q1
1,549
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
19,709
9
3
456.6
2008 Q3
23,875
19
6
795.8
2008 Q2
23,131
10
2
432.3
2008 Q1
19,559
3
0
153.4
2007 Q4
24,402
5
3
204.9
2007 Q3
17,823
2
1
112.2
2007 Q2
19,456
2
1
102.8
2007 Q1
17,017
3
0
176.3
2006 Q4
20,734
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
15,929
4
1
251.1
2006 Q2
22,342
3
0
134.3
2006 Q1
19,159
11
3
574.1
2005 Q4
22,025
5
1
227.0
2005 Q3
16,753
2
0
119.4
2005 Q2
23,337
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
18,752
5
2
266.6
2004 Q4
13,155
2
2
152.0
2004 Q3
11,662
6
1
514.5
2004 Q2
11,240
1
0
89.0
2004 Q1
11,257
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
12,589
2
0
158.9
2003 Q3
10,860
5
1
460.4
2003 Q2
12,922
3
2
232.2
2003 Q1
10,482
5
4
477.0
2002 Q4
8,810
1
0
113.5
2002 Q3
9,856
1
0
101.5
2002 Q2
11,491
2
0
174.0
2002 Q1
12,900
1
0
77.5
2001 Q4
14,073
3
1
213.2
2001 Q3
12,819
6
2
468.1
2001 Q2
12,836
8
3
623.2
2001 Q1
13,241
8
1
604.2
2000 Q4
10,636
1
0
94.0
2000 Q3
10,732
2
1
186.4
2000 Q2
9,233
5
1
541.5
2000 Q1
5,319
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
16 on file
2026 · 1 incident
June 23, 2026WV · Coalutility man, errand boy, service truck operatorFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
EE was in process of installing supplement roof support (cable bolts). When walking beside bolter, a piece of draw rock (2 'x 2'x 7" thick) fell out striking EE in left leg. EE was transported to hospital where EE was checked and released to go home @ 8:45 am.
Sandstone dipped down to the coal thinning the slate which weakened it. The are that fell 16' W x 15' L x 5' H had previously been dangered off with physical barriers in place.
2023 · 1 incident
October 16, 2023WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)POWERED HAULAGE
Lo Down Energy, Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Miner put hand on end of feeder as it raised up, it caught the tip of their pinky between the top.
Rock fall was discovered on fire boss run by mine foreman. The fall was in #4 face extending across the face through intersection to halfway between 5 + 6 headings.