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.
328 citations across 3,863 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mine No 4 has $34K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 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.
$34K
proposed penalties
$34K
current assessed
$34K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
322 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2006-01-11.
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.
MSHA sampling at Mine No 4 shows 94% of 624 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: 2005-09-07, 20 years ago
94%
within 1.5 mg/m3
624
samples
3.44
dust max (mg/m3)
268 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 356 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 4 recorded 6.86 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2005.
Injury rate, 2005
ⓘ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.
6.86
total case rate
6.86
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 5.11 and the all-US-mining average was 4.21 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.71 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
2005 *
6.86
6.86
0.000
2004 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2003 *
11.09
11.09
0.000
2002 *
5.71
5.71
0.000
2001 *
12.16
12.16
0.000
2000
5.53
3.69
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)
2006
9
2005
27
88,973
2004
32
134,006
2003
33
150,681
2002
32
196,408
2001
39
204,950
2000
51
278,542
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mine No 4 sits in Wise County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 5.9% 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.
Wise County, Virginia · Population 35,727
5.9%
Mining share of county employment
$50,740
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
The shuttle car was tramming away from miner up an incline of app. 6 degrees. The shuttle car came off point while tramming and drifted backward hitting the rib and miner before stopping. As the shuttle car hit the miner and rib, the employee was also hit.
February 12, 2005VA · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
A ROOF FALL 20 FEET LONG, 8-10 FEET IN HEIGHT, 20 FEET WIDE WAS FOUND ON 9/7/04 AT 3:30 AM IN NO. 6 ENTRY 1 BREAK INBY SPAD #2935 APPROXIMATELY 3500 FT OUTBY FACE AREA.
2003 · 4 incidents
November 10, 2003VA · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator
EE PULLED THE ROOF BOLTER INTO THE FACE AREA; HE THEN SET THE ATRS. A ROCK FELL IN BETWEEN THE ROOF BOLTER AND CANOPY, HITTING HIM ON THE HEAD/NECK AREA.
February 18, 2002VA · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerMACHINERY
Falcon Coal Corp · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
THE MINER WAS MOVING FROM 13 TO 12 HEADING. THE MINER BACKED OUT PAST THE LAST OPEN XCUT. WHEN PULLING FORWARD AND TURNING LEFT, EE WENT TO THE OFF SIDE OF THE MINER TO HOLD THE CABLE UP, SO T HE MINER WOULD NOT GET ON THE CABLE. WHILE MINER MOVED FORWARD, A PIECE OF ROCK ON TOP OF THE MINER CAUGHT THE RIGHT RIB, PUSHING ROCK ACROSS MINER AND PUSHING EE AGAINST RIB.
EMPLOYEE'S KNEES HAD BEEN BOTHERING HIM THE LAST THREE DAYS WHILE HE OPERATED/HELPED ON THE PINNER. THEN ON 10/18/01 HE LEFT WORK EARLY BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTHERING HIM REALLY BAD.
A ROOF FALL ONE BREAK OUTBY SPAD NO.1697, 8-10'HIGH, 40-50'LONG, 70'WIDE FELL THROUGH CROSSCUT INTO ANOTHER CROSSCUT AND ON BELT AND HIGH VOLTAGE CABLE.
EE WAS WORKING WITH A CREW OF MEN ON THE CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE, WHEN A PIECE OF METAL THAT WWAS LAYING ON TOP OF THE MINER FELL OFF AND HIT HIS FOOT.
March 8, 2001VA · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
AS HE WAS PULLING THE MINER CABLE FROM ONE SIDE OF ENTRY TO ANOTHER THE PINNER CABLE WAS PULLED TIGHT AND BECAME CAUGHT, FALLING AND HITTING EE ON THE BACK.
A ROOF FALL ON THE 1ST RIGHT PANEL OFF OF THE 1ST RIGHT EAST MAINS 30-40 FT LONG, 5FT IN HEIGHT,20FT WIDE WAS DISCOVERED ON 5/7/99 AT 10:3OAM DURING A WEEKLY EXAMINATION AT NO.5 ENTRY 2 CROSSCUTS OUTBY SURVEY STATION NO.336 Y
A ROOF FALL WAS FOUND IN RETURN 002 SECTION APPROX. 1500' OUTBY ACTIVE SECTION IN #2 HEADING 3 BREAKS INBY STATION SPAD #199. WAS ABOVE ANCHORAGE AND IN INTERSECTION OR EQUIPMENT OR PERSONNEL WERE NOT AFFECTED. FALL WILL NOT BE CLEANED UP BUT TIMBERED AND DANGERED OFF.
A ROOF FALL WAS FOUND AT #1 OFF #2 XXXXXXX HEADING STATION SPAD #242. WATER IN ROOF WITH LAMATEDSHELL & SANDSTONE BANDS. PLACE HAD BEEN BOLTED WITH LONGER BOLTS TORQUE TENSION 5 FT & 6FT. FALL APPROX 40FT L, 8-10FT HIGH. PLACE HAD BEEN STOPPED & CRIBBED & DANGERED OFF. VENTILATION OR EQUIPMENT NOT EFFECTED. Y
ROOF FALL ON THE 002 SECTION IN XCUT WHERE 002 BUTTED OFF THREE BREAKS INBY STATION SPAD 202 IN BETWEEN NO. 4 AND 5 HEADING. APPROX 5-6' HIGH. ABOUT 210' FROM WORKING SECTION. NO EQUIPMENT WAS INVOLVED OR PERSONNEL AFFECTED.
January 22, 1999VA · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS BOLTING TOP, PUT HIS HAND UP TO STRAIGHTEN PLATE, PUT BOLT UP AND CAUGHT LEFT MIDDLE FINGER UNDER PLATE SMASHING FINGER. *CUT OFF TIP OF FINGER, LOST TIME ACCIDENT*
1997 · 1 incident
December 27, 1997VA · Coalmine manager, mine foreman, mine ownerMACHINERY