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.
233 citations across 1,928 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mine No 4 has $129K in proposed MSHA penalties and $20K outstanding across 6 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.
$129K
proposed penalties
$109K
current assessed
$88K
paid to date
$20K
outstanding
223 assessments are final orders; 6 contested dockets.
Of $47K in penalties contested before the Commission, $27K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2011-05-31.
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.
12citations taken to the federal commission · 5% of citations on record
Settled
12 · 100%
73%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 11 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
43%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$47K proposed, $27K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2012-02-28.
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 4 shows 100% of 41 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: 2009-09-24, 16 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
41
samples
0.87
dust max (mg/m3)
41 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 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 0.00 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 4.16 and the all-US-mining average was 3.36 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.29 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 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2008
7.10
7.10
0.000
2007
1.18
1.18
0.000
2006
6.73
6.73
0.000
2005
0.00
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)
2019
0
2018
0
2017
0
2016
0
2015
0
2014
0
2013
0
2012
1
2011
2
2010
1
2009
9
44,232
2008
58
704,762
2007
61
1,016,816
2006
53
776,178
2005
49
634,221
2004
26
368,834
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mine No 4 sits in Mingo County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 15.0% 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.
Mingo County, West Virginia · Population 22,979
15.0%
Mining share of county employment
$39,527
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
2019 Q2
0
0
0
2019 Q1
0
0
0
2018 Q4
0
0
0
2018 Q3
0
0
0
2018 Q2
0
0
0
2018 Q1
0
0
0
2017 Q4
0
0
0
2017 Q3
0
0
0
Show 52 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2017 Q2
0
0
0
2017 Q1
0
0
0
2016 Q4
0
0
0
2016 Q3
0
0
0
2016 Q1
0
0
0
2015 Q4
0
0
0
2015 Q3
0
0
0
2015 Q2
0
0
0
2015 Q1
0
0
0
2014 Q4
0
0
0
2014 Q3
0
0
0
2014 Q2
0
0
0
2014 Q1
0
0
0
2013 Q4
0
0
0
2013 Q3
0
0
0
2013 Q2
0
0
0
2013 Q1
0
0
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
118
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
480
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
0
0
0
2011 Q4
1,158
1
0
863.6
2011 Q3
809
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
715
1
1
1398.6
2011 Q1
746
3
2
4021.4
2010 Q4
698
2
1
2865.3
2010 Q3
630
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
540
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
540
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
884
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
3,241
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
2,253
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
17,934
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
33,904
7
7
206.5
2008 Q3
43,744
39
17
891.6
2008 Q2
42,710
0
0
0.0
2008 Q1
48,721
11
10
225.8
2007 Q4
42,174
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
47,800
7
3
146.4
2007 Q2
39,373
4
4
101.6
2007 Q1
40,872
8
8
195.7
2006 Q4
34,372
5
2
145.5
2006 Q3
38,750
0
0
0.0
2006 Q2
35,076
3
2
85.5
2006 Q1
40,328
0
0
0.0
2005 Q4
32,930
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
38,832
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
39,127
7
7
178.9
2005 Q1
26,804
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
27,762
1
1
36.0
2004 Q3
22,830
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
3,081
2
1
649.1
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
22 on file
2010 · 1 incident
March 25, 2010WV · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EE was hauling rock from #1 Point Pond Creek Pit to #2 Valley fill, EE said he hit bump in haul road causing seatbelt to jam his right hip. He said he has pins in hip.
The roads were wet & slippery, EE was trying to pass a coal truck, lost control of his S10 and went to into a slump hole around Marker #22. It skinned his cheek, put a laceration in his knee requiring 5 stitches, and a contusion.
March 26, 2008WV · Coalcoal/ore shovel operator, shoveler, power shovelerMACHINERY
Claimed by the employee: He was stepping to the ground from his 777 rock truck. He twisted his ankle and fell to the ground, spraining his ankle. Employee said he was carrying his dinner bucket, therefore he didn't have three points contact. Frasure Creek Mining doesn't think this happened on the job. It wasn't reported until the next day.
Employee clocked out @ 11:29 AM & was on his way in his personal vehicle. He drove 3.2 miles down the mine when he was struck by another vehicle. Unknown to us the mine did not file this MVA. We just found out the employee wants to file this claim with us. Initially this claim was not filed since he was off the clock. Unknown information @ this time on the other driver.
July 21, 2006WV · Coaldriller, highwall operator, highwall drill operatorMACHINERY
EE (Mechanic) was wworking underneath water truck after he had crawled from underneath of truck he stood up and his left knee flew out of place. This incident did not require First Aid or Rescue Squad.
Truck driver backed truck under loader bucket to be loaded loader operator dropped a rock into truck bed causing Neck problem this incident did not require first aid or rescue squad.
February 10, 2006WV · Coalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON