Mining Incidents

Mount Penn Preparation Plant: 96 MSHA citations Coal

Controlled by Michael Scott
Exeter Township, Berks County, PA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 3606954

Mount Penn Preparation Plant has $19K in proposed MSHA penalties and $11K outstanding across 7 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
2
Years on record
1998–2006
Latest incident
Oct 2006
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
96
citations
19
significant & substantial
$18,927
proposed penalties
$7,555
paid to date
40% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $11,372 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
89
inspections on record
2,480
inspection hours
3.9
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.
96 citations across 2,480 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Mount Penn Preparation Plant has $19K in proposed MSHA penalties and $11K outstanding across 7 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.
$19K
proposed penalties
$19K
current assessed
$8K
paid to date
$11K
outstanding
92 assessments are final orders; 7 contested dockets.
Of $2K in penalties contested before the Commission, $1K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-03-17.
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.
20.2%
significant & substantial
9.6%
high negligence or reckless
20.2%
reasonably likely or greater
29.8%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 1.1% none, 36.2% low, 53.2% moderate, 9.6% high, 0.0% reckless.
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.
9 citations taken to the federal commission · 9% of citations on record
  • Settled 9 · 100%
60%
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 5 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
13%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$1K proposed, $1K 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 2016-09-07.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
PENN 2013-200 Settlement Feldman 2014 $955 → $770
PENN20030124 Settlement Bulluck 2003 $400 → $200
PENN 2016-0314 Settlement Bulluck 2017 $114 → $114
PENN 2014-0136 Settlement Harner 2014 $100 → $100
PENN 2013-355 Settlement Feldman 2014 $100 → $100
PENN 2009-177 Settlement Lesnick 2010 $100 → $100
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Mount Penn Preparation Plant shows 100% of 126 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: 2026-08-20
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
126
samples
0.87
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.
118 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 8 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER44
  • CLEANING PLANT OPERATOR28
  • BACKHOE OPERATOR13

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.

Last sampled: 2026-08-20
0%
over PEL
89
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER32
  • CLEANING PLANT OPERATOR22
  • BACKHOE OPERATOR11
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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.
Year within 1.5 mg/m3 samples
2026 100% 4
2025 100% 5
2024 100% 6
2023 100% 9
2022 100% 4
2021 100% 4
2019 100% 5
2018 100% 5
2017 100% 5
2016 100% 4
2015 100% 10
2014 100% 4
2013 100% 9
2012 100% 6
2011 100% 4
2010 100% 4
2009 100% 4
2008 100% 5
2007 100% 4
2006 100% 5
2005 100% 2
2004 100% 6
2002 100% 6
2001 100% 2
2000 100% 4
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2026 0% 3
2025 0% 4
2023 0% 6
2022 0% 4
2021 0% 6
2020 0% 2
2019 0% 2
2018 0% 5
2017 0% 7
2016 0% 4
2015 0% 7
2013 0% 8
2012 0% 4
2011 0% 2
2010 0% 2
2009 0% 2
2008 0% 4
2007 0% 2
2006 0% 3
2005 0% 2
2004 0% 4
2002 0% 2
2001 0% 2
2000 0% 2
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
  1. Stoudt's Ferry Preparation Company Inc 1980 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 4
2025 4
2024 3
2023 4
2022 4
2021 3
2020 2
2019 4
2018 3
2017 2
2016 2
2015 2
2014 3
2013 3
2012 3
2011 2
2010 2
2009 2
2008 4
2007 4
2006 5
2005 5
2004 6
2003 6
2002 6
2001 6
2000 4
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Mount Penn Preparation Plant sits in Berks County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 0.1% 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.
Berks County, Pennsylvania · Population 429,989
0.1%
Mining share of county employment
$77,684
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 Q2 1,403 1 0 712.8
2026 Q1 1,724 3 1 1740.1
2025 Q4 2,064 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 2,023 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 1,979 4 0 2021.2
2025 Q1 1,934 15 7 7755.9
2024 Q4 1,578 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 1,741 0 0 0.0
Show 98 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 551 1 0 1814.9
2024 Q1 846 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 967 1 0 1034.1
2023 Q3 939 4 2 4259.9
2023 Q2 1,615 1 0 619.2
2023 Q1 1,555 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 1,158 1 0 863.6
2022 Q3 1,572 1 0 636.1
2022 Q2 1,352 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 1,060 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 947 1 0 1056.0
2021 Q3 1,689 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 1,602 3 1 1872.7
2021 Q1 1,702 1 0 587.5
2020 Q4 1,350 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 960 1 0 1041.7
2020 Q2 1,098 1 0 910.7
2020 Q1 480 1 0 2083.3
2019 Q4 1,267 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 1,678 1 0 595.9
2019 Q2 1,962 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 1,559 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 1,971 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 1,719 1 0 581.7
2018 Q2 2,059 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 796 1 0 1256.3
2017 Q4 1,111 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 1,485 1 0 673.4
2017 Q2 1,500 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 1,672 1 0 598.1
2016 Q4 1,040 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 942 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 877 1 1 1140.3
2016 Q1 534 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 1,175 1 0 851.1
2015 Q3 1,289 1 0 775.8
2015 Q2 1,145 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 836 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 1,302 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 1,758 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 1,670 1 0 598.8
2014 Q1 1,720 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 1,444 1 0 692.5
2013 Q3 1,871 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 1,674 2 0 1194.7
2013 Q1 1,465 5 2 3413.0
2012 Q4 1,547 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 1,834 2 0 1090.5
2012 Q2 1,582 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 1,502 2 0 1331.6
2011 Q4 939 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 1,278 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 1,174 2 0 1703.6
2011 Q1 1,239 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 1,194 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 1,080 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 1,120 2 0 1785.7
2010 Q1 960 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 1,120 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 960 1 0 1041.7
2009 Q2 1,127 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 960 2 0 2083.3
2008 Q4 1,129 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 1,112 1 0 899.3
2008 Q2 1,877 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 2,264 0 0 0.0
2007 Q4 1,982 1 0 504.5
2007 Q3 1,632 1 0 612.7
2007 Q2 1,894 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 1,070 2 0 1869.2
2006 Q4 1,820 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 2,427 1 0 412.0
2006 Q2 2,245 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 1,445 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 2,380 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 2,040 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 2,380 2 0 840.3
2005 Q1 1,575 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 2,802 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 2,650 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 2,040 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 2,044 1 0 489.2
2003 Q4 2,380 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 2,380 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 2,200 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 2,978 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 2,724 10 3 3671.1
2002 Q3 3,292 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 2,799 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 3,425 2 1 583.9
2001 Q4 3,127 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 3,666 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 2,861 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 3,417 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 2,983 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 3,078 4 1 1299.5
2000 Q2 2,979 1 0 335.7
2000 Q1 2,847 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

2 on file

2006 · 1 incident

1998 · 1 incident

June 8, 1998 PA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Stoudt's Ferry Preparation Company Inc · Struck against stationary object

THE CONVEYOR BELT PROVIDING MATERIAL INTO THE PLANT WASCLOGGED WITH DEBRIS EE STOPED LOW TO LOOK BENEATH THE CONVEYOR BELT, WHEN RISING HIS RIGHT FOREARM CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE STEEL HOUSI NG CAUSING PAIN TO HIS MUSCLE. HE COMPLETE HIS SHIFT 6-9-98 CAME TO WORK AND TOLD SUPERVISOR OF INCIDENT. SENT TO READING HOSPITAL 330 PM AND RECEIVED FIRST AID TREATMENT FOR TORN LIGAMENT