Mining Incidents

Mt Morris Surface Mine: 1 MSHA citation Coal

Controlled by Arch Resources Inc
Mt Morris, Greene County, PA  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 3609050

Mt Morris Surface Mine has $60 in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
4
Years on record
2002–2007
Latest incident
Jun 2007
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2005
1
citations
0
significant & substantial
$60
proposed penalties
$60
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2002
32
inspections on record
253
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: 253 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Mt Morris Surface Mine has $60 in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 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.
$60
proposed penalties
$60
current assessed
$60
paid to date
$0
outstanding
1 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $275 in penalties contested before the Commission, $275 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2005-07-20.
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.
0.0%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
0.0%
reasonably likely or greater
0.0%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 100.0% low, 0.0% moderate, 0.0% 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.
1 citations taken to the federal commission · 100% of citations on record
  • Settled 1 · 100%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$275 proposed, $275 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 2006-06-22.
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 2006-216 Settlement Lesnick 2006 $275 → $275
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Mt Morris Surface Mine shows 100% of 30 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: 2005-07-20, 21 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
30
samples
1.06
dust max (mg/m3)
22 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 8 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BACKHOE OPERATOR14
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR6
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER5

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2004-09-27, 21 years ago
35.6
silica avg (%)
3
samples
46.5
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR2
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR1

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: 2005-07-20, 21 years ago
0%
over PEL
11
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • BACKHOE OPERATOR3
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR3
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER2
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
2005 100% 2
2004 100% 8
2003 100% 8
2002 100% 12
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2004 30.1 2
2003 46.5 1
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2005 0% 2
2004 0% 5
2002 0% 4
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Mt Morris Surface Mine recorded 7.73 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2004.

Injury rate, 2004
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.
7.73
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 5.57 and the all-US-mining average was 4.33 cases per 100 workers.
In Pennsylvania, coal mining averaged 6.55 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
2004 * 7.73 0.00 0.000
2003 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2002 * 4.95 4.95 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.
Ownership history
  1. Patriot Mining Company LLC 2001 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)
2007 0
2006 0
2005 4 18,533
2004 15 178,086
2003 21 196,645
2002 21 342,488
2001 8 13,023
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Mt Morris Surface Mine sits in Greene County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 5.2% 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.
Greene County, Pennsylvania · Population 35,265
5.2%
Mining share of county employment
$66,870
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
2007 Q2 0 0 0
2007 Q1 0 0 0
2006 Q4 0 0 0
2006 Q3 0 0 0
2006 Q2 0 0 0
2006 Q1 0 0 0
2005 Q4 314 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 1,713 1 0 583.8
Show 15 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2005 Q2 3,812 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 2,514 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 3,116 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 8,098 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 7,385 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 7,282 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 7,712 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 7,702 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 9,847 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 10,029 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 8,390 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 11,100 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 10,736 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 10,155 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 2,414 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

4 on file

2007 · 1 incident

June 6, 2007 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Patriot Mining Company LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Driver loaded our Fusion Machine onto Pick-up truck, strapped unit down and stepped off back tire into hole in surface breaking right ankle

2004 · 2 incidents

July 1, 2004 PA · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Patriot Mining Company LLC · Struck against a moving object

Strip rock was being loaded in Cat 777C rock truck. A large rock hit the side of the truck bed and jarred the operator. His body was twisted in seat belt causing a back strain.

2002 · 1 incident

January 7, 2002 PA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Patriot Mining Company LLC · Fall from machine

EE STEPPED OUT OF CABL OF LUBE TRUCK, FOOT SLIPPED ON ICY GROUND AND EE FELL TO GROUND. AS HE FELL, HE TRIED TO BREAK THE FALL AND LEFT HAND STRUCK THE GROUND. FRACTURE TO BONE IN LEFT HAND.