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.
81 citations across 1,258 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.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2011-09-14.
On record since 2011.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Neiswonger Mines has $81K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 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.
$81K
proposed penalties
$62K
current assessed
$62K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
75 assessments are final orders; 7 contested dockets.
Of $68K in penalties contested before the Commission, $45K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-09-09.
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.
23citations taken to the federal commission · 28% of citations on record
Settled
17 · 74%
Stood as issued
3 · 13%
Vacated or withdrawn
3 · 13%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 15 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
34%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$68K proposed, $45K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2012-05-15.
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 Neiswonger Mines shows 99% of 139 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: 2015-11-16, 10 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
139
samples
1.79
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.
113 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 26 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.
Neiswonger Mines recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2015.
Injury rate, 2015
ⓘ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 3.76 and the all-US-mining average was 2.72 cases per 100 workers.
In Pennsylvania, coal mining averaged 3.79 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
2015 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2014 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2013 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2012 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2011
1.98
1.98
0.000
2010 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2009 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2008 *
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)
2018
0
2017
0
1,180
2016
2
6,511
2015
14
89,920
2014
19
179,795
2013
22
198,502
2012
35
249,692
2011
42
335,292
2010
30
325,551
2009
23
177,508
2008
16
266,908
2007
6
75,368
2006
3
39,322
2005
6
117,043
2004
5
73,488
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Neiswonger Mines sits in Washington County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 1.9% 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.
Washington County, Pennsylvania · Population 209,778
1.9%
Mining share of county employment
$77,487
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
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
2017 Q2
0
0
0
2017 Q1
13
0
0
0.0
Show 51 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2016 Q4
43
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
59
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
0
0
0
2016 Q1
277
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
5,435
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
8,080
4
3
495.0
2015 Q2
8,744
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
9,939
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
8,898
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
11,911
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
11,798
2
2
169.5
2014 Q1
6,641
1
1
150.6
2013 Q4
11,829
0
0
0.0
2013 Q3
9,116
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
9,474
1
0
105.6
2013 Q1
10,945
1
0
91.4
2012 Q4
15,943
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
15,826
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
13,488
2
0
148.3
2012 Q1
20,980
1
1
47.7
2011 Q4
21,099
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
28,712
20
10
696.6
2011 Q2
26,954
14
5
519.4
2011 Q1
24,101
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
23,602
9
3
381.3
2010 Q3
17,351
4
1
230.5
2010 Q2
17,667
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
12,892
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
11,810
1
1
84.7
2009 Q3
6,425
2
0
311.3
2009 Q2
13,982
2
0
143.0
2009 Q1
15,484
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
17,201
7
3
407.0
2008 Q3
15,191
1
0
65.8
2008 Q2
12,220
1
0
81.8
2008 Q1
9,649
3
0
310.9
2007 Q4
8,125
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
5,171
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
1,787
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
0
0
0
2006 Q4
2,400
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
960
0
0
0.0
2006 Q2
480
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
4,200
2
0
476.2
2005 Q4
4,328
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
4,647
1
0
215.2
2005 Q2
6,481
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
6,300
2
2
317.5
2004 Q4
4,800
0
0
0.0
2004 Q3
5,184
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
1,620
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
2 on file
2011 · 1 incident
August 8, 2011PA · Coaloutside foreman, leadmanMACHINERY
Dozer operator removing overburden from the detonated shot. Was side-cutting 8' high lift on the left side of the shot, removing material and establishing a tight side-wall pushing on approximate 45 degree angle. He got to the edge of the wall, went to put dozer in reverse when the tight track of machine dipped and rolled.
Hyd. line broke on 600 L Excavator. Machine was shut down for approx. 10 min. when a fire occured in the engine compartment. No one was on machine at the time. Dozer man noticed a fire and alerted everyone. MSHA was notified immediately.
Related mines
Other mines operated by Neiswonger Construction Inc.