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.
173 citations across 3,867 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
NELMS PLANT has $28K in proposed MSHA penalties and $3K 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.
$28K
proposed penalties
$27K
current assessed
$24K
paid to date
$3K
outstanding
168 assessments are final orders; 6 contested dockets.
Of $4K in penalties contested before the Commission, $3K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-06-17.
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.
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.
16citations taken to the federal commission · 9% of citations on record
Settled
16 · 100%
50%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 12 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
29%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$4K proposed, $3K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2014-08-01.
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 NELMS PLANT shows 98% of 317 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: 2025-12-29
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
317
samples
2.56
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.
192 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 125 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.
NELMS PLANT recorded 9.79 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2024.
Injury rate, 2024
ⓘ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.
9.79
total case rate
9.79
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.16 and the all-US-mining average was 2.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Ohio, coal mining averaged 2.88 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
2024 *
9.79
9.79
0.000
2023 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
6.35
0.00
0.000
2018 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2015 *
7.28
0.00
0.000
2014 *
6.23
0.00
0.000
2013 *
6.23
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
Year
Employees
2026
7
2025
8
2024
8
2023
8
2022
8
2021
5
2020
9
2019
12
2018
10
2017
8
2016
9
2015
13
2014
13
2013
13
2012
13
2011
14
2010
13
2009
13
2008
13
2007
14
2006
13
2005
13
2004
12
2003
13
2002
13
2001
13
2000
10
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
NELMS PLANT sits in Harrison County, Ohio, where the Census mining category is 3.6% 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.
Harrison County, Ohio · Population 14,408
3.6%
Mining share of county employment
$53,851
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
A fully trained miner was welding in a boom truck when the boom of the truck caught fire. The IE jumped from the bucket and the lanyard burnt in two causing the employee to fall to the ground. The employee suffered a broken pelvis.
2019 · 1 incident
November 25, 2019OH · Coalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorMACHINERY
While grinding on a steel pipe, a spark bounced off of the front of employees jacket, up under the welding hood, and safety glasses, contacting EE's left eye.
An open flame was observed on the raw coal stockpile at the preparation plant.
2015 · 1 incident
January 23, 2015OH · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Hopedale Mining LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
While working in the outside shop on a mantrip, the employee was removing a speed reducer and it slid off of the axle pinching his Rt. ring finger against the shop floor resulting in a laceration and a fracture to the tip of the finger. The employee was wearing gloves at the time of the accident.
2014 · 1 incident
July 9, 2014OH · Coalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
While standing on a wooden plank above an empty sump repairing a water line, the plank broke causing the employee to fall injuring his left shoulder on impact with the side of the sump.
2013 · 1 incident
June 25, 2013OH · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
While raising one end of a pipe with a come-a-long, the opposite end of the pipe fell striking the employee on the right hand causing a laceration requiring 7 stitches.
2008 · 1 incident
June 5, 2008OH · Coalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorMACHINERY
Had hand under metal cutting with torch. When ball released metal dropped and punctured hand (7 stitches) bolt was holding 2 pieces of metal together.
2002 · 1 incident
May 16, 2002OH · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
AEP Ohio Coal L L C · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE WAS A PASSENGER IN ROCK TRUCK, HE HAD REPLACED HIS ARM OVER THE OPERATIONS SEAT UNAWARE HIS LT. HAND, THUMB WAS IN THE DOOR JAM- THE TRUCK OPERATOR CLOSED THE DOOR, EE'S THUMB WAS PINCHED BETWEEN DOOR/JAM. INATTENTION TO ACTIVITY-MAJOR FACTOR.
TRUCK WAS DUMPING RAW COAL @ TRUCK DUMP HOPPER. TRUCK PULLED AWAY FROM TRUCK DUMP WITH BED UP CAUSING TRUCK TO TIP ONTO IT'S RIGHT HAND SIDE. TRUCK DRIVER COMPLAINED OF PAIN IN LOWER BACK. HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE.
1992 · 2 incidents
November 19, 1992OH · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS LOOSENING BOLT ON CLEAN COAL FEEDER DRIVER WHEN WRENCH SLIPPED CAUSING EMPLOYEE TO STRIKE RIGHT HAND ON FEEDER SUPPORT STRUCTURE.CUT RIGHT THUMB REQUIRED FOUT STITCHES TO CLOSE.
1991 · 1 incident
October 4, 1991OH · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
CLIMBING LADDER FOR FINE REFUWSE BIN HIT 4TH FINGER ON RT HAND ON LADDER HOOP THOUGHT FING ER WAS BADLY STOVED ON 10-15-91 IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FINGER WAS BROKEN
COAL IN #2 AND #7 SILOS WAS IGNITED DUE TO EXTENDED STORAGE. COAL IGNITION WAS INTENSIFIED DUE TO THE OPENING OF RECLAIM FEEDERS UNDER THE SILS, WHICH ALLOWED AIR TO DRAFT INTO THE SILOS.