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No. 4: 266 MSHA citations Coal

L & J Equipment Company · Underground
Controlled by Fred McGlothlin
Dante, Dickenson County, VA  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 4400280

No. 4 has $25K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
18
Years on record
1992–2006
Latest incident
Oct 2006
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
266
citations
103
significant & substantial
$24,724
proposed penalties
$23,443
paid to date
95% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,281 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See L & J Equipment Company's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
101
inspections on record
3,179
inspection hours
8.4
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.
266 citations across 3,179 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

No. 4 has $25K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 0 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.
$25K
proposed penalties
$25K
current assessed
$23K
paid to date
$1K
outstanding
264 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2007-06-27.
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.
38.7%
significant & substantial
0.4%
high negligence or reckless
38.7%
reasonably likely or greater
7.9%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 17.7% low, 82.0% moderate, 0.4% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at No. 4 shows 95% of 421 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: 2007-06-27, 19 years ago
95%
within 1.5 mg/m3
421
samples
5.92
dust max (mg/m3)
141 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 280 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR224
  • ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)39
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)30

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2007-03-16, 19 years ago
8.2
silica avg (%)
27
samples
24.8
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR11
See US coal mines ranked by silica in their dust samples.

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: 2006-09-14, 19 years ago
7%
over PEL
27
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)9
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)7
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR5
See US mines ranked by noise samples over the legal limit.
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
2007 100% 33
2006 100% 72
2005 100% 75
2004 92% 87
2003 94% 62
2002 100% 67
2001 64% 25
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2007 6.1 1
2006 6.0 3
2005 7.8 7
2004 12.4 4
2003 9.2 7
2002 5.1 4
2001 8.8 1
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2006 20% 5
2005 0% 5
2004 17% 6
2003 0% 6
2002 0% 5
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

No. 4 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2006.

Injury rate, 2006
ⓘ 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 4.87 and the all-US-mining average was 3.91 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.44 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
2006 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2005 * 4.97 4.97 0.000
2004 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2003 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2002 * 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.
Ownership history
  1. Clinchfield Coal Company 1950 to 2000
  2. Barton Mining Incorported 1995 to 1998
  3. Cove Coal Co., Inc. 2000 to 2001
  4. L & J Equipment Company 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 19 38,621
2006 19 89,669
2005 19 103,817
2004 18 96,665
2003 18 124,479
2002 17 76,068
2001 11 16,198
2000 0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

No. 4 sits in Dickenson County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 9.8% 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.
Dickenson County, Virginia · Population 13,920
9.8%
Mining share of county employment
$43,831
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 9,875 12 5 1215.2
2007 Q1 9,817 34 13 3463.4
2006 Q4 9,469 1 0 105.6
2006 Q3 9,767 10 1 1023.9
2006 Q2 10,059 24 13 2385.9
2006 Q1 10,220 4 1 391.4
2005 Q4 11,004 5 1 454.4
2005 Q3 9,973 17 11 1704.6
Show 19 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2005 Q2 9,455 3 1 317.3
2005 Q1 9,818 6 1 611.1
2004 Q4 9,773 6 2 613.9
2004 Q3 10,182 9 4 883.9
2004 Q2 10,020 13 6 1297.4
2004 Q1 9,013 7 2 776.7
2003 Q4 8,664 6 2 692.5
2003 Q3 9,739 14 7 1437.5
2003 Q2 9,425 4 2 424.4
2003 Q1 9,315 14 5 1503.0
2002 Q4 8,994 9 2 1000.7
2002 Q3 6,947 6 1 863.7
2002 Q2 8,166 12 5 1469.5
2002 Q1 6,178 19 9 3075.4
2001 Q4 2,122 4 2 1885.0
2001 Q3 240 3 0 12500.0
2001 Q2 6,006 13 1 2164.5
2001 Q1 7,808 3 2 384.2
2000 Q4 0 1 0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

18 on file

2006 · 1 incident

2005 · 1 incident

July 21, 2005 VA · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss MACHINERY
L & J Equipment Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS INSTALLING A SPOT BOLT ON LEFT CORNER OF #4 ENTRY. WHEN HE LET THE ATRS DOWN A PIECE OF ROCK FELL OFF OF THE ATRS AND STRUCK HIM ON THE TOP OF HIS HARD HAT. HE WAS HURTING ON HIS NECK.

2004 · 1 incident

August 30, 2004 VA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
L & J Equipment Company · Accident type, without injuries

Mine electrician was traveling underground when he found the fall. Two others went to check fall. It stopped falling at 10:40 a.m.

2003 · 1 incident

August 4, 2003 VA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
L & J Equipment Company · Accident type, without injuries

ROCK FALL OCCURED IN THE #5 ENTRY ONE BREAK OUT-BY FACE, SURVEY POINTS 296-297. ROCK WAS APPROX.7-8'THICK, 18'WIDE & 60'LONG.

1995 · 1 incident

October 2, 1995 VA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Barton Mining Incorported · Accident type, without injuries

A FALL WAS DISCOVERED IN THE #2 ENTRY OF THE MAINS. THE FALL MEASURED APPROX. 20' LONG X 20' WIDE X 8' THICK AND WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1600' FROM FACE. THERE WERE NO INJURY OR EQUIPMENT IN VOLVED.

1993 · 8 incidents

December 7, 1993 VA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Clinchfield Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

SUBJECT WAS DRILLING HOLE & WAS ADDING PUSHER TO FINISH DRILLING HOLE & CAUGHT MIDDLE FINGER BETWEEN PUSHER & TOP.

November 19, 1993 VA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Clinchfield Coal Company · Struck by falling object

SUBJECT WAS INSTALLING ROOF SUPPORT WHNE ROCK FELL STRIKING MEASURING ROD IN DRILL STEEL TRAY USING MEASURING ROD TO STRIKE SUBJECT IN MOUTH CHIPPING 2 TEETH, 1 ON TO AND 1 ON BOTTOM OF MOUTH ALSO GOT COAL IN EYES.

September 21, 1993 VA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Clinchfield Coal Company · Accident type, without injuries

FALL WAS DISCOVERED AT APPROX 10:00AM 09-21-93 IT IS OVER(XX) ONLY SPAD 2808 IN 3RT OFF NORTH MAINS ROOF HAD BEEN BOLTED WITH 8FT RESIN RODS & APPEARED SOLID IT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF POLLAR LINE WEIGHT BLEEDER VELOCITY IS REDUCED BUT & MOVEMENT IS PRESENT OZ IS OK NO CHG WAS PRESENT

August 18, 1993 VA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Clinchfield Coal Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS SWINGING PINNNER HEAD OVER TO INSTALL RIB BOLT. DRILL BOOM WAS HANGING. EMPL RAISINING AND SWINGING HEAD IN UNEVEN BOTTOM AND HEAD FREED UP SWUNG OVER ON EMPLOYEES LEG. EMPL DID N OT START MISSING WORK UNTIL 8/24/93.

August 16, 1993 VA · Coal MACHINERY
Clinchfield Coal Company · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

OPERATOR SWUMG HEAD OUT TO INSTALL FIRST BOLT IN ROW. HE BEGAN TO DRILL AND NOTICED THAT DRILL HEAD HOSE WAS CAUGHT UNDER CANOPY JACK. IN ORDER TO FREE HOSE, HE SWUNG HEAD INWARD. HE FORGOT TO REMOVE STEEL FROM HEAD, CATCHING HAND BETWEEN STEEL AND CANOPY.

August 6, 1993 VA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Clinchfield Coal Company · Accident type, without injuries

A FALL WAS DISCOVERED IN THE NO. 6 ENTRY OF THE 2-RIGHT OFF OF THE MAINS SECTION. THE FALL MEASURED APPROX. 100' LONG X 20' WIDE X 6' THICK AND WAS LOCATED ABOUT 800' OUTBY THE ACTIVE SECTION. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR EQUIPMENT INVOLVED.

February 17, 1993 VA · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Clinchfield Coal Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE GOT OFF OF THE SHUTTLE CAR AT THE FEEDER TO TURN AROUND AND GO BACK TO THE MINER. WHEN HE STEPPED OFF THE CAR HE STEPPED ON A ROCK IN A WATER HOLE AND IT ROLLED OVER. EMPLOYEE HAD SUR GERY ON KNEE 2-25-93.

1992 · 5 incidents

November 9, 1992 VA · Coal scoop car operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Clinchfield Coal Company · Struck by falling object

EE WAS REMOVING TOP BELT STRUCTURE FROM ABANDON BELT LINE FROM HEIGHT OF APPROX. 5 FT WHEN STRUCTURE FELL AND HIT EDGE OF BELT DRISE AND GLANCED SIDE WAYS STRIKING EE LEFT FOOT AT HARD THE ARE A.

November 3, 1992 VA · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator POWERED HAULAGE
Clinchfield Coal Company · Struck against a moving object

THE INJURED WAS OPERATING A SHUTTLE CAR. THE SECTION HAS ROUGH BOTTOM AND THE RESULT OF RUNNING OVER THE BOTTOM WAS A BACK STRAIN. THE INJURED DID NOT REPORT THIS INJURY UNTIL HE RETURNED TO W ORK ON 11-18-92.

November 3, 1992 VA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Clinchfield Coal Company · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

STRAINED LOWER BACK WHILE PULLING SHUTTLE CAR CABLE THRU BRATTICE.

September 28, 1992 VA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Clinchfield Coal Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE LEFT OPEN KNIFE ON TOP OF POWER UNIT HE WAS USING TO MAKE SPLICE ON S/C CABLE.HE LEANED OVER TO PUT CAT HEAD IN POWER UNIT, KNOCKING KNIFE OFF TRRIKING HIM ON BACK OF RIGHT RINF FINGE R CAUSING A LACERATION.

July 27, 1992 VA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Clinchfield Coal Company · Struck against stationary object

54736YEE WAS SCALING DOWN LOOSE ROCK IN SEAL AREA WHERE ALOT OF LOOSE MATERIAL WAS. AS HE WAS PULLING ROCK DOWN, ANOTHER PIECE STRUCK HIKM ON THE SHOULDER PUSHING HIM INTO THE SLATE BAR THAT 06120IN HIS HAND AND HIT HIM ON THE CHECK.