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.
124 citations across 1,526 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
No. 4 has $9K in proposed MSHA penalties and $42 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.
$9K
proposed penalties
$9K
current assessed
$9K
paid to date
$42
outstanding
124 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $325 in penalties contested before the Commission, $325 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2005-04-29.
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.
1citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
Stood as issued
1 · 100%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$325 proposed, $325 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2005-10-27.
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 No. 4 shows 97% of 180 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: 2005-06-13, 21 years ago
97%
within 1.5 mg/m3
180
samples
9.55
dust max (mg/m3)
93 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 87 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.
No. 4 recorded 0.00 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 5.57 and the all-US-mining average was 4.33 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.96 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 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2003 *
11.68
11.68
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)
2005
11
41,655
2004
14
83,337
2003
13
93,772
2002
11
48,259
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
No. 4 sits in Buchanan County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 11.2% 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.
Buchanan County, Virginia · Population 19,857
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$42,216
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
2005 Q3
2,353
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
9,644
15
1
1555.4
2005 Q1
9,565
7
2
731.8
2004 Q4
8,423
9
4
1068.5
2004 Q3
8,246
8
3
970.2
2004 Q2
8,190
7
1
854.7
2004 Q1
8,957
16
6
1786.3
2003 Q4
10,110
12
4
1186.9
Show 6 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2003 Q3
8,224
13
4
1580.7
2003 Q2
8,690
2
0
230.1
2003 Q1
7,231
9
2
1244.6
2002 Q4
8,160
5
0
612.7
2002 Q3
6,331
6
0
947.7
2002 Q2
1,600
7
5
4375.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
5 on file
2003 · 2 incidents
December 5, 2003VA · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerPOWERED HAULAGE
EE WAS RIDING THE MANTRIP FROM THE FACE AREA TO THE SURFACE. HE ALLEDGES THAT THE MANTRIP HIT A HOLE IN THE TRAVELWAY AND BOUNCED CAUSING INJURY TO HIS BACK. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT TH E MANTRIP WAS NOT TRAVELING AT AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF SPEED.
May 31, 2003VA · Coalcontinuous miner helper, coal mole helper, bridgemanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
WHILE MOVING BELT, EMPLOYEE ALONG WITH ANOTHER EE ATTEMPTED TO LIFT A SECTION OF BOTTOM BELT IN ORDER TO ALLOW INSTALLATION OF BELT STRUCTURE, RESULTING IN A STRAINED MUSCLE IN HIS SHOULDER.
AB&J Coal Co., Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE WAS MOVING ROOF BOLTER FROM #2 LEFT ENTRY TO #3 HEADING. HE PLACED HIS HAND ON DRILL POT AND BY MISTAKE, HIT THE FAST FEED UP LEVER ON THE CONTROLS. THE DRILL POT RAISED PINCHING HIS RT IND EX FINGER BETWEEN THE DRILL POT AND OPERATORE CANOPY.
July 31, 2002VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
THE EE WAS INSTALLING ROOF BOLTS. HE WAS USING THE DRILL HEAD OF THE MACHINE TO PUSH THE 42" FULLY GROUTED BOLT IN THE DRILLED HOLE IN THE MINE ROOF WHEN THE BOLT SLIPPED OFF THE DRILL HEAD ST RIKING HIM IN THE FINGER.
June 21, 2002VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)STRIKING OR BUMPING
A METAL ROOF MAT OR STRAP HAD BEEN DISLODGED ON ONE END EVIDENTALY BY THE CONTINUOUS MINER OR SHUTTLE CAR. THE STRAP WAS HANGING DOWN FROM FOOR AND THE EMPLOYEE WALKED INTO IT.