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.
521 citations across 3,128 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
No 4 Mine has $470K in proposed MSHA penalties and $445K outstanding across 16 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.
$470K
proposed penalties
$467K
current assessed
$22K
paid to date
$445K
outstanding
480 assessments are final orders; 16 contested dockets.
Of $394K in penalties contested before the Commission, $390K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2013-05-08.
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.
108citations taken to the federal commission · 21% of citations on record
Settled
41 · 38%
Stood as issued
67 · 62%
100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 54 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
1%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$393K proposed, $390K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2008-10-28.
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 Mine shows 94% of 300 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: 2013-06-13, 13 years ago
94%
within 1.5 mg/m3
300
samples
12.29
dust max (mg/m3)
141 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 159 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 Mine recorded 4.11 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2012.
Injury rate, 2012
ⓘ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.
4.11
total case rate
4.11
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.74 and the all-US-mining average was 2.96 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.13 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.
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)
2013
28
35,769
2012
28
78,195
2008
3
5,325
2007
5
49,098
2006
6
39,999
2005
7
62,951
2004
5
115,288
2003
2
17,143
2002
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
No 4 Mine sits in Wyoming County, West 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.
Wyoming County, West Virginia · Population 20,948
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$48,038
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
The mains section had advanced under a hollow. The #9 intersection began to take weight. The # 9 return entry at 1 break inby spad # 2112 was cribbed off. no effort was made to save the intersection. The intersection in the #8 return entry was reinforced with cribs, steel beams, jacks and longer bolts.
July 25, 2012WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
After hanging the miner cable around the intersection in LOB #6 entry, EE was talking to the foreman. The scoop operator inadvertently hooked the miner cable 2 breaks away. Causing the cable to fall down and drag across the intersection causing ee to trip over cable. Resulting in falling on a baseball size rock bruising his back.
First cut in # 4 entry. Developing barrier. Was finish and awaiting the bolter when the fall occured. Fall extended from the fresh cut and 16 ft outby pulling approx. 4 - 5 rows of roof bolts. No miners or equipment were damaged in fall.
2006 · 1 incident
February 15, 2006WV · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderPOWERED HAULAGE
Shelby Coal, Inc. · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects
The miner was attempting to water down the #2 belt at #2 belt drive when apparently the hose got between the belt and the moving discharge roller causing his arm to be dragged around the guard and under the scraper.
2005 · 2 incidents
September 2, 2005WV · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorPOWERED HAULAGE