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.
239 citations across 2,906 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
No. 50 Mine has $219K in proposed MSHA penalties and $46K 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.
$219K
proposed penalties
$219K
current assessed
$173K
paid to date
$46K
outstanding
232 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2004-12-21.
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.
MSHA sampling at No. 50 Mine shows 87% of 331 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: 2004-10-01, 21 years ago
87%
within 1.5 mg/m3
331
samples
4.91
dust max (mg/m3)
173 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 158 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. 50 Mine recorded 41.13 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2002.
Injury rate, 2002
ⓘ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.
41.13
total case rate
34.28
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 6.89 and the all-US-mining average was 5.05 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 9.17 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
2002 *
41.13
34.28
0.000
2001 *
21.09
17.57
0.000
2000 *
16.57
13.81
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)
2003
33
40,285
2002
19
45,931
2001
34
111,368
2000
37
244,634
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
No. 50 Mine sits in McDowell County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 13.0% 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.
McDowell County, West Virginia · Population 18,413
13.0%
Mining share of county employment
$29,980
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
Energy Plus Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE WAS USING MANTRIP TO SUPPLY ROOF BOLTER WHEN FLY BOARD FELL OFF OF MANTRIP. HE STOPPED MANTRIP TO STRAIGHTEN BOARD. HE CRAWLED OFF OF MANTRIP AND MOVED BOARD TURNING A CAN OF OIL OVER AND H ITTING FOOT SWITCH CAUSING MANTRIP TO RUN OVER HIMSELF.
WHILE DRIVING MAC #9 FROM SECTION TO SURFACE AT END OF SHIFT STEERING WHEEL KICKED AROUND AND HIT EE ON HAND. HE DID NOT THINK IT WAS BROKE AT THAT TIME.
HE WAS HELPING MINER OPERATOR SET LIFT TIMBERS IN #5 ENTRY WHEN A KETTLE BOTTOM PINCHED OUT BETWEEN TWO ROOF BOLT PLATES. HE HAD HIS BACK TURNED AWAY FROM IT AND DIDN'T SEE IT. PART OF IT ST RUCK HIS BACK SIDE. HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL ER AND THEY X-RAYED HIM, CHECKED HIM AND SENT HIM HOME.
EE WAS STARTING TO HANG CABLE TO ROOF WHILE SCOOP WAS PULLING POWER CENTER UP RAN OUT OF CABLE AND PULLED CABLE DOWN ON HIM. KNOCKING HIM TO FLOOR. SCOOP OPR SAID HE DID NOT HEAR ON SEE OUTHER MEN FLAGGING AND YELLING FOR HIM TO STOP.
Related mines
Other mines operated by Top Notch Enterprises, Inc.