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.
580 citations across 5,772 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
No 9 has $180K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 25 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.
$180K
proposed penalties
$164K
current assessed
$164K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
569 assessments are final orders; 25 contested dockets.
Of $76K in penalties contested before the Commission, $60K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-11-05.
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.
183citations taken to the federal commission · 32% of citations on record
Settled
159 · 87%
Stood as issued
24 · 13%
97%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 63 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
21%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$76K proposed, $60K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2015-09-23.
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 9 shows 92% of 645 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: 2015-11-10, 10 years ago
92%
within 1.5 mg/m3
645
samples
6.35
dust max (mg/m3)
5
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.
304 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 341 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 9 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2015.
Injury rate, 2015
ⓘ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 3.76 and the all-US-mining average was 2.72 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 6.64 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
2015 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2014 *
6.29
6.29
0.000
2013 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2012 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2011 *
5.98
5.98
0.000
2010 *
24.17
18.13
0.000
2009 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2008 *
4.52
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
ⓘCoal production is reported quarterly and lags the current period; the most recent quarters may be incomplete.
Year
Employees
Coal produced (tons)
2016
0
2015
14
52,384
2014
15
46,977
2013
15
53,723
2012
15
54,951
2011
16
46,022
2010
16
60,320
2009
19
77,290
2008
21
98,799
2007
21
123,621
2006
6
20,838
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
No 9 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
2016 Q3
0
0
0
2016 Q2
0
0
0
2016 Q1
0
0
0
2015 Q4
4,500
5
2
1111.1
2015 Q3
7,133
11
5
1542.1
2015 Q2
7,412
19
6
2563.4
2015 Q1
7,456
13
2
1743.6
2014 Q4
7,914
7
2
884.5
Show 35 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2014 Q3
7,942
3
0
377.7
2014 Q2
7,973
4
1
501.7
2014 Q1
7,957
22
5
2764.9
2013 Q4
7,956
26
8
3268.0
2013 Q3
7,435
20
8
2690.0
2013 Q2
8,021
27
8
3366.2
2013 Q1
8,078
12
2
1485.5
2012 Q4
8,000
13
4
1625.0
2012 Q3
7,257
21
3
2893.8
2012 Q2
8,152
18
6
2208.0
2012 Q1
8,484
10
1
1178.7
2011 Q4
8,516
14
7
1644.0
2011 Q3
8,286
13
3
1568.9
2011 Q2
8,566
13
2
1517.6
2011 Q1
8,056
12
4
1489.6
2010 Q4
7,490
19
6
2536.7
2010 Q3
7,668
22
8
2869.1
2010 Q2
9,393
30
10
3193.9
2010 Q1
8,550
15
5
1754.4
2009 Q4
10,416
13
4
1248.1
2009 Q3
8,961
13
2
1450.7
2009 Q2
9,351
5
0
534.7
2009 Q1
9,739
22
6
2259.0
2008 Q4
11,219
11
1
980.5
2008 Q3
10,792
2
0
185.3
2008 Q2
10,419
7
3
671.8
2008 Q1
11,791
17
10
1441.8
2007 Q4
11,877
11
3
926.2
2007 Q3
12,058
7
3
580.5
2007 Q2
11,071
29
10
2619.5
2007 Q1
7,011
30
7
4279.0
2006 Q4
6,456
13
6
2013.6
2006 Q3
5,805
14
2
2411.7
2006 Q2
0
5
1
2006 Q1
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
13 on file
2014 · 1 incident
April 29, 2014VA · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
This fall occurred in a faulty area of the mine which already had additional installed the fall will not be cleared up. And section has been moved to a now location.
This was a rock fall on the intake No.6 entry. The fall measured 18'x50'x10'. The fall will not be cleaned up and did not effect escape way or airways.
A roof fall occurred in the #7 intake entry approx 350' outby the working section. Measured 20 X 50 X 8. The fall was timbered off and will not be cleaned up. No equipment or personel were involved.
2008 · 1 incident
January 14, 2008VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK