Mining Incidents

Ondo Mine: 69 MSHA citations Coal

Mears Enterprises Inc · Underground
Controlled by Kerry L Mears
Brush Valley, Indiana County, PA  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 3608628

Ondo Mine has $6K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 7 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
10
Years on record
1998–2002
Latest incident
Sep 2002
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
69
citations
24
significant & substantial
$5,597
proposed penalties
$4,968
paid to date
89% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $629 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
64
inspections on record
1,376
inspection hours
5.0
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.
69 citations across 1,376 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Ondo Mine has $6K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 7 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.
$6K
proposed penalties
$5K
current assessed
$5K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
69 assessments are final orders; 7 contested dockets.
Of $3K in penalties contested before the Commission, $2K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2002-07-24.
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.
34.8%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
43.5%
reasonably likely or greater
5.8%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 49.3% low, 50.7% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
PENN20000119 Settlement Barbour 2000 $880 → $575
PENN20010010 Settlement Barbour 2000 $607 → $364
PENN20020076 Settlement Barbour 2002 $253 → $130
PENN20020067 Settlement Barbour 2002 $226 → $178
PENN20010175 Settlement Barbour 2001 $189 → $173
PENN20010188 Settlement Barbour 2001 $180 → $130
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Ondo Mine shows 85% of 196 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: 2002-07-16, 24 years ago
85%
within 1.5 mg/m3
196
samples
4.39
dust max (mg/m3)
121 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 75 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR74
  • MOBILE BRIDGE OPERATOR15
  • MECHANIC12

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2002-07-23, 24 years ago
3.1
silica avg (%)
29
samples
8.0
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR6

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: 2001-11-29, 24 years ago
22%
over PEL
18
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)6
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR4
  • MOBILE BRIDGE OPERATOR4
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
2002 83% 52
2001 83% 92
2000 90% 52
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2002 3.6 8
2001 2.7 11
2000 3.3 10
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2001 17% 12
2000 33% 6
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Ondo Mine recorded 33.85 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.
33.85
total case rate
33.85
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 Pennsylvania, coal mining averaged 7.45 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 * 33.85 33.85 0.000
2001 * 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. Mears Enterprises Inc 1997 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)
2002 15 97,108
2001 12 162,216
2000 9 110,803
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Ondo Mine sits in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 2.4% 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.
Indiana County, Pennsylvania · Population 83,213
2.4%
Mining share of county employment
$58,739
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
2002 Q4 811 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 6,184 4 0 646.8
2002 Q2 11,002 11 4 999.8
2002 Q1 5,638 7 5 1241.6
2001 Q4 6,587 10 3 1518.1
2001 Q3 5,990 8 3 1335.6
2001 Q2 6,605 5 1 757.0
2001 Q1 6,632 5 2 753.9
Show 4 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2000 Q4 6,648 7 2 1052.9
2000 Q3 5,198 6 3 1154.3
2000 Q2 0 0 0
2000 Q1 4,948 5 0 1010.5
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

10 on file

2002 · 4 incidents

September 19, 2002 PA · Coal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Mears Enterprises Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS CRAWLING OVER A PARTICALLY COMPLETED SEAL AND TWISTED HIS LEFT KNEE WHEN HIS FOOT HUNG UP IN THE MUDDY BOTTOM.

June 27, 2002 PA · Coal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Mears Enterprises Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EE WAS LIFTING BELT STRUCTURE. SURGEON DETERMINE THAT SURGERY WAS NECESSARY ON 7-16-02.

May 22, 2002 PA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) OTHER
Mears Enterprises Inc · Rubbed or abraded

EE'S KNEES GOT INFECTED DUE TO HIS KNEE PAD STRAPS IRRIRTATING THE BACK OF HIS KNEES.

2001 · 1 incident

July 7, 2001 PA · Coal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss STRIKING OR BUMPING
Mears Enterprises Inc · Struck against stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS CONDUCTING A PRESHIFT EXAM OF THE SECTION WHEN HE STRUCK HIS HEAD ON A PROTRUDING COAL RIB.

2000 · 1 incident

October 28, 2000 PA · Coal scoop car/scooptram operator, load/haul/dump (lhd) operator, teletram operator STRIKING OR BUMPING
Mears Enterprises Inc · Struck against stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS ENTERING THE OPERATOR'S COMPARTMENT OF A SS SCOOP AND HIT HIS NOSE ON THE CANOPY.

1999 · 1 incident

1998 · 3 incidents

July 20, 1998 PA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Mears Enterprises Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS ADJUSTING THE TENSION ON A S&S SLIDE BELTTAIL USING A 3' 1" SOLID STEEL ROD. THE ROD SLIPPED OUT OF THE JACK SOCKET HITTING HIM ON THE RIGHT CHEEK CAUSING AN ABRASION.

April 16, 1998 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Mears Enterprises Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE SLIPPED WHILE WALKING ON MUDDY BOTTOM.