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Paynter Branch Surface Mine Coal

Oceana, Wyoming County, WV  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 4608582

Paynter Branch Surface Mine has $133K in proposed MSHA penalties and $12K outstanding across 10 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
23
Years on record
1998–2008
Latest incident
Sep 2008
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
123
citations
72
significant & substantial
$133,142
proposed penalties
$68,007
paid to date
51% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $65,135 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2001
43
inspections on record
1,870
inspection hours
6.6
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.
123 citations across 1,870 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Paynter Branch Surface Mine has $133K in proposed MSHA penalties and $12K outstanding across 10 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.
$133K
proposed penalties
$80K
current assessed
$68K
paid to date
$12K
outstanding
122 assessments are final orders; 10 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2010-12-21.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.
See also the operator's enforcement record

MSHA sampling at Paynter Branch Surface Mine shows respirable coal dust averaging 0.16 mg/m3 (99% compliant) across 90 samples.

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.
0.16
dust avg (mg/m3)
1.79
dust max (mg/m3)
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
90
samples
Most recent sample: 2010-07-30.
Noise
0%
over PEL
29
samples
Most recent sample: 2010-08-04.
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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
2011 Q4 3 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 3 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 296 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 4,184 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 5,579 1 0 179.2
2010 Q3 9,883 2 1 202.4
2010 Q2 11,011 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 12,613 1 0 79.3
Show 36 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2009 Q4 14,568 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 13,389 3 0 224.1
2009 Q2 14,386 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 19,921 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 20,432 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 23,082 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 25,459 6 4 235.7
2008 Q1 24,096 8 1 332.0
2007 Q4 21,718 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 25,684 9 7 350.4
2007 Q2 26,220 11 11 419.5
2007 Q1 28,621 1 1 34.9
2006 Q4 26,279 1 0 38.1
2006 Q3 28,731 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 27,517 4 3 145.4
2006 Q1 32,085 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 31,478 6 6 190.6
2005 Q3 34,422 3 3 87.2
2005 Q2 37,696 11 5 291.8
2005 Q1 40,687 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 41,902 22 12 525.0
2004 Q3 34,295 4 2 116.6
2004 Q2 30,147 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 27,091 3 1 110.7
2003 Q4 23,517 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 24,473 7 5 286.0
2003 Q2 23,709 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 22,644 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 20,173 9 4 446.1
2002 Q3 18,705 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 22,133 5 3 225.9
2002 Q1 21,641 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 16,222 2 1 123.3
2001 Q3 16,272 4 2 245.8
2001 Q2 6,261 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 4,579 0 0 0.0

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded

Reportable incidents

22 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2008 · 4 incidents

September 9, 2008 WV · Coal welder (shop) HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Simmons Fork Mining Incorporated · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Hitting a piece of cold roll with sledge hammer, he missed the cold roll, hitting another piece of metal which caused the sledge hammer to "twist", which twisted the right wrist, causing injury.

March 17, 2008 WV · Coal FIRE
Simmons Fork Mining Incorporated · Accident type, without injuries

A fire occurred on the 2002 sterling fuel lube truck co#135, fire was not extingusted within 30min. The fire was put out by the local fire dept. There was no injuries during this event.

January 7, 2008 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Simmons Fork Mining Incorporated · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Using pry bar to get brake slack adjuster off & got pain in groin area.

2006 · 1 incident

October 10, 2006 WV · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Simmons Fork Mining Incorporated · Struck against a moving object

The truck that employee was operating overturned.

2005 · 1 incident

July 13, 2005 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Simmons Fork Mining Incorporated · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was coming down from off a machine when his foot slipped and he twisted his left knee.

2004 · 2 incidents

December 27, 2004 WV · Coal quality control technician, laboratory technician, laboratory assistant HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Simmons Fork Mining Incorporated · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was repairing 988F that would not start due to the cole; in effort to start machine, had to use the hand priming pump and while pumping strained right shoulder.

June 10, 2004 WV · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Simmons Fork Mining Incorporated · Struck against a moving object

Employee was being loaded by loader when the loader dropped a large rock into the truck. The rock jarred employee, injuring shoulder.

2003 · 1 incident

2002 · 1 incident

July 18, 2002 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Simmons Fork Mining Incorporated · Struck by rolling or sliding object

VICTIM WAS INSTALLING THE REAR END IN A WESTERN STAR TANDEM WHEN IT ROLLED OVER ON HIS RIGHT ARM.

2000 · 1 incident

February 6, 2000 WV · Coal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
A T V Voyager Mining Company Inc · Fall from machine

STEPPED OUT OF LOADER AND FELT SICK AND HE SAID THAT HE GOT DIZZY AND FELL OFF 180 LOADER.

1999 · 5 incidents

December 30, 1999 WV · Coal blaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkey SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
A T V Voyager Mining Company Inc · Fall from machine

HE WAS SICK AT STOMACH AND GOT OUT OF 777 ROCK TRUCK AND FELL TO GROUND ABOUT 10 FT. HE WAS COMPLAINING WITH HIS NECK AND BACK.

July 14, 1999 WV · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
A T V Voyager Mining Company Inc · Struck against a moving object

A ROCK SLIPPED OUT OF EX2500 BUCKET AND HIT ON BACK LIP OF TRUCK BED RESULTING IN TRUCK BED FLYING UP AND SLAMMING BACK DOWN, JOLTING EMPLOYEE.

April 21, 1999 WV · Coal coal/ore shovel operator, shoveler, power shoveler MACHINERY
A T V Voyager Mining Company Inc · Struck against a moving object

OPERATOR WAS RUNNING AN ESQUVATOR AND PULLED MUCSCLE IN HIS BACK.

February 1, 1999 WV · Coal drill operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
A T V Voyager Mining Company Inc · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

THE EE WAS OPERATING THE DRILL. WHEN THE DRILL STEEL WOULD NOT BREAK AND HE HAD TO USE A DECK WRENCH TO HELP BREAK THE STEEL APART. WHILE USING THE DECK WRENCH, HE INJURED BACK.

1998 · 6 incidents

October 28, 1998 WV · Coal blaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkey SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
A T V Voyager Mining Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE STEPPED DOWN FROM CAB OF POWDER TRUCK ONTO THE GROUND, AND WE THOUGHT HE HAD SPRAINED HIS ANKLE, BUT HE WENT TO THE DR THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS BROKE. HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO THE DR THE EVENING THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED.

June 12, 1998 WV · Coal blaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkey STEPPING OR KNEELING ON OBJECT
A T V Voyager Mining Company Inc · Struck against stationary object

BLASTER STEPPED OUT OF HIS PRELL TRUCK & STEPPEDO A ROCK & BADLY SPRAINED OR COULD HAVE POSSIBLYBROKE HIS ANKLE-HE WAS TAKEN TO MANARCH FOR X-RAYS

January 30, 1998 WV · Coal rodman, surveyor/transit helper FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
A T V Voyager Mining Company Inc · Struck by falling object

SURVEYORS WERE SURVEYING PITS AND ONE RODMAN GOT UNDER A PART OF WALL THAT WAS DRIPPING DUE TO THE BIG SNOW WE JUST HAD AND A ROCK CAME DOWN ABOUT 30 FEET AND HIT HIM IN THE ARM AND LEG. HE PU LLED SOME LIGAMENTS IN HIS ARM AND HAD A COMPOUND FRACTURE ON HIS LEG.

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

The full compliance file on Paynter Branch Surface Mine

A dated report covering the 26-year penalty trail, line-item violation pattern, contest and docket posture, rate-normalized peer benchmark, and full fatality history. Delivered as a PDF with the underlying data as CSV.

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