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.
509 citations across 4,139 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Plum Mine has $121K in proposed MSHA penalties and $25K outstanding across 2 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.
$121K
proposed penalties
$116K
current assessed
$91K
paid to date
$25K
outstanding
498 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $10K in penalties contested before the Commission, $5K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2012-06-26.
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.
8citations taken to the federal commission · 2% of citations on record
Settled
8 · 100%
67%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 6 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
50%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$10K proposed, $5K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2010-07-27.
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 Plum Mine shows 97% of 367 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: 2012-04-16, 14 years ago
97%
within 1.5 mg/m3
367
samples
6.35
dust max (mg/m3)
139 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 228 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.
Plum Mine recorded 8.68 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2011.
Injury rate, 2011
ⓘ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.
8.68
total case rate
8.68
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.83 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.45 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
2011 *
8.68
8.68
0.000
2010 *
4.74
0.00
0.000
2009 *
5.63
5.63
0.000
2008 *
7.38
7.38
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)
2013
0
2012
10
5,072
2011
23
29,585
2010
22
88,443
2009
19
92,551
2008
26
171,048
2006
0
2005
3
2004
6
17,556
2003
12
11,553
2001
1
2000
6
16,073
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Plum Mine sits in Preston County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 5.1% 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.
Preston County, West Virginia · Population 34,204
5.1%
Mining share of county employment
$61,373
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
2013 Q2
0
0
0
2013 Q1
0
0
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
80
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
5,217
11
5
2108.5
2012 Q1
12,753
42
13
3293.3
2011 Q4
11,403
15
7
1315.4
2011 Q3
11,307
17
8
1503.5
Show 32 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2011 Q2
12,136
21
8
1730.4
2011 Q1
11,211
25
7
2230.0
2010 Q4
11,364
31
5
2727.9
2010 Q3
10,978
13
4
1184.2
2010 Q2
11,430
36
11
3149.6
2010 Q1
8,421
21
6
2493.8
2009 Q4
8,618
14
4
1624.5
2009 Q3
5,947
10
0
1681.5
2009 Q2
8,704
7
2
804.2
2009 Q1
12,272
5
1
407.4
2008 Q4
13,404
10
3
746.0
2008 Q3
13,786
10
5
725.4
2008 Q2
13,656
21
12
1537.8
2008 Q1
13,381
15
2
1121.0
2006 Q4
0
0
0
2006 Q2
0
4
0
2005 Q4
2,190
4
2
1826.5
2005 Q3
2,190
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
2,190
2
0
913.2
2005 Q1
2,190
0
0
0.0
2004 Q3
0
32
8
2004 Q2
3,712
35
9
9428.9
2004 Q1
4,272
23
10
5383.9
2003 Q4
5,919
46
24
7771.6
2003 Q3
4,149
5
3
1205.1
2001 Q3
63
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
8
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
38
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
92
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
117
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
4,724
2
0
423.4
2000 Q1
5,582
2
0
358.3
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
16 on file
2011 · 3 incidents
June 30, 2011WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EE and co-worker were handling buckets of plaster across a shuttle car cable. He slipped causing his right elbow to bend in a backwards direction when it hit the side of his leg. He notified company of injury at 6:25 AM on 7/5/11.
April 15, 2011WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
While drilling hole to install roof bolt. Rock broke around drill steel. Dislodging rock and fell between operators canopy and ATRS support falling onto operator left leg. Rock measured approx 29'L X 23"W X 11"Thick.
While cutting a 3 way intersection, #5 entry into #6 entry. Completed. The top roof rock fell across #6 entry, pulling roof bolts. The roof fall measures approx. 16'W x 16'L x 8'H.
2010 · 3 incidents
August 14, 2010WV · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
While preparing S & S feeder to be moved, EE was moving cable he stepped on a piece of rock causing him to fall. When he fell his knee went in the opposite direction if his body causing him to twist his knee.
2 blocks inby spad #806 area had potted out some. While setting additional timbers around the area, more rocks came loose pulling bolts. Total area measured 20' W 20' L and 10' H approx. There were more timbers set and area posted and dangered off. Additional supports are being set around the block due to additional rock potting out.
While traveling our return air course to EP's 1 state inspector and 1 msha inspector found a roof fall located left of spad 338 in the old panel at an intersection mined around Nov. 2003. Area posted off and danger sign hung.
During inspection of our travel road, also our secondary escape way. A roof fall of the intersection 1 block outby spad 641 was noticed. Fall measured approx 8'H x 17'w X 24'L. There were no visual warnings. However there was a slip in the strata that may have contributed to the fall. The fall has been cleaned up and area timbered around.
January 15, 2009WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Put his hand in tray on roof bolter and a small piece of slate hit his finger.
2004 · 3 incidents
June 15, 2004WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
PC Mining LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
CUT RIGHT MIDDLE FINGER WITH KNIFE, REQUIRED SUTURES.
March 15, 2004WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
PC Mining LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
THE EE WAS WATCHING THE BOLTER OPERATOR BOLT AND UPON LEAVING PUT HIS HAND ON THE ARMS THAT ATTACHED TO THE HEAD. AT THE SAME TIME THE BOLTER OPERATOR RAISED THE HEAD, THUS CRUSHING THE LEFT PINKIE FINGER OF THE EE. ONCE AT THE HOSPITAL, THE DOCTORS ADVISED THAT THE FINGER BE REMOVED BELOW THE FIRST KNUCKLE.
January 21, 2004WV · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanELECTRICAL
THE EMPLOYEE WAS JUMP STARTING THE 275B LOADER WITH HIS PICKUP TRUCK. WHILE PUTTING ON THE JUMPER CABLES A FLASH OCCURED. THE EMPLOYEE'S EYES GOT FLASHED AT THAT POINT.
2003 · 1 incident
December 30, 2003WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
ROOF BOLTER OPERATOR FINISHED BOLTING #1 BOLT AND WAS SWINGING THE HEAD OF THE FLETCHER DD0 13 BOLTER. AS THE HEAD WAS BEING SET UP A PIECE OF ROCK MEASURING 3" X 18" X 31" BECAME DISLODGED FR OM THE ROOF AND FELL ON THE OPERATOR'S RIGHT LEG.
1999 · 2 incidents
August 23, 1999WV · Coalcontinuous miner operator, coal mole operatorFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
EE WAS CLEANING ROCK OFF MINER WHILE LOADING OUTA PLACE THAT HAD FELL IN A LOOSE ROCK FELL OUT BETWEEN BOLTS APPROX 23"X16"X2" AND HIT HIM ON RIGHT SHOULDER
August 14, 1999WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS