Pocahontas Highwall Mine has $152K in proposed MSHA penalties and $65K outstanding across 14 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
22
Years on record
2005–2022
Latest incident
Sep 2022
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2005
193
citations
63
significant & substantial
$152,457
proposed penalties
$82,669
paid to date
54% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $69,788 gap.
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.
193 citations across 2,722 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘA Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2011-03-28.
On record since 2011.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Pocahontas Highwall Mine has $152K in proposed MSHA penalties and $65K outstanding across 14 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.
$152K
proposed penalties
$147K
current assessed
$83K
paid to date
$65K
outstanding
186 assessments are final orders; 14 contested dockets.
Of $123K in penalties contested before the Commission, $95K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2024-03-25.
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.
34citations taken to the federal commission · 18% of citations on record
Settled
32 · 94%
Vacated or withdrawn
2 · 6%
78%
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 23 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
22%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$123K proposed, $95K 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 2020-06-09.
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 Pocahontas Highwall Mine shows 100% of 227 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: 2024-05-01
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
227
samples
0.70
dust max (mg/m3)
0
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.
150 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 77 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.
Pocahontas Highwall Mine recorded 6.26 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2022.
Injury rate, 2022
ⓘ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.
6.26
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.26 and the all-US-mining average was 2.12 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 3.68 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
2022 *
6.26
0.00
0.000
2020 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2015 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2014 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2013
0.00
0.00
0.000
2012
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.
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)
2026
0
2025
0
2024
5
3,250
2023
10
18,306
2022
14
9,796
2021
5
3,271
2020
10
4,951
2019
15
18,884
2018
17
10,178
2017
9
2016
6
2015
13
2014
12
62,209
2013
38
335,298
2012
57
548,069
2011
32
459,818
2010
33
223,782
2009
51
204,380
2008
47
275,649
2007
19
165,527
2006
43
245,231
2005
27
537,010
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Pocahontas Highwall Mine sits in Raleigh County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 4.0% 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.
Raleigh County, West Virginia · Population 73,666
4.0%
Mining share of county employment
$52,055
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
While drilling out a broken bolt with a magnet drill on a D7 roller frame, EE was running the drill while magnetized to the frame. As the bit finished drilling through the broken bolt it bound up causing the drill to spin around pinching EE's fingers between the drill and the frame.
At approximately 11:30AM on February 23 there was a wall failure at the Pocahontas Surface Mine. The wall fell onto the 52 HWM covering the miner back to the launch pad. There were NO injuries to any employees on the miner. This is to report wall failure only.
2020 · 1 incident
January 9, 2020WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Repairing a hydraulic leak on the 1200 Hitachi excavator. EE was on the second rung of the ladder. When EE broke loose a bolt, EE lost footing, which led to EE falling off the ladder to the ground. The ground surface was uneven where EE landed.
2019 · 1 incident
October 2, 2019WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
I received a call from security had notified the mantrip bus was on fire. The security guard had stopped near the bus to eat lunch when ee noticed flames come out from under the hood. The job was idle no and employees were injured. This was an inactive part of the job where employees parked.
2013 · 1 incident
August 7, 2013WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE positioned his left leg under the cutter drum of the #53 Highwall Miner in an attempt to remove bolts from the cutterhead auger. Inadequate blocking material allowed the cutterdrum to strike his lower left leg causing fractures and puncture wounds.
EE and another ee was moving a pallet of materials. EE picked his side up by hand so another ee picked his side up also by hand. EE went to take a step and relized his back was hurting so they set the pallet back down. EE reported to EE(Supervisor) that he had hurt his back lifting the pallet.
2010 · 1 incident
August 10, 2010WV · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Foot slipped on step and EE fell to the ground and his foot twisted.
2009 · 3 incidents
November 16, 2009WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerMACHINERY
North Star One LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
While tramming his Komatsu PC-220 excavator around the Highwall Miner the operator opened his window and reached out to pull his mirror in and caught his left hand between the mirror and the highwall miner lacerating it. He received (9) sutures to his left hand. This is to report medical treatment only, no days were lost.
March 10, 2009WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was riding bus (mantrip) and when it approached his piece of equipment he stood up as the bus operator braked and he fell and stuck his head on the header above the windshield. He was diagnoised with a cervical strain and concussion.
2008 · 2 incidents
December 31, 2008WV · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Mechanic was welding on a truck and when he finished he started rolling up the stinger lead and it become tangled with the ground clamp lead. He pulled on the stinger lead and the ground clamp came off the truck and struck his right hand fracturing his fourth (index) metacarpal. This is to report medical treatment only.
2007 · 1 incident
January 31, 2007WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
The mechainc was using a screw driver to pry on a cover on a cat 345 excavator when the screw driver broke and struck him on his upper lip lacerating it. The wound required (7) sutures to repair it. No days were lost, this is to report medical treatment only.
2006 · 4 incidents
December 26, 2006WV · Coalcrane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, riggerPOWERED HAULAGE
Operator was in an A40 D Volvo truck while being loaded by a 988F Cat Loader. While the loader operator was preparing to dump the first bucket of rock in the truck bed a rock slipped out and struck the bed jarring the operator spraining his lower back.
The HWM electrician developed pain in his lower back after his right foot slipped as he stepped into the power head area of the Superior High Wall Miner. He finished his shift and started off on 09/24/06.
While changing bits on the highwall miner cutter head, the foreman struck the distal end of his left little finger with a 4-lb hammer fracturing it. This is to report medical treatment only.
2005 · 1 incident
November 9, 2005WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerPOWERED HAULAGE
While dumping load to construct barm, the truck lost power and backed over a 10' ledge. The operator struck his left knee against the dashboard resulting in a laceration.
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