Mining Incidents

Postar No 1 Mine Coal

Elbert, Mcdowell County, WV  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4607983

Postar No 1 Mine has $70K in proposed MSHA penalties and $20K outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Postar No 1 Mine.

Fatalities
0
Total incidents
31
Years on record
1993–2007
Latest incident
Jan 2007
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
352
citations
140
significant & substantial
$70,361
proposed penalties
$50,672
paid to date
72% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $19,689 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
113
inspections on record
4,390
inspection hours
8.0
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.
352 citations across 4,390 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Postar No 1 Mine has $70K in proposed MSHA penalties and $20K outstanding across 0 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.
$70K
proposed penalties
$70K
current assessed
$51K
paid to date
$20K
outstanding
340 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2013-12-10.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Postar No 1 Mine shows respirable coal dust averaging 0.76 mg/m3 (88% compliant) across 472 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.
0.76
dust avg (mg/m3)
7.01
dust max (mg/m3)
88%
within 1.5 mg/m3
472
samples
Most recent sample: 2007-01-26.
Silica (quartz)
3.4
silica avg (%)
8.9
silica max (%)
38
samples
Most recent sample: 2006-02-15.
Noise
11%
over PEL
36
samples
Most recent sample: 2006-07-31.
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
2014 Q1 0 0 0
2013 Q4 0 6 1
2012 Q1 0 0 0
2011 Q4 0 0 0
2011 Q3 0 0 0
2007 Q2 5,262 1 0 190.0
2007 Q1 10 20 13 2000000.0
2006 Q2 11,810 25 16 2116.9
Show 25 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2006 Q1 11,031 27 9 2447.6
2005 Q4 12,467 6 2 481.3
2005 Q3 12,988 7 2 539.0
2005 Q2 14,463 9 1 622.3
2005 Q1 12,794 22 14 1719.6
2004 Q4 14,854 17 5 1144.5
2004 Q3 11,821 8 2 676.8
2004 Q2 16,469 8 2 485.8
2004 Q1 14,302 12 5 839.0
2003 Q4 16,103 9 3 558.9
2003 Q3 11,889 20 14 1682.2
2003 Q2 14,064 11 4 782.1
2003 Q1 13,813 13 5 941.1
2002 Q4 11,862 13 3 1095.9
2002 Q3 13,211 11 4 832.6
2002 Q2 14,732 28 12 1900.6
2002 Q1 12,382 13 1 1049.9
2001 Q4 13,982 8 4 572.2
2001 Q3 11,406 9 4 789.1
2001 Q2 15,234 8 2 525.1
2001 Q1 12,274 6 3 488.8
2000 Q4 14,180 3 0 211.6
2000 Q3 10,544 6 3 569.0
2000 Q2 12,147 4 0 329.3
2000 Q1 5,771 2 0 346.6
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

31 on file

2007 · 1 incident

January 28, 2007 WV · Coal assayer, geologist, metallurgist, engineer, engineer management FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

Employee was cunducting a pre-shift examination when a piece of draw rock fell on employee. Employee was operating rubber tired man trip at time of accident.

2006 · 3 incidents

March 9, 2006 WV · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

Setting feeder on tailpiece, putting rib block under jack to raise feeder, another miner set the jack down on his left thumb.

February 9, 2006 WV · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Postar Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Twisted left knee in deep mud changing structure on #1 belt.

2005 · 2 incidents

July 10, 2005 WV · Coal miner, prospector, nec POWERED HAULAGE
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck against a moving object

THE INJURED WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND DID NOT HAVE AUTHORIZATION BY MINE TO BE THERE NOR IS SHE AN EMPLOYEE. SHE HAD A BLACK OUT DUE TO HER BLOOD SUGAR COUNT, HITTING A COAL EMBANKMENT. LOCAL EMS WAS NOTIFIED AND THE ACCIDENT WAS INVESTIGATED BY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT

June 18, 2005 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

Two miners were making a belt splice. Both were hammering the anvil that is required to bend the staples over to secure the splice to the belt. The injured miner was going to move the anvil to the next slot when his helper hit his hand with another hammer.

2004 · 3 incidents

December 28, 2004 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Postar Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

MINER WAS INSTALLING BOLTS IN CLA WITH 3/" DRIVE RATCHET & PULLED STOMACH MUSCLE. WAITED TO GO TO DR ON 1/20/05 DR SAID RUPTURE AND WOULD NEED SURGERY. BUT HE IS STILL WORKING TILL THEY SCHEDULE HIM A DATE

August 9, 2004 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Postar Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

MINER WAS CLEANING TAIL PIECE WITH A #2 SHOVEL WHEN HE NOTICED A SLIGHT STING IN HIS NECK.

January 6, 2004 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Postar Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

MINER WAS PULLING ON A MINE CABLE WHEN HE NOTICED A SHARP TINGLE IN HIS LOWER BACK. HE WAS PULLING CABLE OVER TO THE RIB TO BE HUNG.

2003 · 4 incidents

November 1, 2003 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck against stationary object

THE COAL MINER WAS HELPING TO ANCHOR TAILPIECE AFTER MAKING A BELT MOVE. HE AND ANOTHER MINER HAD JUST DRILLED A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM WITH A SCHRODER DRILL TO INSTALL THE ANCHOR PIN. HE LEFT THE DRILL LAYING BESIDE THE HOLE AND WHILE DRIVING THE ANCHOR PIN IN HE INADVERTENTLY HIT HIS FINGER ON DRILL STEEL.

September 10, 2003 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

MINER WAS PUTTING BR. ON SHAFT. WHILE HOLDING SHAFT WITH LEFT HAND WAS HITTING BR. WITH HAMMER IN HIS RT. HAND. HE MISSED THE BR. & HIT HIS LEFT HAND PINKY FINGER.

July 31, 2003 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Postar Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

MINER WAS CUTTING BELT TO MAKE A SPLICE. WHILE PULLING HANDLE ON BELT KNIFE HAD PAIN IN HIS BACK.

January 2, 2003 WV · Coal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Postar Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

SECTION FOREMAN STATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHERE OR WHEN BUT HIS SHOULDER STARTED HURTING HIM. DID NOT KNOW IF HE HAD HURT IT AT THE MINE OR AT HOME BUT WENT TO DR. & THEY INORMED HIM THAT HE HAD A TORN ROTATOR CUFF & WOULD NEED SURGERY.

2002 · 7 incidents

August 27, 2002 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

MINER WAS SETTING A TIMBER UNDER SOME BAD TOP WHEN A SLUG BEHIND HIM FELL OUT & HIT HIM ON THE SIDE OF HIS FOOT.

July 19, 2002 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

THE INJURED MINER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SETTING TIMBERS BACK BEHIND THE FACE AREA TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT BLOCK TO BE MINED. HE WAS PICKING UP WEDGES WHEN A SLUG FELL BETWEEN THE ROOF BOLT AND RIB STRIKING HIM ON THE BACK. THUS BRUISING HIS SHOULDERS AND KNEES.

April 10, 2002 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler OTHER
Postar Coal Company Inc · Unclassified, insufficient data

EMPLOYEE DID NOT REPORT THAT HE HAD AN ACCIDENT. WHEN HE CAME BACK TO WORK SAID HE HAD FLUID ON HIS SHOULDER AND HAD BEEN TO A DOCTOR AND GAVE HIM MEDICATION.

April 5, 2002 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

SLUG CAME LOOSE AND FELL ON TOP OF CANOPY OF BOLTER AND ONE CORNER BROKE OFF CATCHING THE LEFT SHOULDER AND NECK OF THE PIN MAN.

March 27, 2002 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Postar Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

MINER WENT TO LIFT OXYGEN TANK WHEN HE FELT PAIN IN STOMACH.

March 23, 2002 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

MINER WENT TO REMOVE A PIECE OF ROCK FROM THE OFF SIDE OF CONTINIOUS MINER WHEN A SLUG FELL OUT BETWEEN TWO PINS CATCHING HIS LEFT HAND BETWEEN THE TWO.

February 28, 2002 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Postar Coal Company Inc · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

WAS TRAMMING PIN MACHINE FROM OPERATORS DECK WHEN A HYD HOSE BUSTED GETTING OIL IN HIS EYE.

2000 · 4 incidents

October 23, 2000 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Postar Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE GOT OFF SC TO HELP HANG A CABLE. WHEN HE BENT HIS KNEE HE HAD BAD PAIN TO HIS LEFT KNEE

July 28, 2000 WV · Coal mine manager, mine foreman, mine owner MACHINERY
Postar Coal Company Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WE USE 6' ROOF BOLTS SO THEY HAVE TO BE BENT IN THE MIDDLE. AFTER PUSHING THE FIRST 3' INTO THE TOP ITS NECESSARY TO STRAIGHTEN THE PIN TO GO OVER THE DRILL. WHEN ROTATING HEAD TOLINE IT UP, T HE INJURED MINER GOT GLOVE CAUGHT AND OVER ROTATED.

July 5, 2000 WV · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Postar Coal Company Inc · Accident type, without injuries

HAD AN UNINTENTIONAL ROOF FALL 300' FROM FACE BETWEEN #7 AND #8 HDG. HAD ATHURSITION IN THE TOP FROM SLATE TO SANDSTONE. ABOUT 18'WIDE, 25'LONG. FROM 2' TO 6'THICK.

1998 · 2 incidents

1997 · 1 incident

December 18, 1997 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Postar Coal Company Inc · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

THE EE GOT A 10% AWARD.

1995 · 2 incidents

October 3, 1995 WV · Coal mine manager, mine foreman, mine owner MACHINERY
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

A SLUG THAT WAS UNDETECTED BY OR OBSERVED AS DANGEROUS

1994 · 1 incident

April 25, 1994 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Postar Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object

SLUG THAT WAS UNDETECTED BETWEEN TWO PINS.

1993 · 1 incident

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

The full compliance file on Postar No 1 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.