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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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.
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.
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.
MSHA sampling at Postar No 1 Mine shows 88% of 472 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: 2007-01-26, 19 years ago
88%
within 1.5 mg/m3
472
samples
7.01
dust max (mg/m3)
221 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 251 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.
Postar No 1 Mine recorded 3.79 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2005.
Injury rate, 2005
ⓘ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.
3.79
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 5.11 and the all-US-mining average was 4.21 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 5.85 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
2005 *
3.79
0.00
0.000
2004 *
10.44
6.96
0.000
2003 *
14.32
7.16
0.000
2002 *
26.83
22.99
0.000
2001 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2000 *
9.38
9.38
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)
2014
0
2013
0
2012
0
2011
0
2007
14
10,224
2006
27
62,739
2005
28
135,979
2004
28
146,367
2003
28
148,405
2002
27
158,314
2001
26
193,448
2000
22
149,383
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Postar No 1 Mine sits in McDowell County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 13.0% 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.
McDowell County, West Virginia · Population 18,413
13.0%
Mining share of county employment
$29,980
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
2014 Q1
0
0
0
2013 Q4
0
4
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 quartersHide 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
22
10
1493.3
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
3
0
247.0
2000 Q1
5,771
2
0
346.6
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
31 on file
2007 · 1 incident
January 28, 2007WV · Coalassayer, geologist, metallurgist, engineer, engineer managementFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
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.
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, 2005WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
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.
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, 2004WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
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.
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, 2003WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
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, 2002WV · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
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, 2002WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerOTHER
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, 2002WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
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, 2002WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
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.
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.