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.
196 citations across 8,497 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
R S & W Drift has $22K in proposed MSHA penalties and $6K outstanding across 20 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.
$22K
proposed penalties
$20K
current assessed
$13K
paid to date
$6K
outstanding
184 assessments are final orders; 20 contested dockets.
Of $8K in penalties contested before the Commission, $4K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-05-05.
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.
48citations taken to the federal commission · 24% of citations on record
Settled
35 · 73%
Stood as issued
12 · 25%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 2%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 24 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
47%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$8K proposed, $4K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2011-09-07.
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 R S & W Drift shows 99% of 1,514 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: 2026-07-22
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
1,514
samples
3.56
dust max (mg/m3)
2
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.
524 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 990 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.
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
8
10,911
2025
8
26,342
2024
10
32,588
2023
7
23,392
2022
6
25,759
2021
7
22,859
2020
8
17,505
2019
7
25,626
2018
7
19,350
2017
7
18,057
2016
5
15,108
2015
6
12,348
2014
8
18,832
2013
8
11,967
2012
6
18,182
2011
5
9,896
2010
7
3,647
2009
7
15,823
2008
6
17,849
2007
6
17,418
2006
9
16,722
2005
5
16,839
2004
5
14,436
2003
7
21,982
2002
10
18,918
2001
11
29,384
2000
12
19,923
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
R S & W Drift sits in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 1.1% 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.
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania · Population 143,259
1.1%
Mining share of county employment
$66,901
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
2026 Q2
4,004
3
1
749.3
2026 Q1
4,160
3
1
721.2
2025 Q4
4,180
1
0
239.2
2025 Q3
4,051
2
0
493.7
2025 Q2
4,051
2
0
493.7
2025 Q1
4,051
2
0
493.7
2024 Q4
4,364
2
0
458.3
2024 Q3
4,735
2
0
422.4
Show 94 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
4,542
2
0
440.3
2024 Q1
3,519
1
0
284.2
2023 Q4
2,933
1
0
340.9
2023 Q3
3,451
1
0
289.8
2023 Q2
3,250
1
0
307.7
2023 Q1
2,720
1
0
367.6
2022 Q4
2,795
1
0
357.8
2022 Q3
1,742
2
0
1148.1
2022 Q2
2,185
1
0
457.7
2022 Q1
2,860
2
0
699.3
2021 Q4
1,729
2
0
1156.7
2021 Q3
1,445
2
0
1384.1
2021 Q2
2,914
1
0
343.2
2021 Q1
1,957
2
0
1022.0
2020 Q4
1,879
1
0
532.2
2020 Q3
3,064
2
0
652.7
2020 Q2
3,801
1
0
263.1
2020 Q1
3,397
1
0
294.4
2019 Q4
3,377
2
1
592.2
2019 Q3
3,350
1
0
298.5
2019 Q2
2,848
2
0
702.2
2019 Q1
2,665
1
0
375.2
2018 Q4
1,782
1
0
561.2
2018 Q3
1,597
1
0
626.2
2018 Q2
969
2
0
2064.0
2018 Q1
2,604
2
0
768.0
2017 Q4
2,622
2
0
762.8
2017 Q3
2,935
2
0
681.4
2017 Q2
2,824
2
0
708.2
2017 Q1
2,185
2
0
915.3
2016 Q4
1,725
2
0
1159.4
2016 Q3
1,065
2
0
1877.9
2016 Q2
1,571
3
0
1909.6
2016 Q1
1,451
1
1
689.2
2015 Q4
1,906
1
1
524.7
2015 Q3
635
3
2
4724.4
2015 Q2
3,185
2
0
627.9
2015 Q1
2,730
1
1
366.3
2014 Q4
2,760
1
1
362.3
2014 Q3
2,760
2
0
724.6
2014 Q2
2,290
2
0
873.4
2014 Q1
2,301
1
0
434.6
2013 Q4
1,466
2
0
1364.3
2013 Q3
390
1
0
2564.1
2013 Q2
3,393
1
0
294.7
2013 Q1
2,600
2
0
769.2
2012 Q4
2,730
1
0
366.3
2012 Q3
2,730
1
0
366.3
2012 Q2
2,730
1
0
366.3
2012 Q1
3,185
2
0
627.9
2011 Q4
2,261
2
0
884.6
2011 Q3
2,275
2
0
879.1
2011 Q2
2,112
2
1
947.0
2011 Q1
140
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
3,185
2
0
627.9
2009 Q4
2,275
3
2
1318.7
2009 Q3
2,730
2
0
732.6
2009 Q2
2,730
4
0
1465.2
2009 Q1
2,912
2
0
686.8
2008 Q4
2,730
2
0
732.6
2008 Q3
2,184
1
0
457.9
2008 Q2
2,184
1
0
457.9
2008 Q1
2,340
2
0
854.7
2007 Q4
2,600
1
0
384.6
2007 Q3
2,080
7
0
3365.4
2007 Q2
2,496
1
0
400.6
2007 Q1
2,496
1
0
400.6
2006 Q4
2,100
3
0
1428.6
2006 Q3
2,100
3
3
1428.6
2006 Q2
2,100
3
3
1428.6
2005 Q4
2,100
2
0
952.4
2005 Q3
2,100
8
1
3809.5
2005 Q2
420
4
0
9523.8
2005 Q1
2,100
10
3
4761.9
2004 Q4
2,100
7
6
3333.3
2004 Q3
2,100
1
0
476.2
2004 Q2
2,100
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
2,100
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
3,220
2
0
621.1
2003 Q3
1,800
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
3,220
4
2
1242.2
2003 Q1
3,640
5
4
1373.6
2002 Q4
2,916
2
0
685.9
2002 Q3
2,161
1
0
462.7
2002 Q2
2,112
1
0
473.5
2002 Q1
3,444
2
0
580.7
2001 Q4
3,090
1
0
323.6
2001 Q3
4,152
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
4,320
1
0
231.5
2001 Q1
4,818
1
0
207.6
2000 Q4
3,762
1
0
265.8
2000 Q3
2,760
1
0
362.3
2000 Q2
3,294
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
3,014
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
7 on file
2023 · 1 incident
September 1, 2023PA · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS