Mining Incidents

Reylas Surface Mine Coal

Ethel, Logan County, WV  ·  NonProducing
MSHA Mine ID: 4609204

Reylas Surface Mine has $133K in proposed MSHA penalties and $4K outstanding across 8 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
13
Years on record
2012–2019
Latest incident
Jul 2019
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2010
308
citations
73
significant & substantial
$133,239
proposed penalties
$121,607
paid to date
91% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $11,632 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2010
57
inspections on record
3,676
inspection hours
8.4
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.
308 citations across 3,676 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Reylas Surface Mine has $133K in proposed MSHA penalties and $4K outstanding across 8 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.
$133K
proposed penalties
$126K
current assessed
$122K
paid to date
$4K
outstanding
304 assessments are final orders; 8 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-11-13.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Reylas Surface Mine shows respirable coal dust averaging 0.09 mg/m3 (100% compliant) across 483 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.
0.09
dust avg (mg/m3)
1.48
dust max (mg/m3)
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
483
samples
Most recent sample: 2026-04-08.
Silica (quartz)
19.9
silica avg (%)
49.6
silica max (%)
21
samples
Most recent sample: 2025-11-24.
Noise
0%
over PEL
67
samples
Most recent sample: 2025-11-19.
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
2025 Q4 510 2 0 3921.6
2025 Q3 580 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 600 3 0 5000.0
2025 Q1 630 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 510 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 780 0 0 0.0
2024 Q2 1,250 6 1 4800.0
2024 Q1 1,250 0 0 0.0
Show 66 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2023 Q4 1,130 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 1,220 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 1,250 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 1,230 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 0 1 0
2022 Q3 0 0 0
2022 Q2 0 3 0
2022 Q1 0 0 0
2021 Q4 0 0 0
2021 Q3 0 1 1
2021 Q2 0 0 0
2021 Q1 0 0 0
2020 Q4 6,088 8 0 1314.1
2020 Q3 7,771 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 9,797 1 0 102.1
2020 Q1 17,113 9 0 525.9
2019 Q4 22,156 1 0 45.1
2019 Q3 32,821 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 39,973 25 2 625.4
2019 Q1 42,787 23 4 537.5
2018 Q4 38,526 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 40,954 36 10 879.0
2018 Q2 41,548 3 0 72.2
2018 Q1 41,322 5 2 121.0
2017 Q4 35,781 50 10 1397.4
2017 Q3 34,422 4 1 116.2
2017 Q2 38,023 14 1 368.2
2017 Q1 37,142 16 2 430.8
2016 Q4 32,405 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 28,838 10 2 346.8
2016 Q2 39,478 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 53,299 13 3 243.9
2015 Q4 42,650 7 0 164.1
2015 Q3 53,146 13 7 244.6
2015 Q2 55,355 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 56,433 7 3 124.0
2014 Q4 51,591 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 57,762 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 56,508 10 4 177.0
2014 Q1 55,804 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 44,911 15 8 334.0
2013 Q3 53,813 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 56,297 4 1 71.1
2013 Q1 56,151 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 50,002 4 1 80.0
2012 Q3 54,342 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 38,172 8 7 209.6
2012 Q1 0 0 0
2011 Q4 0 3 3
2011 Q3 0 0 0
2011 Q2 0 0 0
2011 Q1 0 0 0
2010 Q4 0 3 0
2010 Q3 0 0 0
2010 Q2 0 0 0
2010 Q1 0 0 0
2009 Q4 0 0 0
2009 Q3 0 0 0
2009 Q2 0 0 0
2009 Q1 0 0 0
2008 Q4 0 0 0
2008 Q3 0 0 0
2008 Q2 0 0 0
2008 Q1 0 0 0
2007 Q4 0 0 0
2007 Q3 0 0 0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

13 on file

2019 · 1 incident

July 25, 2019 WV · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Highland Mining Company · Struck by flying object

Employee was standing approximately 10' to 12' feet from the rear crawler as the #65 High Wall Miner was being trammed to the next cut. When a 1" x 1/4" piece a metal believed to be from a roller on the crawler struck EE on the left arm requiring 3 stitches.

2017 · 1 incident

September 8, 2017 WV · Coal electrician, lineman ELECTRICAL
Highland Mining Company · Contact with electrical current

Employee was in the process of removing a cable from the J-box, and received an electrical shock to the right and left hands. Employee had pulled the disconnects on the pole and at the substation, and shunted the wires to remove any current.

2016 · 2 incidents

May 26, 2016 WV · Coal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator POWERED HAULAGE
Highland Mining Company · Struck against a moving object

Employee stated ran over a piece of rock while operating loader. This caused the loader to jerk back and forth, causing pain to the neck and back. Employee began missing work on 6/27/2016.

February 1, 2016 WV · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Highland Mining Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

On February 1, 2016 this mine was notified that this employee was diagnosed with Occupational Pneumoconiosis.

2015 · 7 incidents

December 9, 2015 WV · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Highland Mining Company · Fall from machine

Employee was climbing truck steps when his left foot slipped from the rung causing him to fall to the ground. Left knee sprain, back, right hip and shoulder pain.

November 16, 2015 WV · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Highland Mining Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Claim filed for pneumoconiosis. Date of diagnosis was 11/16/2015. Date of notification was 1/14/2016.

October 27, 2015 WV · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer ALL OTHER OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES
Highland Mining Company · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The employee called the Safety Office on 10/28/2015 alleging an injury on 10/27/15. Employee could not describe an event or time other than normal operation of his dozer. He states after he got home he began having pain down left leg when he bent over preparing to go to bed.

October 15, 2015 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Highland Mining Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Cable crossovers were being moved when one side slipped from the loader forks causing the cable to whip, striking employee, who was examining cable 75 feet from the crossover, and knocking him to the ground. This resulted in a laceration to the upper lip and a broken right wrist.

September 28, 2015 WV · Coal driller, highwall operator, highwall drill operator DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Highland Mining Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

On September 28, 2015, this mine was notified that this employee was diagnosed with an Occupational Illness of pneumoconiosis. Employee is still currently working as of 9-28-2015.

September 21, 2015 WV · Coal welder (non-shop) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Highland Mining Company · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

When installing excavator bucket pin employee pinched left thumb between the bucket and stick arm, causing a laceration to the tip of the left thumb.

May 18, 2015 WV · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Highland Mining Company · Fall from piled material

During preshift of a 785 Rock Truck, the operator was trying to clean the camera on the back of the truck. He stated he was standing on a rock and then jumped to reach the camera and fell when he landed.

2014 · 1 incident

February 4, 2014 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech ALL OTHER OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES
Highland Mining Company · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was dismounting grader when his back began to bother him. Employee did not slip or anything which would have led to an injury. He has had several events that have given him re-occurring back pain throughout his career. He has received care on his back within the previous 6 months. When his back pain began again he revisited the chiropractor and received treatment.

2012 · 1 incident

November 13, 2012 WV · Coal FIRE
Highland Mining Company · Accident type, without injuries

D 11 R (TD-5410) was working above shot material when operator smelled smoke and saw flames coming from under hood. No injuries resulted from this fire.

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

The full compliance file on Reylas Surface 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.