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Ridge Deep Mine: 88 MSHA citations Coal

AMFIRE Mining Company LLC · Underground
Avonmore, Armstrong County, PA  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 3608733

Ridge Deep Mine has $8K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 8 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
15
Years on record
1999–2006
Latest incident
Mar 2006
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
88
citations
35
significant & substantial
$8,421
proposed penalties
$7,734
paid to date
92% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $687 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See AMFIRE Mining Company LLC's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
137
inspections on record
3,499
inspection hours
2.5
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.
88 citations across 3,499 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Ridge Deep Mine has $8K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 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.
$8K
proposed penalties
$8K
current assessed
$8K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
87 assessments are final orders; 8 contested dockets.
Of $3K in penalties contested before the Commission, $2K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2008-04-16.
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.
40.2%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
40.2%
reasonably likely or greater
4.6%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 2.3% none, 44.8% low, 52.9% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
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.
13 citations taken to the federal commission · 15% of citations on record
  • Settled 13 · 100%
92%
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 13 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
26%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$2K proposed, $2K 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 2006-04-12.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
PENN 2006-60 Settlement Weisberger 2006 $987 → $782
PENN 2006-184 Settlement Lesnick 2006 $478 → $339
PENN 2004-207 Settlement Lesnick 2004 $342 → $298
PENN 2005-100 Settlement Lesnick 2005 $330 → $230
PENN 2005-166 Settlement Lesnick 2005 $177 → $125
PENN 2005-31 Settlement Lesnick 2005 $165 → $115
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Ridge Deep Mine shows 96% of 388 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: 2006-02-24, 20 years ago
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
388
samples
5.38
dust max (mg/m3)
203 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 185 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR209
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)56
  • ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)25

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2006-02-17, 20 years ago
3.0
silica avg (%)
12
samples
3.8
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR12
See US coal mines ranked by silica in their dust samples.

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.

Last sampled: 2005-06-02, 21 years ago
70%
over PEL
37
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)9
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR7
  • ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)7
See US mines ranked by noise samples over the legal limit.
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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.
Year within 1.5 mg/m3 samples
2006 92% 13
2005 96% 56
2004 94% 66
2003 95% 58
2002 96% 53
2001 96% 75
2000 99% 67
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2006 2.8 1
2005 3.8 1
2004 2.8 2
2003 3.4 3
2001 3.0 2
2000 2.8 3
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2005 0% 1
2004 71% 7
2003 70% 10
2002 60% 5
2001 80% 5
2000 78% 9
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Ridge Deep Mine recorded 3.64 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.
3.64
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 Pennsylvania, coal mining averaged 5.95 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 * 3.64 0.00 0.000
2004 * 3.81 3.81 0.000
2003 * 3.94 3.94 0.000
2002 * 4.31 4.31 0.000
2001 * 11.48 7.66 0.000
2000 * 4.39 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.
Ownership history
  1. Dlr Mining Inc 1998 to 2003
  2. AMFIRE Mining Company LLC 2003 to present
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)
2009 0
2008 1
2007 1
2006 4 61,897
2005 22 572,486
2004 23 552,731
2003 20 443,903
2002 20 398,627
2001 20 601,239
2000 18 513,630
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Ridge Deep Mine sits in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 2.2% 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.
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania · Population 65,069
2.2%
Mining share of county employment
$64,295
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
2009 Q2 0 0 0
2009 Q1 0 0 0
2008 Q4 0 0 0
2008 Q3 0 0 0
2008 Q2 874 1 1 1144.2
2008 Q1 0 0 0
2007 Q4 0 0 0
2007 Q3 0 0 0
Show 30 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2007 Q2 4 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 34 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 36 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 757 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 589 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 6,805 6 3 881.7
2005 Q4 10,109 7 5 692.5
2005 Q3 14,699 3 2 204.1
2005 Q2 15,489 1 0 64.6
2005 Q1 14,697 7 1 476.3
2004 Q4 13,733 6 4 436.9
2004 Q3 9,245 3 1 324.5
2004 Q2 14,668 4 3 272.7
2004 Q1 14,901 2 2 134.2
2003 Q4 13,683 3 2 219.3
2003 Q3 11,795 4 1 339.1
2003 Q2 12,481 2 1 160.2
2003 Q1 12,739 3 1 235.5
2002 Q4 12,900 2 1 155.0
2002 Q3 11,776 4 1 339.7
2002 Q2 11,146 3 1 269.2
2002 Q1 10,540 2 0 189.8
2001 Q4 12,884 3 0 232.8
2001 Q3 12,533 3 2 239.4
2001 Q2 13,380 3 0 224.2
2001 Q1 13,451 8 2 594.8
2000 Q4 13,517 3 0 221.9
2000 Q3 12,034 3 1 249.3
2000 Q2 10,485 1 0 95.4
2000 Q1 9,495 1 0 105.3
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

15 on file

2006 · 3 incidents

March 3, 2006 PA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
AMFIRE Mining Company LLC · Accident type, without injuries

Roof caved in old set of rooms adjacent to #1 Mains at X-Cut 31. Crew evacuated from mine. Additional caves and section heave occurred. Total extent of cave is unknown.

January 11, 2006 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech ALL OTHER OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES
AMFIRE Mining Company LLC · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was working regular occupation when pre-existing back pain made him unable to continue working.

2005 · 1 incident

February 22, 2005 PA · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
AMFIRE Mining Company LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was moving shuttle car snub from #2 Entry to #4 Entry. He stepped into a hole on runway and sprained left knee.

2004 · 4 incidents

July 26, 2004 PA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
AMFIRE Mining Company LLC · Accident type, without injuries

Roof Fall above the bolt anchorage #8 Entry of 2 Rt 2 xcuts inby the intersection of 1 Rt #8 Entry the area is in the return and did not impead ventilation.

June 22, 2004 PA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
AMFIRE Mining Company LLC · Accident type, without injuries

#14 Room Roof Fall with active area return 5 X cut above both average 6' 3/4 tension bolts in this area, area is cribbed and fenced off. No men or equipment included. Didn't impede ventilaton or operation of mine.

May 28, 2004 PA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
AMFIRE Mining Company LLC · Accident type, without injuries

ROOF FALL #3 ENTRY, #1 MAINS, STA. # U296, INTERSECTION. FELL IN ABOVE BOLT ANCHORAGE. THERE WERE 5' RESIN BOLTS IN THE AREA AND ALSO ADDITIONAL CENTER TIMBER. NO PEOPLE OR EQUIPMENT INVOLVED.

March 2, 2004 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech POWERED HAULAGE
AMFIRE Mining Company LLC · Struck against a moving object

EE WAS OPERATING SHUTTLE CAR, WHEN TRAMMING AROUND CORNER XCUT 4-5 TO BE LOADED, HE MADE A WIDE TURN TO MISS C.M. CABLE AND RAN SHUTTLE CAR INTO OFFSET IN RIB, CAUSING MACHINE TO COME TO AN AB RUPT STOP. HIS RIGHT HAND WAS ON STEERING WHEEL & WAS CAUGHT IN IT WHEN HE WAS THROWN FORWARD, CAUSING A FRACTURE TO HIS RT. HAND.

2003 · 1 incident

January 27, 2003 PA · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Dlr Mining Inc · Fall to the walkway or working surface

EE WAS TAKING SHOWER ON CEMENT FLOOR WHEN HE SLIPPED & FRACTURED HIS LEFT ANKLE

2002 · 1 incident

October 29, 2002 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Dlr Mining Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

OPERATOR WAS TWISTING HIS BODY TO EXIT FROM THE OPERATORS COMPARTMENT WHEN HE STRAINED A MUSCLE IN HIS RIGHT LUMBAR.

2001 · 3 incidents

November 19, 2001 PA · Coal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Dlr Mining Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WORKER WAS REACHING OVER A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WHEN IT CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE MINE FLOOR CRUSHING HIS FOOT.

September 13, 2001 PA · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator ELECTRICAL
Dlr Mining Inc · Contact with electrical current

OPERATOR WAS STANDING IN WATER WITH HOLES IN HIS BOOTS, WHEN HE PICKED UP A CABLE WHILE MAKING CONTACT WITH HIS SHUTTLE CAR THAT HAD A FAULTY GROUND IN A VULCANIZED SPLICE. HE RECEIVED AN ELEC TRICAL SHOCK. HE WAS SENT TO HOSPITAL FOR OBSERVATION. HE WAS RELEASED AND SENT BACK TO WORK, MISSING ONE DAY.

July 5, 2001 PA · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator POWERED HAULAGE
Dlr Mining Inc · Struck against a moving object

THE OPERATOR SETS FULLY UPRIGHT IN THIS COMPARTMENT. THE SEAT IN WHICH HE WAS RIDING ON BECAME DISENGAGED CAUSING HIM TO FALL ONTO HIS HAND, FRACTURING A BONE.

2000 · 1 incident

August 17, 2000 PA · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Dlr Mining Inc · Fall onto or against objects

WE MINE 8 FT. OF COAL. THE MAN WAS HANGING A RUN THRU CHECK WHICH REQUIRES REACHING THE ROOF. HE CLIMBED ON THE END OF A SHUTTLE CAR AND SLIPPED BETWEEN THE SUPPORT ARM & FRAME, TWISTING HIS LEG.

1999 · 1 incident

August 18, 1999 PA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Dlr Mining Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS DRILLING MINE RIBS TO INSTALL RIB BOLTS WITH A HAND HELD HYDRAULIC DRILL. HE WAS HOLDING DRILL AUGER IN HIS LEFT HAND, WHEN HE ACCCIDENTLY STARTED DRILL, CATCHING ONTO HIS GLOVE, DISLOCATING HIS MIDDLE FINGER.