Mining Incidents

RIE Prep Plant #1: 83 MSHA citations Coal

RIE Anthracite Products, Inc. · Facility
Controlled by Travis J Rothermel
Branch Twp Llewellyn, Schuylkill County, PA  ·  NonProducing
MSHA Mine ID: 3601826

RIE Prep Plant #1 has $12K in proposed MSHA penalties and $10K outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
2
Years on record
1992
Latest incident
Nov 1992
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
83
citations
30
significant & substantial
$11,594
proposed penalties
$133
paid to date
1% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $11,461 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
94
inspections on record
2,177
inspection hours
3.8
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.
83 citations across 2,177 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

RIE Prep Plant #1 has $12K in proposed MSHA penalties and $10K outstanding across 3 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.
$12K
proposed penalties
$10K
current assessed
$133
paid to date
$10K
outstanding
70 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $4K in penalties contested before the Commission, $3K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2024-05-20.
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.
42.3%
significant & substantial
7.0%
high negligence or reckless
42.3%
reasonably likely or greater
15.5%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 25.4% low, 67.6% moderate, 0.0% high, 7.0% 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.
7 citations taken to the federal commission · 8% of citations on record
  • Settled 5 · 71%
  • Stood as issued 2 · 29%
100%
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 1 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
42%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$4K 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 2023-06-04.
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 2005-53 Settlement Hodgdon 2005 $4K → $2K
PENN 2023-0079 Default 2023 $550 → $550
PENN20010111 Settlement Barbour 2001 $55 → $30
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at RIE Prep Plant #1 shows 96% of 164 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: 2024-05-20
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
164
samples
6.41
dust max (mg/m3)
0
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.
133 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 31 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • LABORER/BLACKSMITH71
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER27
  • CLEANING PLANT OPERATOR22

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2011-11-29, 14 years ago
4.0
silica avg (%)
7
samples
7.4
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • LABORER/BLACKSMITH4
  • CRUSHER ATTENDANT3

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: 2024-05-21
6%
over PEL
82
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • LABORER/BLACKSMITH28
  • CLEANING PLANT OPERATOR17
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER14
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
2024 100% 6
2023 100% 8
2022 100% 3
2021 100% 2
2020 100% 7
2019 100% 4
2018 100% 3
2017 100% 9
2016 100% 1
2015 100% 6
2014 100% 8
2013 100% 12
2012 89% 9
2011 100% 6
2010 100% 5
2009 100% 8
2008 100% 5
2007 100% 2
2006 100% 7
2005 100% 10
2004 89% 18
2003 75% 8
2002 100% 5
2001 88% 8
2000 100% 4
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2011 1.4 1
2005 3.9 1
2003 3.0 2
2002 7.4 1
2001 6.0 1
2000 3.1 1
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2024 20% 5
2023 0% 4
2022 0% 4
2021 0% 2
2020 0% 6
2019 0% 4
2018 0% 3
2017 0% 8
2016 0% 3
2015 0% 3
2014 0% 3
2013 0% 3
2011 0% 6
2010 0% 6
2009 0% 5
2008 33% 3
2007 33% 3
2006 0% 3
2005 50% 4
2004 0% 2
2002 0% 2
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
  1. Direnzo Coal Company 1950 to 2015
  2. DiRenzo Coal Co LLC 2015 to 2022
  3. RIE Anthracite Products, Inc. 2022 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2024 6
2023 6
2022 4
2021 3
2020 3
2019 3
2018 2
2017 4
2016 4
2015 5
2014 3
2013 3
2012 4
2011 4
2010 4
2009 4
2008 4
2007 4
2006 8
2005 4
2004 6
2003 6
2002 5
2001 6
2000 6
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

RIE Prep Plant #1 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
2024 Q2 4,440 1 0 225.2
2023 Q4 4,440 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 4,540 1 0 220.3
2023 Q2 4,540 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 4,540 2 1 440.5
2022 Q4 4,540 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 4,440 1 0 225.2
2022 Q2 110 0 0 0.0
Show 88 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2022 Q1 80 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 870 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 1,150 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 1,100 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 1,100 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 1,130 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 1,125 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 1,170 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 1,160 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 1,135 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 935 1 0 1069.5
2019 Q2 1,070 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 1,070 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 700 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 100 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 742 1 0 1347.7
2018 Q1 981 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 1,018 1 0 982.3
2017 Q3 947 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 935 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 965 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 992 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 932 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 1,152 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 1,208 1 0 827.8
2015 Q4 1,232 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 1,409 1 0 709.7
2015 Q2 1,227 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 1,015 1 0 985.2
2014 Q4 1,002 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 310 1 0 3225.8
2014 Q2 288 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 980 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 1,210 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 1,210 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 1,500 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 1,500 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 1,500 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 1,500 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 1,500 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 1,500 3 0 2000.0
2011 Q3 1,500 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 1,500 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 1,500 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 1,060 1 0 943.4
2010 Q3 1,060 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 1,060 1 0 943.4
2010 Q1 1,060 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 1,500 1 1 666.7
2009 Q3 1,500 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 1,500 1 0 666.7
2009 Q1 1,500 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 1,500 1 0 666.7
2008 Q3 1,500 3 3 2000.0
2008 Q2 1,500 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 1,500 2 0 1333.3
2007 Q4 1,260 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 1,188 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 1,056 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 1,290 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 3,043 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 3,360 4 4 1190.5
2006 Q2 2,908 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 3,072 3 2 976.6
2005 Q4 2,665 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 243 2 1 8230.5
2005 Q2 235 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 3,833 2 0 521.8
2004 Q4 2,669 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 616 14 1 22727.3
2004 Q2 640 20 16 31250.0
2004 Q1 3,987 3 1 752.4
2003 Q4 3,735 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 798 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 639 3 0 4694.8
2003 Q1 3,466 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 3,168 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 567 3 0 5291.0
2002 Q2 667 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 2,168 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 2,706 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 576 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 622 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 2,038 2 0 981.4
2000 Q4 2,544 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 658 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 623 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 2,702 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

2 on file

1992 · 2 incidents

November 10, 1992 PA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Direnzo Coal Company · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

INJURED WAS REMOVING ROCKS FROM RECEIVING BIN, GOT HAND WEDGED BETWEEN 2 ROCKS. SMAHSING FINGER (INDEX) ON LEFT HAND.

October 21, 1992 PA · Coal assistant mine foreman, assistant mine manager POWERED HAULAGE
Direnzo Coal Company · Caught in, under or between two or more moving objects

INJURED WAS ASSIGNED TO OBTAINING A CONVEYOR POWER SCREEN FOR DIRENZO COAL COMPANY.JACKET SLEEVE CAUGHT BY CONVEYOR ROLLER.