Mining Incidents

Rock Ridge No 1 Slope: 95 MSHA citations Coal

B & B Coal Company · Underground
Lincoln, Schuylkill County, PA  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 3607741

Rock Ridge No 1 Slope has $11K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
1
Years on record
1994
Latest incident
Jul 1994
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2002
95
citations
16
significant & substantial
$10,795
proposed penalties
$9,095
paid to date
84% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,700 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
185
inspections on record
4,176
inspection hours
2.3
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.
95 citations across 4,176 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Rock Ridge No 1 Slope has $11K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 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.
$11K
proposed penalties
$9K
current assessed
$9K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
91 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $3K in penalties contested before the Commission, $1K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2012-01-18.
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.
17.6%
significant & substantial
1.1%
high negligence or reckless
17.6%
reasonably likely or greater
8.8%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 1.1% none, 20.9% low, 76.9% moderate, 0.0% high, 1.1% 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.
5 citations taken to the federal commission · 5% of citations on record
  • Settled 1 · 20%
  • Stood as issued 4 · 80%
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%
59%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$3K proposed, $1K 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 2009-02-06.
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 2007-364 Settlement Bulluck 2008 $2K → $350
PENN 2009-329 Default Lesnick 2010 $500 → $500
PENN 2009-98R Dismissal Barbour 2008 $362 → $312
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Rock Ridge No 1 Slope shows 99% of 655 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: 2012-01-17, 14 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
655
samples
2.09
dust max (mg/m3)
314 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 341 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • HAND LOADERS405
  • LABORER115
  • HOIST ENGINEER/OPERATOR31

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2010-02-02, 16 years ago
10.0
silica avg (%)
11
samples
29.1
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • HAND LOADERS11

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: 2011-11-21, 14 years ago
0%
over PEL
90
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • LABORER36
  • HOIST ENGINEER/OPERATOR20
  • HAND LOADERS14
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
2012 100% 7
2011 100% 52
2010 98% 43
2009 100% 68
2008 100% 60
2007 100% 74
2006 100% 51
2005 97% 72
2004 100% 49
2003 100% 43
2002 100% 42
2001 100% 45
2000 98% 49
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2010 0.3 1
2007 9.3 4
2005 6.5 2
2004 10.6 2
2000 19.1 2
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2011 0% 7
2010 0% 8
2009 0% 11
2008 0% 14
2007 0% 17
2006 0% 11
2005 0% 9
2004 0% 4
2003 0% 2
2001 0% 2
2000 0% 5
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
  1. B & B Coal Company 1985 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)
2013 9 2,284
2012 9 7,790
2011 8 11,420
2010 8 8,446
2009 9 12,706
2008 8 13,901
2007 8 12,390
2006 7 16,266
2005 7 17,369
2004 6 15,580
2003 5 11,576
2002 7 16,565
2001 14 16,366
2000 5 12,526
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Rock Ridge No 1 Slope 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
2013 Q1 4,095 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 4,095 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 4,095 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 4,095 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 3,640 1 0 274.7
2011 Q4 3,640 1 0 274.7
2011 Q3 3,640 1 0 274.7
2011 Q2 3,640 2 1 549.5
Show 45 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2011 Q1 3,640 3 0 824.2
2010 Q4 3,185 4 1 1255.9
2010 Q3 1,400 3 0 2142.9
2010 Q2 1,470 2 0 1360.5
2010 Q1 4,095 3 1 732.6
2009 Q4 3,640 3 0 824.2
2009 Q3 4,095 5 0 1221.0
2009 Q2 4,095 3 0 732.6
2009 Q1 4,095 2 0 488.4
2008 Q4 4,095 3 0 732.6
2008 Q3 3,640 3 0 824.2
2008 Q2 3,185 13 5 4081.6
2008 Q1 3,640 1 0 274.7
2007 Q4 3,640 2 0 549.5
2007 Q3 3,640 3 0 824.2
2007 Q2 3,640 4 0 1098.9
2007 Q1 4,095 2 1 488.4
2006 Q4 2,730 2 0 732.6
2006 Q3 3,640 3 2 824.2
2006 Q2 3,185 1 1 314.0
2006 Q1 2,730 3 0 1098.9
2005 Q4 2,730 4 3 1465.2
2005 Q3 2,730 3 0 1098.9
2005 Q2 3,640 1 0 274.7
2005 Q1 4,095 4 0 976.8
2004 Q4 3,640 2 1 549.5
2004 Q3 2,730 1 0 366.3
2004 Q2 2,730 2 0 732.6
2004 Q1 2,275 2 0 879.1
2003 Q4 2,275 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 2,275 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 2,275 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 2,730 2 0 732.6
2002 Q4 3,185 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 3,185 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 3,640 1 0 274.7
2002 Q1 3,185 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 2,730 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 2,730 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 2,730 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 2,730 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 2,730 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 2,275 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 2,275 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 2,275 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

1 on file

1994 · 1 incident

July 7, 1994 PA · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
B & B Coal Company · Fall from machine

MINER WAS CLOSING AIR VENTILATION DOOR AND 9 CHUTE WHEN HE SLIPPED OFF CHUTE TO GROUND. PULLED MUSCLE LEFT SIDE OF BACK.