Mining Incidents

Roda: 102 MSHA citations Coal

Controlled by Thomas R Hamilton
Appalachia, Wise County, VA  ·  NonProducing
MSHA Mine ID: 4407051

Roda has $19K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
6
Years on record
2002–2004
Latest incident
Dec 2004
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2002
102
citations
57
significant & substantial
$19,135
proposed penalties
$17,418
paid to date
91% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,717 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2002
23
inspections on record
420
inspection hours
n/a
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.
Rate withheld: 420 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Roda has $19K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 2 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.
$19K
proposed penalties
$18K
current assessed
$17K
paid to date
$1K
outstanding
89 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $3K in penalties contested before the Commission, $2K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2004-11-06.
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.
55.9%
significant & substantial
11.9%
high negligence or reckless
55.4%
reasonably likely or greater
38.6%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 0.0% low, 88.1% moderate, 11.9% 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.
6 citations taken to the federal commission · 6% of citations on record
  • Settled 6 · 100%
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 6 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
24%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$1K 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 2004-04-13.
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
VA 2004-29 Settlement Melick 2004 $1K → $1K
VA 20030106 Settlement Weisberger 2003 $1K → $940
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Roda shows 98% of 42 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: 2026-08-12
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
42
samples
1.73
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.
31 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 11 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • ROTARY BUCKET EXCAVATOR OPERATOR15
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR7
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER6

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2003-07-16, 23 years ago
0.4
silica avg (%)
1
samples
0.4
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • ROTARY BUCKET EXCAVATOR OPERATOR1

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: 2026-08-12
0%
over PEL
21
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR5
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR5
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER4
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
2026 100% 3
2004 100% 14
2003 100% 20
2002 80% 5
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2026 0% 3
2004 0% 9
2003 0% 4
2002 0% 5
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Roda recorded 3.67 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2004.

Injury rate, 2004
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.
3.67
total case rate
3.67
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 5.57 and the all-US-mining average was 4.33 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.96 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2004 3.67 3.67 0.000
2003 3.63 3.63 0.000
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. Nally & Hamilton Ent. Inc. 2002 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)
2005 14 2,027
2004 34 336,415
2003 38 282,287
2002 30 144,516
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Roda sits in Wise County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 5.9% 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.
Wise County, Virginia · Population 35,727
5.9%
Mining share of county employment
$50,740
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
2005 Q2 0 0 0
2005 Q1 6,412 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 25,577 15 7 586.5
2004 Q3 27,121 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 28,348 15 9 529.1
2004 Q1 27,845 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 25,293 11 6 434.9
2003 Q3 25,802 10 6 387.6
Show 4 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2003 Q2 30,634 14 13 457.0
2003 Q1 28,340 12 9 423.4
2002 Q4 20,802 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 14,410 1 1 69.4
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

6 on file

2004 · 2 incidents

December 16, 2004 VA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Nally & Hamilton Ent. Inc. · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was pulling lead line down off drill bench when he slipped, catching himself with his left arm, hurting his arm and shoulder.

October 5, 2004 VA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
Nally & Hamilton Ent. Inc. · Struck by falling object

EMPLOYEE WAS OUT OF HIS DOZER CHECKING DRILL BENCH WHEN THE BANK THAT HE WAS CUTTING OUT FELL OUT CATCHING HIS LEG BETWEEN SOME ROCK AND THE PUSH ARM OF THE DOZER.

2003 · 3 incidents

September 30, 2003 VA · Coal

EMPLOYEE WAS GETTING A ROCK OUT FROM BETWEEN THE TIRES OF THE SERVICE TRUCK WHEN THE TIRE BLEW OUT INTO THE EMPLOYEE'S FACE.

June 24, 2003 VA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman

EE WAS DISMOUNTING THE POWDER TRUCK WHEN HE SLIPPED PULLING HIS LEFT ARM.

March 26, 2003 VA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Nally & Hamilton Ent. Inc. · Struck by falling object

EE WAS HELPING CHANGE LIFT CYCLINDER WHEN THE CYLINDER FELL ON HIS FINGER.

2002 · 1 incident

December 10, 2002 VA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
Nally & Hamilton Ent. Inc. · Struck against a moving object

EMPLOYEE WAS PUSHING IN A SHOT WHEN HE JARRED HIS BACK.