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.
119 citations across 1,634 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘA Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2011-02-04.
On record since 2011.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Saylor Mine has $48K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 9 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.
$48K
proposed penalties
$40K
current assessed
$40K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
117 assessments are final orders; 9 contested dockets.
Of $27K in penalties contested before the Commission, $19K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2013-01-09.
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.
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.
27citations taken to the federal commission · 23% of citations on record
Settled
25 · 93%
Vacated or withdrawn
2 · 7%
67%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 15 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
31%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$27K proposed, $19K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2011-07-15.
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.
MSHA sampling at Saylor Mine shows 98% of 135 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: 2011-03-07, 15 years ago
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
135
samples
3.19
dust max (mg/m3)
56 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 79 by the operator.
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.
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.
Saylor Mine recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2011.
Injury rate, 2011
ⓘ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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.83 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.45 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
2011 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2010
1.71
0.00
0.000
2009 *
2.39
2.39
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.
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)
2012
0
2011
13
48,498
2010
57
270,864
2009
47
214,585
2008
1
2,138
2007
0
2006
0
2005
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Saylor Mine sits in Webster County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 7.2% 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.
Webster County, West Virginia · Population 8,253
7.2%
Mining share of county employment
$42,061
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
Roof fall measuring 25' long, 20' wide, and 8' thick was discovered in the #4 entry at survey mark 66128 approximately 2000' from the working face. The area was developed 2/4/11 with 6' torque tension roof bolts as the primary support. Fall did not impede travel, nor affect ventilation. No injuries occurred as a result of the fall.
A roof fall measuring 20'long, 18'wide, and 8'thick was discovered in the #5 entry outby spad 66202. Fall was 600' from the working face and did not affect ventilation or the passage of men. Area was developed 2/11/11 with 6' torque tension roof bolts as primary support. No injuries were reported as a result of the fall.
A roof fall measuring 36'long, 19'wide, and 12'thick was discovered in the #4 entry 6 belt inby spad 65935. The fall was 650' from the working section and was developed Jan 2011 with 6' and 8' torque tension roof bolts as support. The fall did not impede ventilation or the passage of men. No injuries were reported as a result of the fall.
Roof fall was discovered in return 3200' from working face and measured 50' long, 18.5' wide, 12'thick. Fall was located in Southwest return panel and was developed in 2009, 4' glue bolts were the primary support. Ventilation and passage of men not affected. Fall area will be barricaded and dangered off.
Roof fall discovered in return 3900' from working section measuring 80'-150' long, 160' wide, and unknown thickness. Fall was located between #7 and #8 entry, the area was developed 1/20/09 with 4' glue bolts as primary support. Fall was immediately reported and investigated by MSHA.
While using sledge hammer to strike feeder drive chain, employee missed his target, striking finger on his left hand between feeder frame and hammer handle.
A roof fall was discovered in the 3rd left return off #2 mains at spad 63665. The fall was 2000' outby the working section, neither ventilation nor the passage of men was not affected. The fall measured 8' high, 100' wide, 175' long. The area was developed Feb 2010 with 48" glue bolts as primary roof support. The entrances to the fall was timbered.
2009 · 1 incident
September 1, 2009WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Employee was reaching for a bundle of roof bolt plates while operating a roof bolter, when rock measuring 24" x 18" x 6" thick fell from the roof between 2 previous roof supports and struck the right hand. Employee sustained fractures to the smaller finger right hand to which was later amputated to the first joint.
Related mines
Other mines operated by Brooks Run Mining Company LLC