Simmons Fork Surface Mine has $8K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
12
Years on record
1997–2004
Latest incident
Jul 2004
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
43
citations
33
significant & substantial
$8,101
proposed penalties
$8,101
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
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: 903 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Simmons Fork Surface Mine has $8K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 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
43 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $944 in penalties contested before the Commission, $944 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2004-08-09.
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.
4citations taken to the federal commission · 9% of citations on record
Settled
4 · 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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 4 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$944 proposed, $944 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 2003-10-17.
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 Simmons Fork Surface Mine shows 100% of 54 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: 2004-08-09, 22 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
54
samples
1.39
dust max (mg/m3)
48 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 6 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.
Simmons Fork Surface Mine recorded 0.00 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
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 West Virginia, coal mining averaged 6.79 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
2004 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2003
1.61
0.00
0.000
2002
3.44
1.72
0.000
2001
0.00
0.00
0.000
2000
0.00
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.
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)
2007
0
2006
0
2005
0
2004
32
455,778
2003
48
832,596
2002
48
851,936
2001
46
923,369
2000
38
815,768
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Simmons Fork Surface Mine sits in Wyoming County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 11.2% 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.
Wyoming County, West Virginia · Population 20,948
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$48,038
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
2007 Q3
0
0
0
2007 Q2
0
0
0
2007 Q1
0
0
0
2006 Q4
0
0
0
2006 Q3
0
0
0
2006 Q2
0
0
0
2006 Q1
0
0
0
2005 Q4
0
0
0
Show 20 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2004 Q4
2,081
0
0
0.0
2004 Q3
23,596
6
4
254.3
2004 Q2
29,131
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
29,816
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
30,792
4
3
129.9
2003 Q3
31,777
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
30,935
7
5
226.3
2003 Q1
30,999
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
28,448
4
2
140.6
2002 Q3
25,949
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
30,787
3
3
97.4
2002 Q1
30,971
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
30,247
2
2
66.1
2001 Q3
28,994
2
1
69.0
2001 Q2
31,897
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
31,574
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
27,064
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
26,519
2
2
75.4
2000 Q2
24,048
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
23,692
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
12 on file
2004 · 3 incidents
July 18, 2004WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was walking down slope on valley fill when he slipped and fell, landing on his arms and shoulder. EE did not miss work until 11-11-04 when he had to get surgery.
EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING TRUCK WHEN HE GOT IT OUT OF GEAR. EMPLOYEE COULD NOT GET TRUCK BACK IN GEAR & LOST CONTROL, TURNING TRUCK ON SIDE. EMPLOYEE STRUCK HEAD IN CAB.
2003 · 2 incidents
September 3, 2003WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerDISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
WHILE CHANGING A STARTER, EMPLOYEE WAS ON HIS KNEES AND PICKED IT UP AND RESTED IT ON HIS LAP; AT THAT TIME HE NOTICED A BURNING SENSATION IN HIS BACK AND SHOULDERS.
EMPLOYEE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF LOADING THE POWDER TRUCK WITH ANFO. HE BENT DOWN TO CLOSE THE LIDON THE TRUCK BIN AND STRUCK HIS HEAD AGAINST A CROSS BEAM WHEN HE RAISED UP, HE RECEIVED A CUT O N HIS HEAD REQUIRING SEVEN SUTURES. HE RETURNED TO WORK AT APPROX 3:30 PM THE SAME DAY AFTER GOING TO THE OCEANA CLINIC.
July 18, 2002WV · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerMACHINERY
DRIVER STARTLED BY SHOT, FELL TO GROUND, STRAINED NECK. SHOT OVER 3/4 MILE AWAY. HE DID NOT REPORT ANYTHING TO THE MINE OR HIS SUPERVISOR. SOUGHT TREATMENT OVER A WEEK LATER THEN INFORMED SUPE RVISOR IT WAS AN ON THE JOB INJURY.
TRUCK WAS BROKEN DOWN AT BASE OF HAUL ROAD WITH TRUCKS STOPPED WAITING. WHEN OPERATOR APPLIED BRAKES THE TRUCK DIDN'T SLOW SO HE PULLED THE PARK BRAKE. WHEN THIS FAILED TO STOP THE TRUCK HE WE NT ALL THE WAY UP AN ESCAPE RAMP. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE TRUCK TURNED ONTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS RESULTED IN MINOR BUMPS AND BRUISES TO THE DRIVER.
EE AND OTHERS CUTTERS WERE CUTTING LEFT SIDE OF VALLEY FIL AREA SIMONS FORK. ONE BUTTER JUST FINISHING DOWNING A SMALL TREE TOP BECAME TANGLED WITH OTHER BRUSH WHICH CAUSED TREE TO SWING TO TH E RIGHT THEN DOWN AND TOP OF TREE HIT EE WHO WASCUTTING ANOTHER TREE.
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