Mining Incidents

Snap Creek Loadout: 173 MSHA citations Coal

Coal-Mac LLC · Surface
Controlled by John Mitch Potter
Lyburn, Logan County, WV  ·  NonProducing
MSHA Mine ID: 4608918

Snap Creek Loadout has $37K in proposed MSHA penalties and $8K outstanding across 8 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
3
Years on record
2002–2024
Latest incident
Sep 2024
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2002
173
citations
46
significant & substantial
$36,572
proposed penalties
$26,097
paid to date
71% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $10,475 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2002
71
inspections on record
1,707
inspection hours
10.1
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.
173 citations across 1,707 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Snap Creek Loadout has $37K in proposed MSHA penalties and $8K outstanding across 8 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.
$37K
proposed penalties
$34K
current assessed
$26K
paid to date
$8K
outstanding
171 assessments are final orders; 8 contested dockets.
Of $7K in penalties contested before the Commission, $5K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-05-07.
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.
26.9%
significant & substantial
2.3%
high negligence or reckless
26.9%
reasonably likely or greater
29.8%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 24.0% low, 73.7% moderate, 2.3% 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.
17 citations taken to the federal commission · 10% of citations on record
  • Settled 12 · 71%
  • Stood as issued 5 · 29%
85%
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 13 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
32%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$7K proposed, $5K 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 2025-01-05.
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
WEVA 2025-0162 Settlement Voisin 2025 $2K → $861
WEVA 2014-266 Settlement Lesnick 2014 $2K → $800
WEVA 2009-684 Settlement Biro 2011 $1K → $1K
WEVA 2009-1561 Settlement Miller 2011 $723 → $600
WEVA 2011-1159 Settlement Rae 2012 $648 → $548
WEVA 2011-2271 Dismissal Rae 2012 $352 → $352
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Snap Creek Loadout shows 100% of 113 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: 2025-05-13
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
113
samples
0.49
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.
91 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 22 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR54
  • UTILITY MAN19
  • MINE FOREMAN/MINE MANAGER8

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2015-01-12, 11 years ago
2.9
silica avg (%)
1
samples
2.9
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER 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: 2024-11-04
2%
over PEL
48
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR16
  • UTILITY MAN12
  • MINE FOREMAN/MINE MANAGER4
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
2025 100% 5
2024 100% 16
2023 100% 10
2022 100% 4
2020 100% 1
2019 100% 8
2018 100% 4
2016 100% 11
2015 100% 8
2013 100% 4
2012 100% 2
2011 100% 8
2009 100% 4
2008 100% 7
2007 100% 4
2006 100% 2
2005 100% 3
2004 100% 5
2003 100% 4
2002 100% 3
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2024 0% 8
2023 0% 3
2022 0% 2
2019 0% 4
2018 0% 4
2016 0% 3
2015 0% 2
2013 0% 2
2011 0% 6
2009 0% 2
2008 0% 3
2007 50% 2
2006 0% 3
2004 0% 2
2003 0% 2
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Snap Creek Loadout recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2008.

Injury rate, 2008
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
No reportable injury cases in any year shown. Employee-hours were reported in each of those years, so these are true zeros rather than missing data. Citations, listed in the compliance record above, are inspector-found violations and are counted separately from worker injuries.
Below average. The US coal mining average was 4.41 and the all-US-mining average was 3.61 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.91 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.
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. Snap Creek Mining LLC 2001 to 2014
  2. Snap Creek Mining LLC 2014 to 2018
  3. Condor Holdings LLC 2018 to 2021
  4. Coal-Mac LLC 2021 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)
2026 1
2025 3
2024 5
2023 4
2022 2
2021 0
2020 1
2019 2
2018 1
2017 0
2016 7
2015 3
2014 1
2013 0
2012 1
2011 5
2010 1
2009 6
2008 24 153,677
2007 5
2006 4
2005 6
2004 5
2003 4
2002 4
2001 0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Snap Creek Loadout sits in Logan County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 6.6% 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.
Logan County, West Virginia · Population 31,826
6.6%
Mining share of county employment
$47,237
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
2026 Q2 0 1 0
2026 Q1 12 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 0 0 0
2025 Q3 134 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 2,748 4 0 1455.6
2025 Q1 3,430 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 3,994 10 2 2503.8
2024 Q3 4,374 0 0 0.0
Show 87 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 1,763 3 0 1701.6
2024 Q1 2,169 1 0 461.0
2023 Q4 2,191 7 1 3194.9
2023 Q3 2,735 1 0 365.6
2023 Q2 2,104 12 2 5703.4
2023 Q1 2,734 12 1 4389.2
2022 Q4 2,189 6 0 2741.0
2022 Q3 2,171 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 0 3 0
2022 Q1 0 0 0
2021 Q4 0 0 0
2021 Q3 0 0 0
2021 Q2 0 0 0
2021 Q1 0 0 0
2020 Q4 0 0 0
2020 Q3 0 0 0
2020 Q2 0 0 0
2020 Q1 134 2 0 14925.4
2019 Q2 1,558 4 0 2567.4
2019 Q1 1,236 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 1,604 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 0 0 0
2018 Q2 0 0 0
2017 Q4 0 0 0
2017 Q3 0 0 0
2017 Q2 0 0 0
2017 Q1 164 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 1,869 2 0 1070.1
2016 Q3 4,020 2 1 497.5
2016 Q2 4,606 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 4,588 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 1,568 1 0 637.8
2015 Q3 1,707 3 0 1757.5
2015 Q2 1,976 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 2,218 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 458 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 0 0 0
2014 Q2 0 0 0
2014 Q1 0 0 0
2013 Q4 0 2 0
2013 Q3 0 3 1
2013 Q2 0 0 0
2013 Q1 0 4 0
2012 Q4 0 0 0
2012 Q3 0 0 0
2012 Q2 688 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 2,009 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 2,217 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 3,158 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 3,487 3 2 860.3
2011 Q1 1,031 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 520 4 3 7692.3
2010 Q3 517 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 488 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 507 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 1,544 2 0 1295.3
2009 Q3 3,486 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 3,395 2 0 589.1
2009 Q1 3,422 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 3,479 5 2 1437.2
2008 Q3 3,286 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 3,750 1 0 266.7
2008 Q1 55,746 4 0 71.8
2007 Q4 3,525 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 2,607 9 3 3452.2
2007 Q2 1,573 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 1,920 3 2 1562.5
2006 Q4 2,480 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 2,343 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 2,350 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 2,446 5 1 2044.2
2005 Q4 5,669 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 3,499 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 3,802 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 3,938 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 4,202 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 4,079 4 0 980.6
2004 Q2 2,821 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 2,521 4 1 1586.7
2003 Q3 2,470 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 2,575 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 3,005 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 2,078 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 2,253 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 1,932 1 1 517.6
2002 Q1 0 0 0
2001 Q3 0 0 0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

3 on file

2024 · 1 incident

September 24, 2024 WV · Coal utility man, shift tech, service/dump truck operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Coal-Mac LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee picked up a piece of metal and stated EE felt something pop in their left shoulder. The Employee continued to work, and said it was ok. On 1/24/2025 EE informed the foreman that EE had scheduled a surgery for their shoulder for 1/28/2025.

2008 · 1 incident

July 14, 2008 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Snap Creek Mining LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Stepped off bumper of truck, hit low spot on ground, twisted right ankle.

2002 · 1 incident