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.
88 citations across 1,264 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Solid Mine has $7K in proposed MSHA penalties and $5K outstanding across 0 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.
$7K
proposed penalties
$7K
current assessed
$1K
paid to date
$5K
outstanding
88 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2003-11-18.
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.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at Solid Mine shows 91% of 243 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: 2002-10-09, 23 years ago
91%
within 1.5 mg/m3
243
samples
4.64
dust max (mg/m3)
104 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 139 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.
Solid Mine recorded 9.27 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2002.
Injury rate, 2002
ⓘ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.
9.27
total case rate
9.27
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 6.89 and the all-US-mining average was 5.05 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 6.43 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
2002 *
9.27
9.27
0.000
2001 *
13.48
13.48
0.000
2000 *
6.60
6.60
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)
2003
0
2002
15
35,946
2001
15
46,726
2000
16
52,568
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Solid Mine sits in Buchanan County, 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.
Buchanan County, Virginia · Population 19,857
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$42,216
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
2003 Q2
0
0
0
2002 Q4
936
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
6,000
7
2
1166.7
2002 Q2
7,440
11
9
1478.5
2002 Q1
7,200
12
4
1666.7
2001 Q4
7,200
6
2
833.3
2001 Q3
7,808
11
3
1408.8
2001 Q2
6,720
5
0
744.0
Show 5 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2001 Q1
7,936
10
5
1260.1
2000 Q4
8,024
4
1
498.5
2000 Q3
7,808
3
1
384.2
2000 Q2
7,424
10
4
1347.0
2000 Q1
7,040
7
1
994.3
Fatalities at this mine
1 recorded
March 26, 1988VA · Coalcontinuous miner helper, coal mole helper, bridgemanFatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
INJ WAS CHANGING FROM ONE TRACTOR TO ANOTHER ANDLEFT THE SWITCH IN ON POSITION. HE THREW A SEAT INTO THE DECK OF THE TRACTOR HITTING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSING THE TRACTOR TO MOVE IN REVERS E AND CAUGHT OPERATORS LOWER LEFT LEG. INSPECTIOSHOWED PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. STATE INSPECTOR WAS PRESENT AT TIME OF ACCIDENT AND HELPED WITH INVESTIGATION.
January 31, 1998VA · Coalsection foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE SAID HIS SHOULDER WAS HURTING AFTER HIS SHIFT WAS OVER AND HE WENT TO THE DR THAT NIGHT. HE RETURNED TO WORK ON THE NEXT SHIFT 2-2-98 AND CONTINUED TO WORK THROUGH 2-19-98. AT THAT TIME HE STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO WORK.
1997 · 1 incident
June 10, 1997VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
FAN SUPPLYING AIR TO SECTION QUIT. I,NAME WAS ASSISTING OTHER EMPLOYEE WHILE HE WAS CHECKING POWER AND SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE VOLTAGE MOTOR AND IT EXPLODED CAUSING FLASH BURN ON HIS HANDS A ND FOREHEAD.
INJURED WAS STARTING A SCOOP & THE FOOT CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED & THE SCOOP WENT THROUGH THE BLDF.& BRUISED HIS BACK IT IS BELIEVED THE SEVERE WEATHER CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT
INJURED WAS HIT3 BY A PIECE OF METAL FROM A CHIESEL THAT WAS BEING USED BYU ANOTHER WORKER. THE CHIESEL BROKE & A SLIVER OF METAL LODGED IN I.NAMES ARM.