R & S Coal Company Inc · Struck by flying object
Rock hung in conveyor chain flew out striking nose. Broke nose.
Spider Ridge No. 1: 105 MSHA citations Coal
Pay Car Mining, Inc.
· Underground
Controlled by
James C Justice III
Keystone,
Mcdowell County,
WV
·
Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4608811
Spider Ridge No. 1 has $19K in proposed MSHA penalties and $724 outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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- Fatalities
- 0
- Total incidents
- 7
- Years on record
- 2000–2008
- Latest incident
- May 2008
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
105
citations
26
significant & substantial
$18,868
proposed penalties
$13,148
paid to date
70% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $5,720 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
108
inspections on record
2,450
inspection hours
4.3
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.105 citations across 2,450 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Spider Ridge No. 1 has $19K in proposed MSHA penalties and $724 outstanding across 5 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
$14K
current assessed
$13K
paid to date
$724
outstanding
105 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $10K in penalties contested before the Commission, $3K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2011-01-14.
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.25.2%
significant & substantial
4.9%
high negligence or reckless
27.2%
reasonably likely or greater
35.9%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 25.2% low, 69.9% moderate, 4.9% 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 3 · 50%
- Stood as issued 2 · 33%
- Vacated or withdrawn 1 · 17%
40%
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 5 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
68%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$10K proposed, $3K 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 2009-06-15.
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.
| Docket | Decision | Judge | Year | Proposed / upheld |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEVA 2009-1583 | Settlement | Lesnick | 2010 | $4K → $500 |
| WEVA 2009-948 | Settlement | 2011 | $4K → $1K | |
| WEVA 2009-450 | Default | Lesnick | 2011 | $946 → $946 |
| WEVA 2009-949 | Settlement | 2011 | $946 → $450 | |
| WEVA 2009-451 | Default | Lesnick | 2011 | $334 → $334 |
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at Spider Ridge No. 1 shows 97% of 508 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: 2008-11-13, 17 years ago
ⓘ
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.97%
within 1.5 mg/m3
508
samples
4.54
dust max (mg/m3)
212 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 296 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
- CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR276
- TRACTOR OPERATOR/MOTORMAN61
- ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)44
Silica (quartz)
Last sampled: 2007-02-27, 19 years ago5.2
silica avg (%)
23
samples
9.8
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
- CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR17
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: 2008-02-20, 18 years ago
ⓘ
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.0%
over PEL
28
samples
Most-sampled occupations
- TRACTOR OPERATOR/MOTORMAN10
- ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)9
- CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR7
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100% | 51 |
| 2007 | 98% | 49 |
| 2006 | 100% | 52 |
| 2005 | 99% | 70 |
| 2004 | 98% | 63 |
| 2003 | 95% | 62 |
| 2002 | 100% | 30 |
| 2001 | 97% | 68 |
| 2000 | 92% | 63 |
Silica (quartz) by year
| Year | silica avg (%) | samples |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 3.2 | 1 |
| 2005 | 4.4 | 6 |
| 2004 | 4.4 | 3 |
| 2003 | 3.3 | 3 |
| 2002 | 3.9 | 1 |
| 2001 | 5.3 | 2 |
| 2000 | 7.4 | 7 |
Noise by year
| Year | over PEL | samples |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0% | 5 |
| 2006 | 0% | 5 |
| 2005 | 0% | 5 |
| 2003 | 0% | 9 |
| 2001 | 0% | 4 |
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
- R & S Coal Company Inc 1999 to 2010
- Pay Car Mining, Inc. 2010 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 8 | 97,938 |
| 2007 | 8 | 105,113 |
| 2006 | 8 | 115,772 |
| 2005 | 7 | 85,686 |
| 2004 | 8 | 87,169 |
| 2003 | 7 | 64,652 |
| 2002 | 7 | 49,905 |
| 2001 | 6 | 43,573 |
| 2000 | 7 | 63,531 |
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Spider Ridge No. 1 sits in McDowell County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 13.0% 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.McDowell County, West Virginia · Population 18,413
13.0%
Mining share of county employment
$29,980
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Q1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010 Q2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010 Q1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009 Q4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009 Q3 | 160 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2009 Q2 | 800 | 1 | 0 | 1250.0 |
| 2008 Q4 | 2,398 | 10 | 3 | 4170.1 |
| 2008 Q3 | 4,020 | 6 | 3 | 1492.5 |
Show 34 earlier quarters Hide earlier quarters
| Quarter | Hours worked | Citations | S&S | Per 1M hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Q2 | 4,334 | 3 | 0 | 692.2 |
| 2008 Q1 | 4,470 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2007 Q4 | 4,196 | 2 | 1 | 476.6 |
| 2007 Q3 | 3,213 | 2 | 0 | 622.5 |
| 2007 Q2 | 3,821 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2007 Q1 | 3,649 | 2 | 0 | 548.1 |
| 2006 Q4 | 4,108 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2006 Q3 | 4,130 | 2 | 1 | 484.3 |
| 2006 Q2 | 4,497 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2006 Q1 | 4,486 | 2 | 1 | 445.8 |
| 2005 Q4 | 4,386 | 1 | 0 | 228.0 |
| 2005 Q3 | 3,687 | 3 | 0 | 813.7 |
| 2005 Q2 | 3,971 | 1 | 0 | 251.8 |
| 2005 Q1 | 4,048 | 4 | 0 | 988.1 |
| 2004 Q4 | 4,424 | 1 | 0 | 226.0 |
| 2004 Q3 | 4,320 | 6 | 2 | 1388.9 |
| 2004 Q2 | 4,587 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2004 Q1 | 4,457 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2003 Q4 | 3,363 | 5 | 0 | 1486.8 |
| 2003 Q3 | 3,911 | 4 | 0 | 1022.8 |
| 2003 Q2 | 3,792 | 4 | 1 | 1054.9 |
| 2003 Q1 | 2,233 | 4 | 1 | 1791.3 |
| 2002 Q4 | 2,255 | 1 | 0 | 443.5 |
| 2002 Q3 | 1,631 | 2 | 2 | 1226.2 |
| 2002 Q2 | 1,972 | 3 | 2 | 1521.3 |
| 2002 Q1 | 2,988 | 1 | 0 | 334.7 |
| 2001 Q4 | 2,587 | 7 | 1 | 2705.8 |
| 2001 Q3 | 2,077 | 12 | 2 | 5777.6 |
| 2001 Q2 | 3,858 | 3 | 1 | 777.6 |
| 2001 Q1 | 3,911 | 3 | 0 | 767.1 |
| 2000 Q4 | 3,448 | 1 | 0 | 290.0 |
| 2000 Q3 | 3,948 | 2 | 1 | 506.6 |
| 2000 Q2 | 2,243 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2000 Q1 | 3,561 | 1 | 0 | 280.8 |
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
7 on file2008 · 1 incident
2006 · 1 incident
R & S Coal Company Inc · Accident type, without injuries
ROOF FALL 10'H X 20'W X 50'L. INTERSECTION OF #2 ENTRY & 15'TO THE LEFT + RIGHT OF INTERSECTION. CAUSED BY MINING IN 3 SEAM 150' BELOW BARRIER BLOCK.
2005 · 2 incidents
November 30, 2005
WV · Coal
roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)
FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
R & S Coal Company Inc · Struck by falling object
A small piece of rock 1/4 x 2 x 6 fell while pinning and cut wrist requiring 4 stitctes.
March 7, 2005
WV · Coal
section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss
HANDLING OF MATERIALS
R & S Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)
AWKWARD STANDING POSITION - PULLED MUSCLE IN BACK LIFTING & TWISTING. (HANDLING 5 LB. WATER HOSE.)
2001 · 1 incident
June 28, 2001
WV · Coal
shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator
HANDLING OF MATERIALS
R & S Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects
MAN WAS HANGING MINER CABLE, STRAINED BACK MUSCLE.
2000 · 2 incidents
R & S Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects
EE WAS PRYING & LIFTING WITH SLATE BAR & STRAINED BACK.
R & S Coal Company Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
WRENCH SLIPPED HWIOLE TIGHTENING MINER DRUM OIL PLUG.