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Tipple #2: 53 MSHA citations Coal

Hills Fuel Company · Facility
Controlled by Horace Garrison Hill
Appalachia, Wise County, VA  ·  NonProducing
MSHA Mine ID: 4405201

Tipple #2 has $5K in proposed MSHA penalties and $60 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
1
Years on record
1988
Latest incident
Feb 1988
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
53
citations
12
significant & substantial
$5,061
proposed penalties
$5,001
paid to date
99% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $60 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2001
63
inspections on record
676
inspection hours
n/a
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: 676 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Tipple #2 has $5K in proposed MSHA penalties and $60 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.
$5K
proposed penalties
$5K
current assessed
$5K
paid to date
$60
outstanding
53 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2019-09-18.
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.
22.6%
significant & substantial
7.5%
high negligence or reckless
22.6%
reasonably likely or greater
35.8%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 5.7% low, 86.8% moderate, 7.5% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Tipple #2 shows 100% of 18 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: 2008-05-19, 18 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
18
samples
0.22
dust max (mg/m3)
18 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER10
  • TIPPLE OPERATOR5
  • COAL TRUCK DRIVER1

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: 2015-12-15, 10 years ago
0%
over PEL
14
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER7
  • TIPPLE OPERATOR4
  • COAL TRUCK DRIVER1
See US mines ranked by noise samples over the legal limit.
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% 3
2007 100% 2
2006 100% 2
2005 100% 1
2004 100% 4
2003 100% 5
2001 100% 1
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2015 0% 2
2008 0% 3
2007 0% 1
2006 0% 1
2004 0% 4
2003 0% 2
2001 0% 1
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
  1. Andover Enterprises Inc 1979 to 2001
  2. Purchase Coal Company 1987 to 1989
  3. Andover Enterprises Inc 1989 to 1996
  4. Nehemiah Coal Company Inc 2001 to 2006
  5. Commonwealth Tipple Inc 2006 to 2009
  6. Hills Fuel Company 2009 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 3
2025 3
2024 3
2023 3
2022 3
2021 3
2020 3
2019 3
2018 3
2017 2
2016 3
2015 2
2014 1
2013 1
2012 1
2009 0
2008 2
2007 2
2006 2
2005 1
2004 2
2003 2
2002 1
2001 2
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Tipple #2 sits in Wise County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 5.9% 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.
Wise County, Virginia · Population 35,727
5.9%
Mining share of county employment
$50,740
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 26 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 26 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 26 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 39 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 26 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 52 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 52 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 52 0 0 0.0
Show 79 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 26 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 52 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 52 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 52 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 78 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 72 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 72 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 65 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 78 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 52 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 104 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 78 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 52 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 20 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 26 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 26 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 26 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 26 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 15 1 0 66666.7
2019 Q2 52 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 52 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 39 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 89 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 104 2 1 19230.8
2017 Q4 196 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 156 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 78 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 52 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 254 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 264 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 192 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 168 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 192 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 561 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 720 1 0 1388.9
2015 Q1 130 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 60 1 1 16666.7
2014 Q3 35 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 764 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 780 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 786 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 777 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 775 3 0 3871.0
2013 Q1 706 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 628 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 675 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 760 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 695 2 0 2877.7
2009 Q1 0 1 0
2008 Q4 275 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 1,287 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 670 1 0 1492.5
2008 Q1 1,110 3 0 2702.7
2007 Q4 1,223 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 1,137 3 0 2638.5
2007 Q2 1,957 8 4 4087.9
2007 Q1 1,060 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 1,181 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 678 4 1 5899.7
2006 Q2 640 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 316 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 339 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 285 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 231 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 220 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 240 1 1 4166.7
2004 Q3 276 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 896 1 0 1116.1
2004 Q1 1,086 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 1,263 1 0 791.8
2003 Q3 1,061 3 1 2827.5
2003 Q2 1,306 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 660 5 0 7575.8
2002 Q4 290 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 0 0 0
2002 Q2 0 0 0
2002 Q1 60 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 1,022 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 1,112 3 1 2697.8
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

1 on file

1988 · 1 incident

February 12, 1988 VA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Purchase Coal Company · Contact with hot objects or substances

EMPLOYEE REACHING ABOVE TO OVERHEAD BELTLINE & PULLED WELDING LEAD FROM BELTLINE, THE WELDING ROD IN THE WELDING LEAD CAME DOWN & STRUCK EMPLOYEE IN THE CORNER OF THE EYE, BURNING THE EDGE OF THE CORNER OF THE EYE.