Tipple #2: 38 MSHA citations
Coal
Norton,
Wise County,
VA
·
Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 4405269
Tipple #2 has $21K in proposed MSHA penalties and $7K outstanding across 6 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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- Fatalities
- 0
- Total incidents
- 4
- Years on record
- 1990–1994
- Latest incident
- Sep 1994
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
24
significant & substantial
$21,127
proposed penalties
18% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $17,354 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
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: 365 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 $21K in proposed MSHA penalties and $7K outstanding across 6 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.
38 assessments are final orders; 6 contested dockets.
Of $21K in penalties contested before the Commission, $10K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2002-01-10.
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.
63.2%
significant & substantial
34.2%
high negligence or reckless
63.2%
reasonably likely or greater
36.8%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 5.3% low, 60.5% moderate, 28.9% high, 5.3% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
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 |
| VA 20000038 |
Settlement |
Hodgdon |
2003 |
$11K → $4K |
| VA 20020036 |
Settlement |
Hodgdon |
2003 |
$5K → $2K |
| VA 20000001 |
Settlement |
Merlin |
2001 |
$2K → $1K |
| VA 20010021 |
Default |
Barbour |
2001 |
$2K → $2K |
| VA 20020027 |
Settlement |
Hodgdon |
2003 |
$1K → $560 |
| VA 20010026 |
Settlement |
Barbour |
2001 |
$600 → $525 |
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at Tipple #2 shows 92% of 13 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: 2001-12-04, 24 years ago
13 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER6
- TIPPLE OPERATOR3
- LABORER/BLACKSMITH2
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: 2002-01-10, 24 years ago
Most-sampled occupations
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER6
- TIPPLE OPERATOR3
- CAR DROPPER2
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 |
| 2001 |
100% |
7 |
| 2000 |
83% |
6 |
Noise by year
| Year |
over PEL |
samples |
| 2002 |
0% |
1 |
| 2001 |
11% |
9 |
| 2000 |
0% |
2 |
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
| Year |
Employees |
| 2002 |
0 |
| 2001 |
3 |
| 2000 |
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 |
| 2002 Q1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
| 2001 Q4 |
200 |
1 |
1 |
5000.0 |
| 2001 Q3 |
300 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
| 2001 Q1 |
300 |
12 |
5 |
40000.0 |
| 2000 Q3 |
600 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
4 on file
1994 · 3 incidents
September 6, 1994
VA · Coal
front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator
HANDLING OF MATERIALS
North Fork Coal Sales · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects
REMOVING OFFICE TRAILER FROM LOT. HE WAS PULLING 8" BLOCK OUT FROM UNDER THE TRAILER AND CARRYING THEM TO THE TRUCK AND LOADING THEM IN THE TRUCK.
North Fork Coal Sales · Struck by flying object
REMOVAL OF LUMP COAL FROM FEEDER WITH 6' SLATE BAR. SLATE BAR SLIPPED AND HIT EE CAUSING A CUT TO HIS HEAD ABOVE HIS LEFT EYE.
May 7, 1994
VA · Coal
front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator
HANDLING OF MATERIALS
North Fork Coal Sales · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
METAL BEING INSTALLED CAUGHT RIGHT HAND BETWEEN METAL AND SIZE OF HOPPER.
1990 · 1 incident
November 21, 1990
VA · Coal
warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator
SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Kenmar Coal Company · Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)
STEPPED OFF WATER TANK AND TWISTED ANKLE.