Trace Fork Surface Mine has $60K in proposed MSHA penalties and $14K outstanding across 8 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
16
Years on record
2001–2015
Latest incident
Aug 2015
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
178
citations
128
significant & substantial
$60,305
proposed penalties
$43,396
paid to date
72% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $16,909 gap.
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.
178 citations across 2,114 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Trace Fork Surface Mine has $60K in proposed MSHA penalties and $14K 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.
$60K
proposed penalties
$57K
current assessed
$43K
paid to date
$14K
outstanding
174 assessments are final orders; 8 contested dockets.
Of $18K in penalties contested before the Commission, $14K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2017-01-10.
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.
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.
27citations taken to the federal commission · 15% of citations on record
Settled
11 · 41%
Stood as issued
15 · 56%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 4%
81%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 27 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
18%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$18K proposed, $14K 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 2015-01-07.
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.
MSHA sampling at Trace Fork Surface Mine shows 100% of 126 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: 2017-01-10, 9 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
126
samples
1.00
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.
114 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 12 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.
Trace Fork Surface Mine recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2014.
Injury rate, 2014
ⓘ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
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.96 and the all-US-mining average was 2.93 cases per 100 workers.
In West Virginia, coal mining averaged 5.02 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
2014 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2013 *
8.36
0.00
0.000
2010 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2009 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2008 *
2.40
0.00
0.000
2006
1.47
0.00
0.000
2005
0.00
0.00
0.000
2004
1.73
0.00
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)
2017
2
2016
7
2015
7
31,487
2014
18
166,562
2013
13
86,058
2012
0
2011
3
2010
8
2009
29
262,573
2008
32
255,957
2007
9
43,256
2006
50
584,901
2005
46
633,600
2004
41
706,858
2003
69
1,021,020
2002
50
907,068
2001
39
924,192
2000
7
34,878
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Trace Fork Surface Mine 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
2017 Q2
0
0
0
2017 Q1
1,477
1
0
677.0
2016 Q4
1,745
2
0
1146.1
2016 Q3
3,865
1
0
258.7
2016 Q2
4,136
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
3,611
1
1
276.9
2015 Q4
3,718
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
6,515
4
0
614.0
Show 62 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2015 Q2
3,503
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
2,088
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
9,388
5
4
532.6
2014 Q3
11,255
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
11,562
5
2
432.5
2014 Q1
15,054
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
9,341
8
3
856.4
2013 Q3
11,176
1
0
89.5
2013 Q2
3,416
1
0
292.7
2013 Q1
0
0
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
0
0
0
2012 Q2
0
0
0
2012 Q1
0
0
0
2011 Q4
0
0
0
2011 Q3
0
0
0
2011 Q2
0
8
8
2011 Q1
7,813
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
8,159
2
0
245.1
2010 Q3
7,970
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
6,127
3
0
489.6
2010 Q1
0
0
0
2009 Q4
0
10
7
2009 Q3
18,964
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
24,738
9
8
363.8
2009 Q1
28,062
1
0
35.6
2008 Q4
27,157
1
1
36.8
2008 Q3
15,605
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
21,774
5
2
229.6
2008 Q1
18,908
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
10,380
8
1
770.7
2007 Q3
521
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
1,974
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
4,092
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
21,425
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
30,904
0
0
0.0
2006 Q2
40,063
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
44,054
0
0
0.0
2005 Q4
29,845
4
4
134.0
2005 Q3
23,443
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
27,415
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
39,709
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
28,187
1
0
35.5
2004 Q3
19,923
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
27,888
2
2
71.7
2004 Q1
39,803
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
48,566
15
15
308.9
2003 Q3
47,683
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
48,802
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
44,216
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
31,974
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
33,691
1
1
29.7
2002 Q2
34,996
2
2
57.1
2002 Q1
34,603
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
31,271
11
9
351.8
2001 Q3
29,390
4
3
136.1
2001 Q2
29,110
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
20,885
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
0
0
0
2000 Q3
0
0
0
2000 Q2
8,517
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
16 on file
2015 · 1 incident
August 18, 2015WV · Coalmine manager, mine foreman, mine ownerMACHINERY
Employee was straightening step on excavator. He had hooked a chain to bucket of the excavator and to the step and instructed the operator to put tension on the chain. As the operator applied tension the weld on the step broke loose allowing the step to strike the employee in the right leg resulting in a laceration requiring 7 stitches.
Employee had been welding frame cracks and at the end of shift he felt something in his eye. He was taken to the hospital and the material was removed then given prescription eye medication.
Employee was in the process of putting a wheel cover on a 988 coal loader. While trying to line up bolts with the bolt holes on the cover, the cover slipped off and landed on his finger.
Got a rock stuck between 2 back tires on the truck. Attempted to pry the rock out of the tires and one tire blew out striking ee hand causing slight injury to hand.
July 6, 2006WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS MOUNTING HIS DOZER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHIFT. HE TRIPPED & FELL FORWARD AS HE TOOK THE LAST STEP, STRIKING HIS UPPER LIP AGAINST THE CAB DOOR. THE CAB DOOR WAS OPEN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE TRANSPORTED HIMSELF TO THE MEDICAL CENTER & RECEIVED 3 STITCHES.
EE WAS BACKING UP TRUCK AND HIT METAL SUPPORT BEAM WITH MIRROR. GLASS SHATTERED AND ENTERED EE'S LEFT EYE. TREATED BY ER DOCTOR, PRESCRIBED RX MEDICATION.
2003 · 3 incidents
March 21, 2003WV · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
MEMBER WAS LEANING ON A HIGHWALL MINER CAR WHEN A ROCK STRUCK ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT OF HIM CAUSING HIM TO BE BOUNCED OFF ONTO THE GROUND CAUSING A STRAIN TO THE LOWER BACK.
EE WAS STANDING ON A 6' LADDER APPROXIMATELY 4.5' OFF THE GROUND WHILE CHANGING A LIFT JACK HOSE ON A LOADER, WHEN HIS FOOT SLIPPED, CAUSING HIM TO FALL TO THE GROUND.