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.
145 citations across 2,527 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Tunnel Mine has $22K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 4 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.
$22K
proposed penalties
$21K
current assessed
$21K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
143 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $6K in penalties contested before the Commission, $5K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-07-14.
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.
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.
6citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
Settled
6 · 100%
100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 6 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
18%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$5K proposed, $4K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2012-11-05.
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 Tunnel Mine shows 84% of 44 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: 2015-06-02, 11 years ago
84%
within 1.5 mg/m3
44
samples
3.74
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.
26 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 18 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.
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
0
2016
1
2015
7
2014
9
2013
6
2012
6
2011
0
2010
0
2009
2
2008
7
2007
3
2006
3
2005
2
2004
0
2003
0
2002
0
2001
1
2000
4
185,794
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Tunnel Mine sits in Raleigh County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 4.0% 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.
Raleigh County, West Virginia · Population 73,666
4.0%
Mining share of county employment
$52,055
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
0
0
0
2016 Q4
0
0
0
2016 Q3
135
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
517
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
517
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
1,543
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
4,002
2
0
499.8
Show 56 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2015 Q2
7,391
2
0
270.6
2015 Q1
3,928
1
0
254.6
2014 Q4
2,905
1
0
344.2
2014 Q3
2,983
2
0
670.5
2014 Q2
2,733
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
8,329
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
2,615
0
0
0.0
2013 Q3
2,800
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
2,932
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
3,094
2
0
646.4
2012 Q3
3,111
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
0
2
0
2011 Q2
0
0
0
2011 Q1
0
6
0
2010 Q4
0
0
0
2010 Q3
0
2
1
2010 Q2
0
0
0
2010 Q1
0
0
0
2009 Q4
0
0
0
2009 Q3
0
0
0
2009 Q2
0
0
0
2009 Q1
3,870
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
4,303
1
0
232.4
2008 Q3
3,966
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
4,205
0
0
0.0
2008 Q1
3,770
4
0
1061.0
2007 Q4
3,076
1
0
325.1
2007 Q3
2,328
6
2
2577.3
2007 Q2
1,304
6
3
4601.2
2007 Q1
1,404
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
1,692
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
2,055
3
1
1459.9
2006 Q2
1,488
2
1
1344.1
2006 Q1
1,420
2
0
1408.5
2005 Q4
1,422
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
1,420
11
3
7746.5
2005 Q2
1,260
15
3
11904.8
2005 Q1
1,386
2
2
1443.0
2004 Q4
0
3
0
2004 Q3
0
6
5
2004 Q2
0
0
0
2003 Q3
0
4
1
2003 Q2
0
0
0
2003 Q1
0
3
1
2002 Q4
0
1
0
2002 Q3
0
2
2
2002 Q2
0
1
0
2002 Q1
0
0
0
2001 Q4
0
0
0
2001 Q3
0
4
3
2001 Q2
0
0
0
2001 Q1
2,110
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
0
1
0
2000 Q3
5,370
14
4
2607.1
2000 Q2
5,760
15
10
2604.2
2000 Q1
1,156
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
7 on file
2015 · 2 incidents
June 7, 2015WV · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderDUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
EE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH COAL WORKERS PNEUMOCONIOSIS WITH NO SIGNIFICANT PULMONARY IMPAIRMENT. PATIENT COULD DO PREVIOUS JOB. SPIROMETRY SHOWS ONLY MILD OBSTRUCTION. SHOULD NOT OFFER SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO EXERCISE REQUIRED BY PREVIOUS JOB. REPORT BY DOCTOR BOARD CERTIFIED IN INTERNAL MEDICINE AND DISEASES OF THE CHEST.EE RETIRED 11/20/2012
EE WAS TIGHTENING THE HOSE ON THE HEAD JACK. AS HE WAS TIGHTENING THE HOSE, HE SLIPPED ON A ROCK AND TWISTED HIS LEFT KNEE. EE FINISHED HIS SHIFT AND THEN WENT TO HOSPITAL. HE WAS DIAGNOSED WI TH A SPRAINED KNEE. EE RETURNED TO WORK THE NEXT DAY, 8-25-00.
July 13, 2000WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)ELECTRICAL
EE STATED THAT HE WAS SHOCKED WHILE STANDINB BESIDE THE R/B IN ABOUT 2" OF WATER. HE HAD HIS LEFT HAND ON AN INSTALLED ROOF BOLT, BUT WAS NOT TOUCHING THE ROOF BOLT MACHINE NOR THE ROOF BOLTER CABLE. HE COMPLAINED OF CHEST PAIN, WAS TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL. HE COULD NOT SEE A SPECIALIST UNTIL 7-18 & AT THAT TIME HE WAS RELEASED TO WORK.
1999 · 2 incidents
October 21, 1999WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerOTHER
WHILE MOVING A PIECE OF STACKER FROM ONE MINE TOANOTHER, A LOW HANGING PHONE CABLE HAD TO BE MOVED. THE EMPLOYEE CLIMBED ONTO THE TRUCK BED TO LIFT THE CABLE OUT OF THE WAY AND TWISTED HIS LEF T KNEE.
September 13, 1999WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
EMPLOYEE WAS STRIKING THE SIDE OF A DISCHARGE CHUTE WITH A SLEDGE HAMMER TO FREE MATERIAL THATBECAME LODGED IN THE CHUTE. WHILE SWINGING THE HAMMER, HIS LEFT HAND STRUCK A BRACKET THAT WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE CHUTE, LACERATING THE HAND.
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