Carlson Mining · Struck by flying object
He was welding on hi-lift bucket. Chipping slag, with his safety glasses on, when a small piece of metal flew up over the safety glasses and into his left eye.
Uschak Operation: 56 MSHA citations Coal
Uschak Operation has $20K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 12 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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- Fatalities
- 0
- Total incidents
- 5
- Years on record
- 2005–2010
- Latest incident
- May 2010
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2005
56
citations
24
significant & substantial
$19,917
proposed penalties
$12,778
paid to date
64% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $7,139 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2005
13
inspections on record
502
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: 502 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Uschak Operation has $20K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 12 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.$20K
proposed penalties
$14K
current assessed
$13K
paid to date
$1K
outstanding
55 assessments are final orders; 12 contested dockets.
Of $18K in penalties contested before the Commission, $12K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2010-05-27.
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.43.6%
significant & substantial
10.9%
high negligence or reckless
43.6%
reasonably likely or greater
49.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 12.7% low, 76.4% moderate, 10.9% 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.
38
citations taken to the federal commission · 68% of citations on record
- Settled 8 · 21%
- Stood as issued 30 · 79%
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 22 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
33%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$18K proposed, $12K 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 2010-08-06.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PENN 2008-599 | Settlement | Barbour | 2009 | $6K → $500 |
| PENN 2010-21 | Settlement | Andrews | 2011 | $4K → $4K |
| PENN 2010-699 | Default | Lesnick | 2011 | $2K → $2K |
| PENN 2008-585 | Settlement | Barbour | 2009 | $2K → $900 |
| PENN 2010-19 | Default | Lesnick | 2011 | $1K → $1K |
| PENN 2009-433 | Default | Lesnick | 2010 | $1K → $1K |
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at Uschak Operation shows 100% of 41 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: 2010-05-26, 16 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.100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
41
samples
1.08
dust max (mg/m3)
41 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER8
- REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE7
- BACKHOE OPERATOR6
Silica (quartz)
Last sampled: 2010-06-04, 16 years ago22.1
silica avg (%)
2
samples
36.6
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR1
- REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE1
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: 2009-11-03, 16 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
21
samples
Most-sampled occupations
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER4
- REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE4
- BACKHOE OPERATOR3
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 100% | 8 |
| 2009 | 100% | 18 |
| 2008 | 100% | 4 |
| 2006 | 100% | 2 |
| 2005 | 100% | 9 |
Silica (quartz) by year
| Year | silica avg (%) | samples |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.6 | 1 |
| 2009 | 36.6 | 1 |
Noise by year
| Year | over PEL | samples |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 0% | 11 |
| 2008 | 0% | 1 |
| 2005 | 0% | 9 |
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Uschak Operation recorded 17.84 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2009.
Injury rate, 2009
ⓘ
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.17.84
total case rate
17.84
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 4.16 and the all-US-mining average was 3.36 cases per 100 workers.
In Pennsylvania, coal mining averaged 5.24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 * | 17.84 | 17.84 | 0.000 |
| 2008 * | 0.00 | 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.
Ownership history
- Carlson Mining 2005 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 14 | 5,735 |
| 2009 | 11 | 23,012 |
| 2008 | 9 | 20,215 |
| 2007 | 5 | |
| 2006 | 7 | 20,298 |
| 2005 | 8 | 14,378 |
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Uschak Operation sits in Butler County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 0.5% 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.Butler County, Pennsylvania · Population 195,870
0.5%
Mining share of county employment
$86,775
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Q2 | 8,573 | 9 | 3 | 1049.8 |
| 2010 Q1 | 7,039 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2009 Q4 | 6,253 | 3 | 2 | 479.8 |
| 2009 Q3 | 5,981 | 3 | 3 | 501.6 |
| 2009 Q2 | 4,840 | 4 | 3 | 826.4 |
| 2009 Q1 | 5,343 | 6 | 3 | 1123.0 |
| 2008 Q4 | 6,842 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2008 Q3 | 7,473 | 8 | 6 | 1070.5 |
Show 11 earlier quarters Hide earlier quarters
| Quarter | Hours worked | Citations | S&S | Per 1M hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Q2 | 5,816 | 4 | 0 | 687.8 |
| 2008 Q1 | 1,461 | 6 | 2 | 4106.8 |
| 2007 Q4 | 2,265 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2007 Q3 | 2,685 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2006 Q4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2006 Q3 | 924 | 3 | 0 | 3246.8 |
| 2006 Q2 | 7,273 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2006 Q1 | 7,014 | 1 | 0 | 142.6 |
| 2005 Q4 | 6,775 | 4 | 0 | 590.4 |
| 2005 Q3 | 6,096 | 2 | 0 | 328.1 |
| 2005 Q2 | 2,267 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
5 on file2010 · 1 incident
2009 · 2 incidents
April 22, 2009
PA · Coal
bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer
HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Carlson Mining · Over-exertion in lifting objects
EE was putting dozer pads in the bucket of the hi-lift, to move to another location.
March 2, 2009
PA · Coal
maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech
SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Carlson Mining · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Was stepping down from a pickup truck to shut off the welder.
2006 · 1 incident
Carlson Mining · Struck against stationary object
He was changing a roller on bulldozer. He jammed the 5th finger on his right hand.
2005 · 1 incident
December 2, 2005
PA · Coal
haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver
SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Carlson Mining · Fall from machine
He was getting out of a rock truck, there was ice on the step, he slipped and hurt his foot. He kept on working, his foot was starting to swell, so he went to hospital.