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.
352 citations across 11,433 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Vail Mine has $72K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 14 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.
$72K
proposed penalties
$63K
current assessed
$63K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
347 assessments are final orders; 14 contested dockets.
Of $24K in penalties contested before the Commission, $16K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-05-18.
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.
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.
26citations taken to the federal commission · 7% of citations on record
Settled
24 · 92%
Stood as issued
1 · 4%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 4%
58%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 19 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
34%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$24K proposed, $16K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2025-05-27.
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 Vail Mine shows 100% of 3,490 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: 2026-08-19
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
3,490
samples
2.68
dust max (mg/m3)
3
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.
500 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 2,990 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.
Vail Mine recorded 3.47 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ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.
3.47
total case rate
1.73
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Ohio, coal mining averaged 2.79 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2025
3.47
1.73
0.000
2024
1.74
1.74
0.000
2023
1.56
1.56
0.000
2022
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
2.66
0.00
0.000
2020 *
2.74
0.00
0.000
2019 *
3.51
0.00
0.000
2018 *
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.
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)
2026
50
238,194
2025
51
554,455
2024
55
559,753
2023
60
523,539
2022
48
653,754
2021
35
371,487
2020
34
360,138
2019
24
287,065
2018
15
262,732
2017
12
144,638
2016
18
264,378
2015
20
185,474
2014
28
437,078
2013
29
205,923
2012
9
7,390
2011
0
2010
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Vail Mine sits in Harrison County, Ohio, where the Census mining category is 3.6% 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.
Harrison County, Ohio · Population 14,408
3.6%
Mining share of county employment
$53,851
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
28,966
4
0
138.1
2026 Q1
31,560
6
0
190.1
2025 Q4
29,033
4
0
137.8
2025 Q3
28,481
6
0
210.7
2025 Q2
28,175
10
1
354.9
2025 Q1
29,598
5
1
168.9
2024 Q4
26,935
4
0
148.5
2024 Q3
27,183
4
1
147.2
Show 54 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
28,789
8
0
277.9
2024 Q1
31,769
7
0
220.3
2023 Q4
27,903
7
0
250.9
2023 Q3
32,395
5
0
154.3
2023 Q2
31,955
6
0
187.8
2023 Q1
36,218
12
0
331.3
2022 Q4
31,458
4
0
127.2
2022 Q3
29,596
2
1
67.6
2022 Q2
26,522
5
0
188.5
2022 Q1
24,694
6
0
243.0
2021 Q4
19,872
7
0
352.3
2021 Q3
18,464
8
1
433.3
2021 Q2
19,268
3
0
155.7
2021 Q1
17,621
2
0
113.5
2020 Q4
17,176
4
0
232.9
2020 Q3
20,712
2
1
96.6
2020 Q2
16,761
5
0
298.3
2020 Q1
18,216
4
0
219.6
2019 Q4
13,752
9
1
654.5
2019 Q3
16,563
4
0
241.5
2019 Q2
15,374
5
0
325.2
2019 Q1
11,255
4
0
355.4
2018 Q4
10,894
4
0
367.2
2018 Q3
9,182
5
0
544.5
2018 Q2
9,364
6
0
640.8
2018 Q1
9,079
10
0
1101.4
2017 Q4
6,103
2
0
327.7
2017 Q3
6,118
3
0
490.4
2017 Q2
4,150
5
0
1204.8
2017 Q1
6,245
4
0
640.5
2016 Q4
8,983
3
0
334.0
2016 Q3
10,356
4
0
386.2
2016 Q2
10,083
5
0
495.9
2016 Q1
10,654
5
1
469.3
2015 Q4
8,333
4
0
480.0
2015 Q3
8,563
4
0
467.1
2015 Q2
12,031
9
0
748.1
2015 Q1
12,441
17
7
1366.4
2014 Q4
13,721
11
1
801.7
2014 Q3
16,889
4
1
236.8
2014 Q2
16,814
12
1
713.7
2014 Q1
13,715
8
1
583.3
2013 Q4
18,237
14
0
767.7
2013 Q3
19,085
19
4
995.5
2013 Q2
15,143
7
1
462.3
2013 Q1
11,549
13
0
1125.6
2012 Q4
12,456
7
1
562.0
2012 Q3
5,483
1
0
182.4
2012 Q2
0
0
0
2012 Q1
0
0
0
2011 Q4
0
0
0
2011 Q3
0
0
0
2011 Q2
0
0
0
2010 Q4
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
13 on file
2025 · 2 incidents
September 6, 2025OH · Coalscoop car/scooptram operator, load/haul/dump (lhd) operator, teletram operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Patient was hanging line curtain when EE's feet got tangled in it causing EE to fall. EE fell into the side of a scoop battery causing a laceration and broken nose
May 13, 2025OH · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Torqueing a flywheel on incline shaker screen at prep plant. work location outdoors. Weather: light rain. Torque wrench slipped out of grip of employee while on flywheel nut while under tension, spinning the wrench with the flywheel, striking employee on left upper cheek. injury result was a laceration with 5 stitches and multiple facial bruising.
February 24, 2023OH · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)POWERED HAULAGE
a johnson mantrip with 2 passengers was coming out from 2 section when a johnson mantrip carrying 1 passenger was going into 1 section. the outgoing mantrip came around a turn and was hit in the left front with the incoming mantrip. this caused the passenger to strike EE's right foot causing a right heel fracture
2021 · 1 incident
September 14, 2021OH · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Lifting a roll of belting onto structure. Was lifting with the belt winding wood and smashed right middle finger between the wood and the metal structure resulting in 7 stitches.
2020 · 1 incident
May 26, 2020OH · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Mechanics had removed the canopy extensions from the #2 twin boom. While putting it back together, ee had hand on top of the canopy jack. Another mechanic didn't know this and raised the jack, smashing the miner's left thumb between the jack and the roof of the mine
2015 · 1 incident
April 20, 2015OH · Coalexaminer, fire boss, pre-shift examiner, mine examinerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
The miner was adding belt to the low structure. The tail was pushed before the miner had his rail out causing the low structure to push towards the rib. The miner was kneeling down and the low structure hit his right knee pushing it and his ankle into the rib.
2013 · 2 incidents
September 17, 2013OH · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was spotting low structure. When he went to throw a piece he struck his right pointer and right middle finger on another piece of structure laying there lacerating his middle finger and smashing the tip of his pointer finger
January 15, 2013OH · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
The miner was walking to get to the section and said he slipped on a rock and twisted and then fell to the ground possibly onto another rock landing directly on his hip