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.
108 citations across 1,554 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Vindex Douglas has $38K in proposed MSHA penalties and $5K outstanding across 5 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.
$38K
proposed penalties
$38K
current assessed
$32K
paid to date
$5K
outstanding
102 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $4K in penalties contested before the Commission, $4K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2014-06-25.
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.
7citations taken to the federal commission · 6% of citations on record
Settled
6 · 86%
Stood as issued
1 · 14%
83%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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%
13%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$4K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2012-03-07.
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 Vindex Douglas shows 99% of 136 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: 2014-04-29, 12 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
136
samples
2.38
dust max (mg/m3)
132 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 4 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.
Vindex Douglas recorded 5.02 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2011.
Injury rate, 2011
ⓘ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.
5.02
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.83 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Maryland, coal mining averaged 4.37 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
2011 *
5.02
0.00
0.000
2010 *
2.44
0.00
0.000
2009 *
2.57
2.57
0.000
2008 *
2.47
0.00
0.000
2007 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2006
1.40
1.40
0.000
2005
1.50
0.00
0.000
2004 *
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)
2014
3
2013
5
2012
4
693
2011
29
237,822
2010
33
262,067
2009
38
220,406
2008
29
350,492
2007
28
295,179
2006
59
621,198
2005
55
606,346
2004
11
170,745
2003
5
89,580
2002
8
123,391
2001
8
178,686
2000
8
2,320
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Vindex Douglas sits in Garrett County, Maryland, where the Census mining category is 1.5% 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.
Garrett County, Maryland · Population 28,713
1.5%
Mining share of county employment
$69,031
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
2014 Q3
427
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
2,993
1
1
334.1
2014 Q1
2,398
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
2,441
1
0
409.7
2013 Q3
3,074
2
0
650.6
2013 Q2
4,263
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
3,279
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
1,226
1
0
815.7
Show 48 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2012 Q3
1,700
1
0
588.2
2012 Q2
1,827
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
4,119
3
1
728.3
2011 Q4
12,394
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
23,000
3
1
130.4
2011 Q2
22,167
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
22,105
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
18,743
3
1
160.1
2010 Q3
20,577
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
21,582
9
5
417.0
2010 Q1
21,040
1
1
47.5
2009 Q4
18,386
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
15,898
9
5
566.1
2009 Q2
16,840
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
26,685
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
20,378
5
2
245.4
2008 Q3
21,824
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
20,615
1
0
48.5
2008 Q1
18,300
2
1
109.3
2007 Q4
18,821
2
0
106.3
2007 Q3
17,167
8
6
466.0
2007 Q2
18,660
2
0
107.2
2007 Q1
15,223
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
15,035
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
41,723
0
0
0.0
2006 Q2
44,203
3
2
67.9
2006 Q1
41,548
1
0
24.1
2005 Q4
38,161
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
34,213
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
33,992
2
0
58.8
2005 Q1
27,087
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
14,087
0
0
0.0
2004 Q3
7,979
1
0
125.3
2004 Q2
3,304
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
0
0
0
2003 Q4
0
0
0
2003 Q3
1,442
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
4,045
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
4,781
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
3,364
3
1
891.8
2002 Q3
3,645
3
0
823.0
2002 Q2
4,383
0
0
0.0
2002 Q1
4,626
4
0
864.7
2001 Q4
3,784
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
4,394
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
5,228
1
1
191.3
2001 Q1
5,587
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
1,849
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
12 on file
2011 · 2 incidents
November 4, 2011MD · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vindex Energy LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Employee was dismounting dozer after positioning the equipment for maintenance. Upon dismounting he raised the lid of the battery box to gain access for required task. In traveling down, he placed his hand on edge of battery box, the locking spring mechanism, which was supposed to hold lid open failed catching employee's hand. Resulting in a laceration to hand, needing 3 sutures.
September 16, 2011MD · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
EE exited the cab of the CAT992G to remove debris from the equipment. While working to remove the debris EE lost his hard hat on the ground. Upon returning to the cab struck his head on the side mirror lacerating his scalp. The laceration required 4 staples to close.
Employee fell while getting down from grader. Foot slipped, causing fall. Tried to break fall by putting hands out, causing strain on left hand. He reported to supervisor, refused medical treatment. Went to ER next morning 11/30/10, and had hand X-Rayed. Employee came to work that day, missed no time. Hospital notified him 12/5/2010 with the results, confirmed his hand was broken.
2009 · 2 incidents
November 16, 2009MD · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was using his finger to hold a keeper washer in place instead of a screw driver while putting a guard on a ripper shank. The guard slipped and cut the tip of his finger. Employee was taken to the hospital where he received 2 stitches to close the wound. He returned to work the next scheduled shift. No lost time.
Employee went to use a port-a-pot. As he opened the door he was attacked by bees. Employee ran from the area and slipped and fell landing on his right side.
2007 · 1 incident
December 11, 2007MD · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanOTHER
Employee was holding hood door open while checking oil. A gust of wind blew hood out of his hand causing hood to fall hitting him in back of head & neck. He was wearing his hard hat.
EE was operating a 1970 Mack water truck when the vehicle came out of gear. Operator could not get the truck back into gear. He removed his seat belt in an attempt to jump but decided to ride it out, to prevent any injury to fellow workers in the area. As he made a sharp right turn, the vehicle overturned 2 times, ejecting him from the vehicle. An investigation is ongoing.
2005 · 1 incident
November 4, 2005MD · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Mechanic was hammering on a drill bit on a Drill Tech DK45 highwall drill with a sledge hammer when a metal fragment struck the mechanic and lodged in the left side of his jaw. Employee went to the hospital and the object was removed. Employee reported to work the next day.