Mining Incidents

Waroquier #1: 329 MSHA citations Coal

Controlled by Joseph L Waroquier
Clearfield, Clearfield County, PA  ·  Temporarily Idled
MSHA Mine ID: 3606586

Waroquier #1 has $161K in proposed MSHA penalties and $14K outstanding across 11 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
13
Years on record
1983–2011
Latest incident
Jul 2011
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
329
citations
192
significant & substantial
$160,701
proposed penalties
$101,395
paid to date
63% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $59,306 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
149
inspections on record
5,608
inspection hours
5.9
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.
329 citations across 5,608 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Waroquier #1 has $161K in proposed MSHA penalties and $14K outstanding across 11 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.
$161K
proposed penalties
$115K
current assessed
$101K
paid to date
$14K
outstanding
322 assessments are final orders; 11 contested dockets.
Of $84K in penalties contested before the Commission, $39K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2023-05-24.
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.
59.1%
significant & substantial
11.4%
high negligence or reckless
58.6%
reasonably likely or greater
26.5%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.3% none, 17.0% low, 71.3% moderate, 11.1% high, 0.3% 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.
32 citations taken to the federal commission · 10% of citations on record
  • Settled 31 · 97%
  • Stood as issued 1 · 3%
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 29 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
53%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$85K proposed, $40K 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 2012-04-12.
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 2008-367 Settlement Feldman 2013 $54K → $20K
PENN 2009-350 Settlement Andrews 2011 $12K → $8K
PENN 2008-495 Settlement Bulluck 2011 $9K → $7K
PENN 2012-236 Settlement Feldman 2012 $5K → $500
PENN 2012-45 Settlement Lesnick 2012 $2K → $1K
PENN 2009-351 Settlement Lewis 2011 $1K → $907
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Waroquier #1 shows 99% of 412 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: 2023-06-06, 3 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
412
samples
6.12
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.
301 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 111 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR204
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER84
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE64

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2023-06-13, 3 years ago
16.9
silica avg (%)
36
samples
40.5
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR29
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR4
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER2

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: 2023-06-06, 3 years ago
5%
over PEL
169
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR68
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER47
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE37
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
2023 100% 3
2022 100% 2
2020 100% 4
2019 100% 15
2018 90% 10
2017 100% 18
2016 100% 42
2015 100% 36
2014 100% 18
2013 94% 16
2012 100% 22
2011 100% 21
2010 100% 24
2009 100% 13
2008 100% 21
2006 100% 10
2005 100% 23
2004 100% 26
2003 100% 13
2002 97% 37
2001 100% 12
2000 100% 26
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2023 6.7 1
2019 40.5 1
2018 20.5 1
2017 17.7 3
2016 10.3 2
2015 6.7 2
2014 14.5 1
2013 25.9 1
2012 19.0 2
2009 38.7 1
2008 17.9 2
2004 16.4 1
2003 15.4 3
2002 4.2 1
2001 19.3 4
2000 15.6 10
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2023 0% 3
2022 0% 2
2019 0% 8
2018 0% 5
2017 25% 4
2016 6% 16
2015 0% 8
2014 0% 3
2013 0% 3
2012 0% 9
2011 0% 7
2010 0% 6
2009 0% 9
2008 0% 12
2007 0% 1
2006 0% 10
2005 7% 14
2004 0% 12
2003 15% 13
2002 0% 10
2001 11% 9
2000 40% 5
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Waroquier #1 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2017.

Injury rate, 2017
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 3.79 and the all-US-mining average was 2.48 cases per 100 workers.
In Pennsylvania, coal mining averaged 4.65 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
2017 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2016 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2015 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2014 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2013 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2012 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2011 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2010 * 2.41 2.41 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
  1. Waroquier Coal, Inc. 1978 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)
2023 5 4,334
2022 6 9,803
2021 4 529
2020 7 2,097
2019 8 9,400
2018 11 12,777
2017 18 29,626
2016 17 44,837
2015 19 50,808
2014 29 97,199
2013 39 157,890
2012 37 176,084
2011 44 189,417
2010 41 168,977
2009 40 152,902
2008 53 187,906
2007 41 147,624
2006 15 207,619
2005 17 214,776
2004 19 151,182
2003 2 11,679
2002 21 144,954
2001 18 104,724
2000 12 75,979
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Waroquier #1 sits in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 1.3% 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.
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania · Population 78,902
1.3%
Mining share of county employment
$60,181
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
2023 Q4 741 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 1,552 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 1,981 3 1 1514.4
2023 Q1 1,516 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 1,989 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 1,945 7 1 3599.0
2022 Q2 1,150 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 1,331 1 0 751.3
Show 88 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2021 Q4 1,060 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 355 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 479 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 397 2 0 5037.8
2020 Q4 1,014 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 3,176 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 1,920 5 2 2604.2
2020 Q1 2,296 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 3,049 4 3 1311.9
2019 Q3 2,975 3 3 1008.4
2019 Q2 2,903 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 3,960 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 3,795 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 4,383 2 0 456.3
2018 Q2 4,312 5 3 1159.6
2018 Q1 5,092 5 2 981.9
2017 Q4 5,317 2 0 376.2
2017 Q3 7,476 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 6,492 8 5 1232.3
2017 Q1 8,660 1 1 115.5
2016 Q4 6,282 5 3 795.9
2016 Q3 6,237 1 0 160.3
2016 Q2 5,508 8 4 1452.4
2016 Q1 6,100 3 1 491.8
2015 Q4 8,708 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 7,083 7 2 988.3
2015 Q2 8,548 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 7,631 5 3 655.2
2014 Q4 10,205 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 9,251 8 2 864.8
2014 Q2 10,372 1 0 96.4
2014 Q1 11,619 9 5 774.6
2013 Q4 18,416 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 13,942 18 5 1291.1
2013 Q2 20,782 5 3 240.6
2013 Q1 14,559 7 1 480.8
2012 Q4 12,704 2 1 157.4
2012 Q3 16,759 3 1 179.0
2012 Q2 19,677 6 2 304.9
2012 Q1 16,181 5 4 309.0
2011 Q4 18,735 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 22,782 14 7 614.5
2011 Q2 24,243 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 20,979 4 3 190.7
2010 Q4 22,078 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 21,963 2 2 91.1
2010 Q2 19,501 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 19,535 1 1 51.2
2009 Q4 19,000 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 14,723 1 1 67.9
2009 Q2 15,887 3 3 188.8
2009 Q1 30,416 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 41,068 6 2 146.1
2008 Q3 31,529 8 7 253.7
2008 Q2 24,508 7 6 285.6
2008 Q1 28,665 5 4 174.4
2007 Q4 24,254 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 28,185 9 8 319.3
2007 Q2 24,460 1 1 40.9
2007 Q1 29,679 5 4 168.5
2006 Q4 10,779 15 14 1391.6
2006 Q3 11,899 1 1 84.0
2006 Q2 11,501 9 5 782.5
2006 Q1 13,043 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 11,094 1 1 90.1
2005 Q3 15,923 2 1 125.6
2005 Q2 19,747 3 2 151.9
2005 Q1 13,338 1 0 75.0
2004 Q4 13,611 4 1 293.9
2004 Q3 12,766 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 13,495 4 1 296.4
2004 Q1 11,977 7 5 584.5
2003 Q4 1,730 1 1 578.0
2003 Q3 1,561 9 9 5765.5
2003 Q2 1,846 4 1 2166.8
2003 Q1 1,331 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 11,051 3 0 271.5
2002 Q3 9,216 4 0 434.0
2002 Q2 13,336 6 4 449.9
2002 Q1 11,490 13 10 1131.4
2001 Q4 11,771 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 12,206 5 4 409.6
2001 Q2 12,281 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 8,354 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 7,240 5 5 690.6
2000 Q3 7,703 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 8,273 2 2 241.8
2000 Q1 8,558 7 7 817.9
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

13 on file

2011 · 1 incident

July 25, 2011 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer OTHER
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The equipment operator was sitting in his own personal pick-up when he had a heart attack and died. A co-worker gave him CPR for over 30 minutes until EMS arrived.

2010 · 1 incident

May 28, 2010 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Contact with hot objects or substances

EE noticed the water pump was not pumping water. EE checked the pump to find out it had lost it's prime. The EE placed his hand on the discharge hose when the hose came off and hot water and steam covered the EE burning his chest and thighs.

1999 · 3 incidents

December 6, 1999 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Struck against stationary object

WAS GETTING ON DOZER, SLIPPED ON TRACK. TRIED TO BREAK HIS FALL AND JAMMED HIS HAND ON DOZER.

May 18, 1999 PA · Coal greaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oiler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

STARTING DRAG METER FOR THE DRAG OPERATOR & PULLED AIR VALVE LEVER & TWISTED HIS BACK

April 28, 1999 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer POWERED HAULAGE
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Struck against a moving object

ROCK TRUCK BREAKING UP RAMP TO UNLOAD TRUCK HITSOFT SPOT ON RAMP WAS READJUSTING TRUCK ON SOFT SPOT & TRUCK ROLLED OVER ON RIGHT SIDE

1998 · 2 incidents

December 21, 1998 PA · Coal SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Fall from machine

SWANSON TRUCKING IND. HIS TRUCK IS HAULING COAL FOR WAREQUICK AND HIS TRUCK DRIVER GOT HURT ON OUR JOB. WAS TARPING HIS TRUCK FEET SLIPPED AND HE FELL OFF TRUCK.

March 11, 1998 PA · Coal auger helper MACHINERY
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

PULLING OUT ELEVATOR WHEN IT KICKED BACK AND PINNED ARM BETWEEN IT AND AUGER MACHINE.

1996 · 3 incidents

October 14, 1996 PA · Coal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator POWERED HAULAGE
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Struck against a moving object

RUNNING 980C LOADER ON STRIPPING AND TWISTED HIS NECK.

July 2, 1996 PA · Coal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Struck by flying object

WAS USING SLEDGE HAMMER TO ADJUST ROPE ON DRAGLINE. HIT A PIECE OF METAL WHICH BECAME EMBEDDED IN RIGHT LEG.

February 1, 1996 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Fall to the walkway or working surface

HELPING CHANGE TRIP ROPE ON DRAGINES SWINING SLEDGE HAMMER FOOT SLIPPED AND PULLED MUSLCE IN UPPER LEFT LEG.

1995 · 1 incident

1986 · 1 incident

March 7, 1986 PA · Coal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

OPERATOR WAS GE7TING INTO MACHINE DOOR SHUT ON LEFT HAND WAS TAKEN TO CLFD HOSPITAL HAD STICHES

1983 · 1 incident

December 27, 1983 PA · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Waroquier Coal, Inc. · Fall to the walkway or working surface

HE WAS WAITING FOR A LOAD OF CINDERS FOR HIS EMPLOTYER WOENS MINING CO A TRUCK OWNED BY TONALD STYERS WHILE DUMPING CINDERS HIT A TELEPHONE LINE AND THE LINE FELL TO THE GROUND. HE ATTEMPTING MOVE THE LINE BY HAND HAD A HOLD OF THE LINE AND VECHICLE TRAVELING ON ROUTE 879 HIT THE LINE AND KNOCKED HIM TO THE GROUND ON H IS BACK ON TO FROZEN GROUND.