Mining Incidents

Westmoreland Strip Coal

Controlled by Barbara M Bearer
Brush Valley, Indiana County, PA  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 3608176

Westmoreland Strip has $2K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

Watch this mine

Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Westmoreland Strip.

Fatalities
0
Total incidents
17
Years on record
1997–2002
Latest incident
Jan 2002
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
20
citations
13
significant & substantial
$1,626
proposed penalties
$1,626
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
27
inspections on record
465
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: 465 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Westmoreland Strip has $2K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 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.
$2K
proposed penalties
$2K
current assessed
$2K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
20 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2002-09-24.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Westmoreland Strip shows respirable coal dust averaging 0.26 mg/m3 (100% compliant) across 106 samples.

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.
0.26
dust avg (mg/m3)
1.49
dust max (mg/m3)
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
106
samples
Most recent sample: 2002-09-24.
Silica (quartz)
33.0
silica avg (%)
51.3
silica max (%)
5
samples
Most recent sample: 2001-09-21.
Noise
20%
over PEL
20
samples
Most recent sample: 2002-09-24.
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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
2003 Q2 2,648 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 2,498 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 6,063 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 16,774 6 1 357.7
2002 Q2 15,751 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 20,038 2 2 99.8
2001 Q4 20,671 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 24,601 1 0 40.6
Show 6 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2001 Q2 32,065 1 1 31.2
2001 Q1 33,329 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 27,168 1 1 36.8
2000 Q3 28,470 9 8 316.1
2000 Q2 25,900 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 27,880 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

17 on file

2002 · 1 incident

January 11, 2002 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Fall to the walkway or working surface

WHILE HELPING TO REPR. THE FINAL DRIVE ONT HE 245 CAT EXCAVATOR 393 RICH STEPPED FROM THE COUNTER WEIGHT TO THE CATWALK. SLIPPING ON SOME ICE AND FELL TO THE GROUND. HE FELL APPROX. 5 FT. LAND ING ON HIS BACK. IT WAS SNOW COVER, SOME ICE ANDFROZEN MUD.

2001 · 7 incidents

November 29, 2001 PA · Coal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WHILE TRIMMING A WIPER BELT ON THE COAL SCREENER#840 THE UTILITY KNIFE HE WAS USING SLIPPED CUTTING RIGHT HAND BETWEEN THUMB AND FIRST FINGER. GOT 3 SUTURES.

September 11, 2001 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech OTHER
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Struck by flying object

EE WAS INSTALLING A REAR IDLER ON A D5 LGP CATERPILLAR BULLDOZER (MACHINE #712), WHEN A PIECE OF DIRT BLEW OR FELL INTO HIS RIGHT EYE. HE FINISHED HIS SHIFT, RETURNED TO HIS HOME THEN WENT TO THE DOCTORS. SITE CONDITIONS WERE DRY, WINDY & SUNNY.

August 28, 2001 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer STRIKING OR BUMPING
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Struck against stationary object

TWO EMPLOYEES WERE CHANGING THE HAND-BAR SEAL ONA DOZER. ONE DECIDED TO USE COMPRESSED AIR TO CLEAN OFF THE TRACK FRAME. HE FAILED TO TELL THE OTHER TO MOVE AND AS DIRT WAS BEING BLOWN OFF THE TRUCK FRAME THE OTHER EMPLOYEE JUMPED STRIKING HIS HEAD ON THE DOZER FENDER, SPRAINING HIS NECK

July 19, 2001 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Fall to the walkway or working surface

EE WAS STARTING TO SERVICE HIS ASSIGNED MACHINE, A CATERPILLAR 6578 SCRAPER TRACTOR (MACHINE #123). WHILE GOING TO THE OIL SUPPLY (WALKING ON THE GROUND), EE LOST HIS FOOTING (SLIPPED) AND FEL L ONTO THE GROUND INJURING HIS LEFT THIGH, RIGHT SHIN, RIGHT SHOULDER AND RIGHT ARM. SITE CONDITIONS WERE WARM, WET GROUND CONDITIONS.

April 20, 2001 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Fall from machine

EMPLOYEE WAS HELPING OTHER EE REPAIR LIGHTS ON A D11M BULLDOZER (MACHINE #743) WHILE DISMOUNTING, HE JUMPED FROM THE TRACK, WHEN HE LANDED HE TWISTED HIS LEFT ANKLE, SITE CONDITIONS WERE DARK IN THE MID 40S.

March 22, 2001 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Struck against a moving object

EE WAS OPERATING HIS BULLDOZER. HE WAS RIPPING OVERBURDEN WHEN THE BULLDOZER SLIPPED OFF A LARGE ROCK & DROPPED SEVERAL FEET, JARRING HIS NECK & SHOULDERS. HE WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT.

January 16, 2001 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Fall from machine

EE WAS CLIMBING ONTO HIS ASSIGNED D11N BULLDOZER (MACHINE #545) AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS SHIFT. HE SLIPPED OFF THE STEP ON THE PUSHARM, STRIKING HIS RIBS ON THE TILT CYLINDER. SITE CONDITIONS W ERE SUNNY, MUDDY, MID 30'S.

2000 · 4 incidents

November 21, 2000 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Fall from machine

WHILE EXITING THE D11N DOZER MACHINE 597 EE REACHED FOR SUPPORT AND SLIPPED HITTING HIS RIGHT HAND ONT HE DOZER. IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE ANYTHING WHEN IF HAPPENED BUT IT CONTINUED TO SWELL AND CAU SING MORE PAIN. ON 12-1-00 BONE IN HIS RIGHT HAND SITE CONDITIONS WERE COOL AND SUNNY.

August 28, 2000 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS LOOSENING THE BOLTS ON A D11 FINAL DRIVE WITH AN AIR WRENCH WHEN HE EXPERIENCED PAIN IN HIS LEFT HAND. DR DETERMINED HE HAD A SPRAIN AND CARPAL TUNNEL WHICH IS RELATIVE TO HIS JOB AS A MECHANIC WHICH INVOLVES REPETETIVE MOTION. HE RETURNED TO WORK 8/29/00. OPERATION WAS SCHEDULED 11/22/00 & HE WORKED HIS SHIFTS UNTIL THIS DATE. THIS MATTER BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION 12/20/00.

August 7, 2000 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer POWERED HAULAGE
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Struck against a moving object

EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING A CATERPILLER D11N DOZER WHEN HE EXPERIENCED SEVERE BACK SPASMS IN HIS LOWER BACK. SUPERVISOR WAS NOTIFIED BY THE TWO WAY RADIO.

February 29, 2000 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Fall from machine

EE WAS HELPING THE MECHANIC PREPARE THE D11N TO WELD THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HARD BAR. EE RAISED THE DOZER UP IN ORDER TO CRIB UP THE TRACK FRAME. WHILE DISMOUNTING THE DOZER CAB, FROM THE LEFT S IDE, EE SLIPPED, FALLING ONTO THE TRACK FRAME, HITTING HIS HEAD ON THE TILT CYLINDER, SUFFERING A LACERATION TO HIS HEAD. THE SITE CONDITIONS WERE SUNNY, TEMP. OF 25 DEGREES, GROUND FROZEN.

1999 · 1 incident

July 28, 1999 PA · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

EMPLOYEE WAS REPAIRING BROKEN BOLTS WITH HAND TOOLS ON A FUEL TANK. HE STATES HE PULLED TOO HARDAND CAUSED A HERNIA. DID NOT SEE A DOCTOR UNTIL 8-2-99. HERNIA HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, AS YET THE AND EMPLOYEE IS STILL WORKING.

1998 · 2 incidents

August 26, 1998 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

EE HAD JUST TRAMMED THE 992C (MACHINE #426) TO THE PARKING LOT AREA & HAD EXITED THE MACHINE. WITH THE HELP OF ANOTHER EE HE ATTMEPTED TO ROLLA STEEL PIPE (15" X 7') INTO THE BUCKET OF 992C. W HILE THE EE WAS BENT DOWN ROLLING THE PIPE--HE FELT MUSCLES PULL IN THE SMALL OF HIS BACK. HE RECEIVED X-RAYS, MRI AND WILL SEE A NEUROSURGEON.

February 25, 1998 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Fall onto or against objects

EMPLOYEE WAS ATTEMPTING TO ASCEND HIS DOZER AT THE START OF HIS SHIFT. HIS FOOT SLIPPED & HIS KNEE HIT THE PUSH ARM,DID NOT FALL TO GROUND AS OTHER FOOT WAS ON THE GROUND. WORKED ENTIRE SHIFT WITH MINOR DISCOMFORT.

1997 · 2 incidents

October 21, 1997 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE OPERATES 992C HIGHLIFT AND R50 ROCK TRUCK. IT CLAIMS BECAUSE HE IS RUNNING THE MACHINERY CONSTANTLY, HE HAS INFLAMMED MUSCLES, LIGAMENTS AND JOINTS. EE SLIPPED AND FELL ON JOB 5-20-93, FEEL S IT IS A FLARE UP AT AN OLD INJURY. EE IS IN PHYSICAL THERAPY.

July 18, 1997 PA · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Howard Neal Coal Corp · Fall from machine

EE WAS GETTING OUT OF THE CAB OF AN9L TO TAKE HIS BREAK, A5 HE STEPPED DOWN TO 1ST STEP HIS FOOT SLIPPED OFF STEP HE GRABBED FOR HANDRAIL. HE TWISTED AROUND AND HIT HIS RIGHT SIDE OF HEAD ON H ANDRAIL AND SPRAINED HIS LEFT ARM.

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

The full compliance file on Westmoreland Strip

A dated report covering the 26-year penalty trail, line-item violation pattern, contest and docket posture, rate-normalized peer benchmark, and full fatality history. Delivered as a PDF with the underlying data as CSV.