Workman Branch Deep Mine has $14K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
10
Years on record
2011–2012
Latest incident
Sep 2012
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2010
50
citations
20
significant & substantial
$14,316
proposed penalties
$14,316
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
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.
50 citations across 1,117 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Workman Branch Deep Mine has $14K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 2 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.
$14K
proposed penalties
$14K
current assessed
$14K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
47 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $200 in penalties contested before the Commission, $100 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2014-05-21.
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.
2citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
Stood as issued
2 · 100%
50%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$200 proposed, $100 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2012-04-16.
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 Workman Branch Deep Mine shows 94% of 137 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: 2012-08-15, 14 years ago
94%
within 1.5 mg/m3
137
samples
4.12
dust max (mg/m3)
61 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 76 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.
Workman Branch Deep Mine recorded 9.15 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.
9.15
total case rate
4.58
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 West Virginia, coal mining averaged 4.45 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.
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)
2012
74
183,043
2011
44
114,815
2010
0
2009
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Workman Branch Deep Mine sits in Boone County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 10.1% 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.
Boone County, West Virginia · Population 21,312
10.1%
Mining share of county employment
$56,152
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
2012 Q3
40,418
8
1
197.9
2012 Q2
43,389
17
6
391.8
2012 Q1
40,602
9
5
221.7
2011 Q4
44,732
6
1
134.1
2011 Q3
34,579
6
4
173.5
2011 Q2
8,116
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
0
0
0
2010 Q4
0
0
0
Show 5 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2010 Q3
0
0
0
2010 Q2
0
0
0
2010 Q1
0
0
0
2009 Q4
0
0
0
2009 Q3
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
10 on file
2012 · 6 incidents
September 11, 2012WV · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossMACHINERY
Employee was bolting top. When he reached to get the drill steel, it fell, striking his left ring finger.
August 27, 2012WV · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Lago Mining, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Employee was assisting in pulling a steel beam. As the scoop operator pulled it, the beam dug in, swung around, and struck employee in the left leg, knocking him down and pinning him to the ground.
June 5, 2012WV · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was putting rock dust in duster on scoop. When he stepped down from scoop, he twisted his Left ankle.
April 19, 2012WV · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossMACHINERY
Lago Mining, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Employee was helping install rib boards. He was feeding the drill steel through a hole in the rib board when his glove got caught on the steel and twisted his right hand.
Employee lifted an oxygen cylinder when he felt pain in his left bicep area. Employee did not miss work or receive medical treatment until 4-3-2012, when he underwent surgery to repair a bicep tear. Employee stated he has had a similar problem in the past.
January 4, 2012WV · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Lago Mining, LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Employee was helping to put up rib boards. The drill steel came out of the chuck. Employee told operator to pull the head back and he would retrieve the steel. The chain track caught the employee's right hand.
2011 · 4 incidents
October 18, 2011WV · Coalroof bolter helper, rock bolter helper, pinner helperPOWERED HAULAGE
Employee was riding on mantrip. When he raised up to move plug he was sitting on, he struck his head on a belt cross-under the mantrip was crossing under.
September 28, 2011WV · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was walking through crosscut from belt to roadway, up an incline, when he slipped and fell on his right side, pulling muscle in his right leg.
August 31, 2011WV · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was taking a joint of water line out when he slipped and fell, grabbing the guard on the #3 belt head. This resulted in a laceration to his left middle finger, requiring sutures.
July 25, 2011WV · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Employee was walking behind the scoop when a piece of rock fell and struck employee in the right shoulder, head and arm, resulting in a fractured arm. The rock measured approx. 3' X 3' X 6" thick.