Mining Incidents

Zubek Incorporated: 10 MSHA citations Coal

Zubek Incorporated · Surface
Controlled by Betty L Zubek
Rd 1, Box 155a, Berlin, Somerset County, PA  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 3603326

Zubek Incorporated has $832 in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
7
Years on record
1996–2002
Latest incident
Jul 2002
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
10
citations
5
significant & substantial
$832
proposed penalties
$832
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
42
inspections on record
429
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: 429 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Zubek Incorporated has $832 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.
$832
proposed penalties
$832
current assessed
$832
paid to date
$0
outstanding
10 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2003-03-10.
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.
50.0%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
50.0%
reasonably likely or greater
20.0%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 20.0% low, 80.0% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Zubek Incorporated shows 100% of 57 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: 2004-07-14, 22 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
57
samples
0.81
dust max (mg/m3)
57 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE24
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER16
  • CRANE OPER/DRAGLINE OPERATOR8

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2001-03-05, 25 years ago
7.6
silica avg (%)
1
samples
7.6
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE1

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: 2004-03-22, 22 years ago
19%
over PEL
31
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER9
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE9
  • CRANE OPER/DRAGLINE OPERATOR6
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
2004 100% 9
2003 100% 8
2002 100% 12
2001 100% 13
2000 100% 15
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2004 0% 5
2003 0% 4
2002 0% 2
2001 0% 6
2000 43% 14
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Zubek Incorporated recorded 9.03 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2002.

Injury rate, 2002
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.
9.03
total case rate
9.03
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 6.89 and the all-US-mining average was 5.05 cases per 100 workers.
In Pennsylvania, coal mining averaged 7.45 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.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2002 * 9.03 9.03 0.000
2001 * 13.17 13.17 0.000
2000 * 6.86 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.
Ownership history
  1. Zubek Incorporated 1950 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)
2005 0
2004 9 37,769
2003 9 12,436
2002 11 26,814
2001 13 50,873
2000 14 57,108
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Zubek Incorporated sits in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 1.6% 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.
Somerset County, Pennsylvania · Population 73,255
1.6%
Mining share of county employment
$59,378
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
2005 Q1 0 0 0
2004 Q4 5,708 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 4,153 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 4,927 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 4,069 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 4,758 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 4,066 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 4,925 0 0 0.0
Show 13 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2003 Q1 4,460 4 1 896.9
2002 Q4 5,290 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 4,746 2 2 421.4
2002 Q2 5,494 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 6,619 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 8,409 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 7,487 1 0 133.6
2001 Q2 7,954 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 6,532 2 2 306.2
2000 Q4 7,651 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 6,605 1 0 151.4
2000 Q2 8,248 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 6,630 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

7 on file

2002 · 1 incident

July 25, 2002 PA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Zubek Incorporated · Struck by falling object

CUT PIECE OF STEEL FELL ON RIGHT FOOT.

2001 · 2 incidents

2000 · 1 incident

June 15, 2000 PA · Coal backhoe operator, trackhoe operator, crane operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Zubek Incorporated · Fall from machine

SLIP & FALL ON STEPS ON 4500 MANITOWAC DRAGLINE.HURT RIGHT ELBOW & LOWER BACK.

1998 · 1 incident

September 18, 1998 PA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Zubek Incorporated · Fall to the walkway or working surface

SLIP AND FELL WHILE WORKING ON SCREEN IN WASH PLANT.

1997 · 1 incident

July 30, 1997 PA · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Zubek Incorporated · Fall to the walkway or working surface

ROCK TRUCK DRIVER BEING LOADED STEPPED OUT OF TRUCK TO STRETCH, STEPPED ON A ROCK, TRIPPED & FELL.

1996 · 1 incident

April 27, 1996 PA · Coal outside foreman, leadman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Zubek Incorporated · Over-exertion in lifting objects

SHOVELING AT THE CONVEYOR - TWISTED LEFT KNEE - SEVERE SWELLING - TORN CARTILEGE.