Mining Incidents

Andalex Resources Inc.: 9 recorded fatalities operator

Controlled by Robert E Murray
MSHA operator ID: P17573

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Fatalities
9
Total incidents
611
Mines on record
20
Years on record
1983–2015
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
1,547
citations
679
significant & substantial
$1,912,293
proposed penalties
$1,012,287
paid to date
53% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $900,006 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
888
inspections on record
20,676
inspection hours
7.5
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.
1,547 citations across 20,676 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Penalty disposition
Differences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$1.9M
proposed penalties
$1.0M
current assessed
$1.0M
paid to date
$4K
outstanding
1,496 assessments are final orders; 34 contested dockets.
Of $1.4M in penalties contested before the Commission, $503K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2020-05-06.
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.
44.8%
significant & substantial
5.0%
high negligence or reckless
44.7%
reasonably likely or greater
8.3%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 10.9% low, 84.1% moderate, 4.9% high, 0.1% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
Injury rate, 2009
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 4.16 and the all-US-mining average was 3.36 cases per 100 workers.
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
2009 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2008 5.45 4.36 0.000
2007 14.81 8.89 0.000
2006 5.76 2.88 0.411
2005 5.64 3.59 0.000
2004 6.37 3.72 0.531
2003 3.96 1.13 0.000
2002 4.55 2.28 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.
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: 2016-10-18, 9 years ago
89%
within 1.5 mg/m3
1,626
samples
9.07
dust max (mg/m3)
0
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.
879 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 747 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR559
  • JACK SETTER (LONGWALL)195
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (INTAKE SIDE)66

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2008-07-14, 18 years ago
3.2
silica avg (%)
99
samples
22.4
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR37
  • JACK SETTER (LONGWALL)29
  • 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: 2016-10-19, 9 years ago
2%
over PEL
252
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • MECHANIC32
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR18
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR14
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, 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.
236 citations taken to the federal commission · 15% of citations on record
  • Settled 235 · 100%
  • Stood as issued 1 · 0%
90%
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 91 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
64%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$1.4M proposed, $498K 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 2016-12-28. Vacated and withdrawn citations are removed from the file this view attributes through, so that outcome is slightly undercounted here.
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 operator contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
WEST 2008-764 Settlement Manning 2010 $420K → $33K
WEST 2008-1151 Settlement Manning 2013 $245K → $186K
WEST 2009-99 Settlement Paez 2012 $166K → $60K
WEST 2008-1553 Settlement Miller 2010 $153K → $20K
WEST 2009-234 Settlement Manning 2010 $128K → $34K
WEST 2008-1152 Settlement Manning 2010 $56K → $20K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

Top causes

Incident timeline

2015
1
2010
1
2008
7
2007
33
2006
25 (1f)
2005
14
2004
22 (1f)
2003
11
2002
10 (1f)
2001
1
2000
10
1999
8
1998
6
1997
60
1996
45 (3f)
1995
58
1994
15
1993
27 (1f)
1992
46 (1f)
1991
54
1990
45 (1f)
1989
53
1988
25
1987
4
1986
11
1985
10
1984
4
1983
5

Mines on record

Fatalities under this operator

9 recorded
January 29, 2006 UT · Coal longwall operator, chock operator, shear operator, plow operator Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Andalex Resources Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The Shearer operators had cut a taper from #40 shield towards the headgate. The headgate drum was just a foot or two from cutting through the headgate when a bounce occurred. The bouce blew coal through the bounce shields striking him

January 22, 2004 UT · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Andalex Resources Inc · Struck against a moving object

THE VICTIM WAS OPERATING DIESEL TRACTOR PULLING A WATER TRAILER. HE DROVE TO THE SURFACE AREA AND PARKED THE TRAILER. HE THEN PULLED AWAY FROM THE TRAILER AND RAN INTO A LONGWALL SHIELD WHICH WAS STORED ON THE SURFACE AREA OF THE MINE.

February 27, 2002 UT · Coal truck driver Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Andalex Resources Inc · Struck by powered moving object

IT APPEARS THAT THE VICTIM GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK WHILE IT WAS BEING LOADED. THE TRUCK BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD DOWN AN APPROXIMATE 6% GRADE ALONG THE MAIN HAULAGE ROAD. THE TRUCK TRAVELED ABOUT 200 FEET, LEAVING THE ROAD, AND HITTING AN EMBANKMENT. THE VICTIM WAS FOUND ON THE GROUND ABOUT A FOOT AWAY FROM THE REAR OF THE TRAILER.

December 19, 1996 KY · Coal coal/ore shovel operator, shoveler, power shoveler Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Andalex Resources Inc · Caught in, under or between collapsing material or buildings

EE WAS OPERATING AN EXCAVATOR LOADING COAL ONTO A 350B HAUL TRUCK WHEN SUDDENLY THE SLOPED HIGHWALL ABOVE THE EXCAVATOR GAVE WAY SLIDING INTO THE PIT COVEREING THE EXCAVATOR WITH MUD AND WATER , TRAPPING EE IN THE OPERATOR'S CAB, FATALLY INJURING HIM.

November 14, 1996 UT · Coal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Andalex Resources Inc · Struck by falling object

THE VICTIM WAS STANDING AT SHIELD #124 WITH HIS BACK TO THE COAL FACE WHEN A COAL OUTBURST OCCURRED. COAL LUMPS STRUCK THE VICTIM AND PUSHED HIM INTO THE SHIELDS, CAUSING FATAL INJURIES. THE S HEARER WAS CUTTING COAL AT THE TIME AND THE TAILGATE-SIDE CUTTER DRUM WAS LOCATED AT SHIELD #121. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES. ACTIVITY UNKNOWN AT TIME OF ACCIDENT.

January 23, 1996 KY · Coal welder (shop) Fatality · MACHINERY
Andalex Resources Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

THE TOP DECK OF A STEEL BARGE 20' BY 12' BY 12'4" X1/4" WAS BEING REMOVED.ONE HALF HAD BEEN CUT FREE FROM THE BARGE EXCEPT APPROXIMATELY 7' OF ONE 20' SIDE.THERE WAS A LIFTING MACHINE ATTACHED TO THE SHEET METAL ALONG THE 6' SIDE WHICH WAS FURTHEST FROM THE UNCUT SECTION OF THE DECK.THE END OF THE SHEET METAL WAS ATTACHED TO THE LIFTING BOOM WITH A CHAIN AND SHEET METAL CLAMP.THE C

October 13, 1993 KY · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Andalex Resources Inc · Struck against a moving object

INJURED WAS HAULING #14 COAL FROM THE 1450 PIT TO THE VOLUNTEER TIPPLE. AFTER BEIGN LOADED INT HE PIT, HE BEGAN EXITING THE PIT AND THE DRIVELINE ON HIS TRUCK BROKE APPROXIMATELY 100' FROM WH ERE HE HAD BEEN LOADED. THE TRUCK BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS AND HE APPARENTLY LOST CONTROL AND TRIED TO JUMP FROM THE TRUCKAS IT WAS MOVING. HE APPARENTLY FELL OR WAS KNOCKED INTO THE PATH OFH

December 12, 1992 KY · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Andalex Resources Inc · Struck by falling object

INJURED PERSON WAS OPERATING A ROBBINS DRILL DRILLING ROCK BELOW THE #11 COAL SEAM.THIS DRILLING WAS BEING DONE IN THE PAGE DRAGLINE S/N 377 PIT.S MASSIVE HIGHWALL SLIDE SOME 75 TO 80 FT DOWN THE PIT AREA IN WHICH EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING MOVED OUT AND DOWN THE PIT COVERING HIM AND THE DRILL RIH HE WAS OPERATING.

March 23, 1990 KY · Coal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss Fatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Andalex Resources Inc · Struck by falling object

VICTIM WALKED INTO THE #3 ENTRY LEFT CROSSCUT TO TALK TO ROOF BOLTER OPERATORS. AFTER A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF THE OPERATORS, HE WALKED INTO THE #3 HEADING. A ROOF FALL OCCURRED WHIC H EXTENDED PAST THE PERMANENT SUPPORT FATALLY INJURING THE VICTIM.

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

Where Andalex Resources Inc. stands on silica, penalties, and injury rate

MSHA's standard limits respirable silica to 50 micrograms per cubic metre, but MSHA publishes dust and quartz as separate files and never the silica figure itself. We derive it per sample, score it against the limit, and set the operator's injury rate against a benchmark built from the full MSHA operator record. With the 26-year penalty trail, contest posture, and fatality history. Delivered as a PDF with the underlying data as CSV.

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