Mining Incidents

Warrior Coal LLC: 7 recorded fatalities operator

MSHA operator ID: P24534

Watch this operator

Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at any Warrior Coal LLC mine.

Fatalities
7
Total incidents
1,047
Mines on record
3
Years on record
2001–2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
11,402
citations
2,625
significant & substantial
$6,097,460
proposed penalties
$4,751,626
paid to date
78% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,345,834 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2001
2,076
inspections on record
159,178
inspection hours
7.2
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.
11,402 citations across 159,178 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.
$6.1M
proposed penalties
$5.0M
current assessed
$4.8M
paid to date
$224K
outstanding
11,012 assessments are final orders; 322 contested dockets.
Of $3.8M in penalties contested before the Commission, $2.5M was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-07-06.
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.
23.3%
significant & substantial
4.2%
high negligence or reckless
23.3%
reasonably likely or greater
8.4%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.1% none, 27.9% low, 67.8% moderate, 4.2% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
Injury rate, 2025
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.
4.58
total case rate
2.89
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2026 7.17 5.12 0.000
2025 4.58 2.89 0.000
2024 4.18 3.06 0.000
2023 6.27 4.12 0.000
2022 8.07 6.09 0.000
2021 5.57 4.09 0.000
2020 3.12 2.08 0.208
2019 5.11 2.46 0.176
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: 2026-08-19
97%
within 1.5 mg/m3
37,297
samples
72
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.
6,742 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 30,555 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)13,149
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR10,477
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (RETURN SIDE)7,063

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2026-07-30
2.0
silica avg (%)
2,464
samples
49.0
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR834
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)689
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (RETURN SIDE)489

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: 2026-08-06
16%
over PEL
1,893
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)466
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR291
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (INTAKE SIDE)253
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.
2,654 citations taken to the federal commission · 23% of citations on record
  • Settled 2,525 · 95%
  • Stood as issued 21 · 1%
  • Still open 108 · 4%
85%
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 1,697 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
32%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$3.6M proposed, $2.4M 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 2026-08-12. 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
KENT 2012-706 Prevail Andrews 2017 $215K → $129K
KENT 2012-27 Settlement Rae 2013 $135K → $18K
KENT 2011-1392 Settlement Harner 2013 $90K → $65K
KENT 2012-216 Settlement Harner 2013 $69K → $44K
KENT 2013-703 Settlement Lesnick 2015 $63K → $42K
KENT 2012-573 Settlement Barbour 2014 $56K → $38K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

Top causes

Incident timeline

2026
31
2025
39
2024
38
2023
52
2022
61
2021
45
2020
23 (1f)
2019
39 (1f)
2018
40
2017
19
2016
21
2015
27
2014
59
2013
42
2012
53
2011
36
2010
41
2009
50
2008
55 (2f)
2007
23
2006
45
2005
38
2004
39
2003
40 (1f)
2002
59 (1f)
2001
32 (1f)

Mines on record

Fatalities under this operator

7 recorded
October 13, 2020 KY · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Warrior Coal LLC · Struck by powered moving object

The victim was fatally injured when struck by a battery powered scoop which had trammed through a line curtain in the #6 Entry of the #5 Unit (MMU 009-0) outby the working place where the continuous mining machine was being operated.

September 5, 2019 KY · Coal continuous miner helper, coal mole helper, bridgeman Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Warrior Coal LLC · Struck by powered moving object

The victim was fatally injured when EE was struck by a battery powered scoop which had trammed through a translucent line curtain in the #3 Entry of the #6 Unit (MMU 005) just outby the working place where the continuous mining machine was being operated. Co-workers observed the victim in a sitting position stretching EE's legs prior to the accident.

December 11, 2008 KY · Coal electrician helper Fatality · MACHINERY
Warrior Coal, LLC · Struck against stationary object

Victim was in operation of Genie S-85 aerial lift when the lift became caught on exterior wall girt of building under construction. In an attempt to free the caught basket the machine's boom reacted after the basket came free, resulting in the victim's head receiving injuries which were fatal.

March 9, 2008 KY · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator Fatality · SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Warrior Coal, LLC · Fall to the walkway or working surface

While walking outside the warehouse door, next to the loading dock, EE stepped onto the slope part of the loading dock and encountered black ice that could not be seen in the darks. He slid back and landed on his back and his right leg went behind him.

August 20, 2003 KY · Coal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss Fatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Warrior Coal LLC · Struck by falling object

THE SECTION FOREMAN ON #2 UNIT WAS FATALLY INJURED WHEN HE WAS STRUCK BY A SECTION OF MINE ROOF THAT FELL BETWEEN TWO ROWS OF ROOF BOLTS. HE AND THE MINER HELPER WERE PULLING A MINER CABLE INT O POSITION TO BE HUNG WHEN THE ROCK FELL WITHOUT WARNING, DRIVING THE VICTIM TO THE GROUND & STRIKING THE MINER HELPER WITH A GLANCING BLOW. THE ROCK MEASURED 11'7"X 3"X 2 1/2".

August 19, 2002 KY · Coal driller operator Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Warrior Coal LLC · Struck by falling object

EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING APPROXIMATELY 75 FT OUT BY THE FACE PIVKING UP TOOLS AND LOADING THEM INTO MUCK CAR TO BE REMOVED PRIOR TO SHOOTING THE FACE. THE REMAINDER OF THE CREW WAS CHARGING DRILL HOLES IN THE FACE WITH EXPLOSIVES. THE CREW AT THE FACE HEARD A LOUD NOISE, WHEN THEY WENT TO INVESTIGATE THEY FOUND INJURED PINNED UNDER A ROCK 8'6" X 22" X 22" THAT HAD FALLEN OUT OF RIB.

September 17, 2001 KY · Coal timberman Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Warrior Coal LLC · Struck by powered moving object

EE WAS LAST HEARD WITH A HAMMER MAKING REPAIRS TO THE CURTAIN IN THE FACE OF THE #4 ENTRY. AN ELMCO DIESEL SCOOP WAS BEING USED TO CLEAN UP AND HAUL COAL FROM A PREVIOUS ROOM SET UP TO THE ACT IVE MMU 0-001 UNIT AND DUMP IN THE ROTARY COAL FEEDER. THE COAL FEEDER WAS SHUT DOWN AND WHILE REPAIRS WERE BEING MADE THE SCOOP OPERATOR WAS INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE HIS HAULAGE ROUTE AND DUMP T

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

Where Warrior Coal LLC 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.

The federal record itself stays free on this site. What costs money, and why.

See a sample report
Need a different cut of the data? Ask us