Mining Incidents

Blue Creek Prep Plant Coal

Tad, Kanawha County, WV  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 4609226

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
18
Years on record
2009–2025
Latest incident
Mar 2025
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2008
110
citations
12
significant & substantial
$29,962
proposed penalties
$24,773
paid to date
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Quarterly safety rates
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2025 Q4 9,743 2 0 205.3
2025 Q3 10,747 2 0 186.1
2025 Q2 11,521 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 12,377 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 8,340 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 11,323 0 0 0.0
2024 Q2 0 1 0
2024 Q1 0 0 0
Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
February 6, 2013 WV · Coal assayer, geologist, metallurgist, engineer, engineer management Fatality · EXPLODING VESSELS UNDER PRESSURE
Midland Trail Energy, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The injured was fatally struck by a hydraulic cylinder. An investigation is on-going. The causes are unknown.

Reportable incidents

17 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2025 · 2 incidents

March 24, 2025 WV · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Blue Creek Mining, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

After notching a tree to be cut, EE started boring into the tree and the saw kicked back and ran through EE's chaps and into EE's leg.

January 21, 2025 WV · Coal superintendent HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Blue Creek Mining, LLC · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Teammate was attempting to open a door at the Blue Creek Loadout. When the employee pulled on the door with EE's left hand EE felt a pop in EE's left arm. During treatment the employee was diagnosed with a full tear of EE's left bicep.

2022 · 1 incident

March 28, 2022 WV · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Blue Creek Mining, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was turning drive sheave to set the thrust on heavy media pump when EE's glove got caught between the sheave and the drive belts resulting in a fracture of EE's right ring finger and 11 sutures and 3 sutures on EE's left pinky finger.

2020 · 2 incidents

June 19, 2020 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Blue Creek Mining, LLC · Struck by flying object

Employee stated that while in the process of removing bolts from the scalping screen in the crusher building. EE was using a pick hammer to knock the bolts out of it so they could be removed. In the process of striking the pick hammer, a small splinter of metal flew off of it, and punctured the employees left middle finger.

February 24, 2020 WV · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Blue Creek Mining, LLC · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee came out of the restroom and stepped the wrong way and slipped and fell hurting a hand.

2018 · 1 incident

October 15, 2018 WV · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Blue Creek Mining, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee stated that ee was operating the 30 ton crane on the top floor of the prep plant that was hooked to the metal bin. In the process of operating the crane to empty the metal bin, it swung and caught arm between the separator and the bin.

2017 · 2 incidents

September 19, 2017 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Blue Creek Mining, LLC · Struck by flying object

Employee stated their right eye turned red and they found a small particle in the eye. Employee tried to wash it out but could not dislodge the material. Employee could not pinpoint work activity that caused the debris to irritate the eye but believed it could have been around the time they were working on some screens.

May 8, 2017 WV · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Blue Creek Mining, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee stated EE was using a cable spool hand crank to clean on magnet. The cable had built up tension. The employee hit the release with a miner bit and the handle came around and struck employees right forearm causing an avulsion. Employee needed stitches to close wound.

2016 · 2 incidents

September 12, 2016 WV · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Blue Creek Mining, LLC · Struck by flying object

The injured was using a chipping hammer to clean the weld when EE got a piece of slag in eye. The injured was wearing safety glasses with side shields at the time of the incident. EE flushed eye out immediately, but the irritation persisted. EE went to the doctor on 9-15-16 where they removed a small piece of metal.

July 7, 2016 WV · Coal master mechanic, foreman, supervisor DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Blue Creek Mining, LLC · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Occupational Illness. Operator was notified on July 7, 2016 that employee submitted a workers compensation claim for Coal Workers Occupational Pneumoconiosis.

2015 · 1 incident

September 28, 2015 WV · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Midland Trail Energy, LLC · Fall from ladders

Employee was assigned to close a chute flop door. As the employee was positioned on a ladder to begin ratcheting with the chain ratchet, he slipped off the ladder and fell to the ground. Approx 4 foot fall, but in the process of falling he struck his left knee on metal flooring. The impact caused a fracture to his tibula bone near the knee.

2013 · 3 incidents

April 4, 2013 WV · Coal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Midland Trail Energy, LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

The injured picked up one side of a roll of typer to throw it out of the way and felt a pain in his left elbow. He went to his family chiropractor on 04/06/2013 who referred him to an orthopedic specialist on 04/19/2013. The orthopedist diagnosed him with a torn bicep tendon and scheduled him for surgery on 04/25/2013. The injured didn't start missing work until 04/25/2013.

February 6, 2013 WV · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer EXPLODING VESSELS UNDER PRESSURE
Midland Trail Energy, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The injured was struck by an unknown object. An investigation is still on-going. The causes are unknown.

January 3, 2013 WV · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Midland Trail Energy, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The injured was cutting a piece of screen buffer rubber with a razor knife and cut two fingers on his left hand.

2009 · 3 incidents

April 8, 2009 WV · Coal welder (shop) MACHINERY
Midland Trail Energy, LLC · Contact with hot objects or substances

Welding slag got between his boot and leg, burning his leg on or about 4/8/09. Employee treated it with a burn ointment at home, no injury was reported to a supervisor. The following week his leg and knee began to swell. Employee went to the hospital and on 4/16/09 the doctor said the swelling was from infections in the leg due to the burn.

March 9, 2009 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech OTHER
Midland Trail Energy, LLC · Bodily reaction, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee states he felt a sharp pain in his lower back when he bent down while assembling a roof truss. Employee taken off work by ER physician.

February 23, 2009 WV · Coal miner, prospector, nec HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Midland Trail Energy, LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EE states that his back gave out after bending over to pick up a piece of angle. As EE was bent over, he twisted to pick up ac-clamp. When he stood up he suffered muscle stain to his lower back. EE worked light/restricted duty for 3 days and returned to full duty 2/27/09.