Mining Incidents

Davy Branch Mine Coal

Aracoma Coal Company · Underground
Logan, Logan County, WV  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 4609574

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
25
Years on record
2021–2026
Latest incident
Feb 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2020
689
citations
122
significant & substantial
$382,113
proposed penalties
$333,645
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 66,443 29 6 436.5
2025 Q2 5,138 30 4 5838.8
2024 Q3 5,185 57 14 10993.2
2024 Q2 74,715 25 10 334.6
2024 Q1 4,518 16 2 3541.4
2023 Q4 71,120 20 2 281.2
2023 Q3 69,850 24 1 343.6
2023 Q1 75,317 36 8 478.0
Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
January 22, 2021 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by powered moving object

#2 shuttle car was traveling back toward #5 entry to turn down towards feeder, and the #3 shuttle car was already traveling this entry when the #2 car came thru the fly pad they contacted the operators compartment of the #3 car injuring the operator. The EE died on 2/21/21, autopsy results state EE died as the result of a thromboembolism.

Reportable incidents

24 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2026 · 1 incident

February 14, 2026 WV · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Aracoma Coal Company · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was moving a miner cable when EE tripped over a rock measuring 6"x12 " landing on EE's right hand and shoulder, EE hasn't missed any work due to this incident but started physical therapy treatments on 4/14/26 which makes it a reportable incident, EE has continued to experience pain on EE's shoulder since EE's fall

2025 · 4 incidents

October 13, 2025 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Aracoma Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee was diagnosed with occupational pneumoconiosis on 10/13/25 by a B reader

September 29, 2025 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by falling object

Installing a roof bolt in the corner of 3 left when the top rib rock came out striking them on left arm as they were inserting roof bolt into hole causing laceration requiring 6 sutures, rock measured 48 long x 32 wide x 3 inches thick , employee was taken to hospital and released back to work.

September 12, 2025 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by falling object

Employee was helping another employee remove the discharge shaft from the shuttle car conveyor reducer while the other employee was using slate bar to hold up the shaft, EE was prying with a bar when EE reach down to pick up the shaft it fell striking EE's rt foot big toe causing laceration and fractured big toe requiring 7 sutures

January 27, 2025 WV · Coal lw propman, propman helper, move crew if lw, move-up man, jacksetter, advanceman lw helper HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Aracoma Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was loading an argon tank onto a scoop when EE smashed the tip of EE's right index finger against the light housing on the scoop.

2024 · 2 incidents

October 24, 2024 WV · Coal examiner, fire boss, pre-shift examiner, mine examiner DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Aracoma Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee was diagnosed with occupational pneumoconiosis on 10-24-24. EE continues to work.

September 4, 2024 WV · Coal beltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor rider POWERED HAULAGE
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by powered moving object

Employee was in process of installing a keeper on the left side tie rod end on a battery four wheeler, as EE reached up to get EE's channelocks , EE made contact with the foot pedal causing the machine to reverse striking EE's left leg & abdomen, EE continued to work until 9-16-24

2023 · 7 incidents

December 2, 2023 WV · Coal electrician, lineman MACHINERY
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was using a Milwaukee handheld grinder to cut a seized set screw on a light. While holding the housing with their left hand, EE was using right hand to operate grinder. It kicked back when contacting another screw. This caused a laceration thru EE's glove on left hand requiring 7 stitches to close the wound.

November 28, 2023 WV · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Aracoma Coal Company · Accident type, without injuries

A non-injury roof fall occurred on the #4-A belt; #12 break, in the #4 entry (track entry). The fall measured approximately 40'x50' and 4.5 to 5' in height.

September 19, 2023 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck against stationary object

Employee stated was in the process of cutting a piece of conveyor belt to prep for a move, as EE was cutting away from self EE's right arm came in contact with a frayed belt pin that was in an old splice next to where EE was cutting the pin. Caused a laceration requiring 5 sutures to close the wound

September 14, 2023 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Aracoma Coal Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee stated: was lifting 1 bundle of roof bolter plates from the side of the bolter to the tray and felt pain in right shoulder. Went to ER, told to follow up with Ortho who placed employee off work for 2 weeks.

February 3, 2023 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Aracoma Coal Company · Fall onto or against objects

Employee stated they were walking to the shuttle car and their foot got stuck in a hole or mud causing them to fall striking left knee on a rock. They finished the shift then went to the Dr on Sat, they were taken off work on Monday by a specialist for a bruise/contusion

January 20, 2023 WV · Coal scoop tram operator, load/haul/dump operator POWERED HAULAGE
Aracoma Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee stated employee was cleaning the face and was backing up scoop to set over, employee placed left hand on top of the operator door and got the deck into the rib smashing hand between rib and scoop door causing fractured thumb.

2022 · 3 incidents

March 23, 2022 WV · Coal utility man, errand boy, service truck operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck by falling object

EE stated EE and another employee was laying rail at the #4 head drive. The rail was raised up using a forklift they were attempting to pry the rail over when it slipped off the forklift, the slate bar and rail came down landed on front of EE's foot causing bruising, they said the chain they had secured the rail with came undone allowing it to fall

February 19, 2022 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Aracoma Coal Company · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee stated was spraying a stopping with a TC machine The wand clogged up and stopped spraying. As EE turned around to tell scoop operator to turn off machine, something hit EE in the left eye face. Employee stated was wearing safety glasses at the time. EE is off work for further medical treatment.

January 17, 2022 WV · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Aracoma Coal Company · Struck against stationary object

Night shift driver of 036 tractor at Davey Branch Mine was starting the engine on the bed treatment rack. EE's right hand came back and struck the container cage, peeling EE's skin off 3/4 to 1 inch across the top of the hand.

2021 · 7 incidents

December 30, 2021 WV · Coal electrician, lineman MACHINERY
Aracoma Coal Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Removing 1 inch bolts out of offside tram gearcase while removing one of the bolts with the impact gun, when the bolt extracted EE's left middle finger was caught between a #12 90 degree JIC fitting coming out of the tram panel mashing EE's nail into the nail bed

October 22, 2021 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Aracoma Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee took chest x ray on 8-3-21 and was diagnosed with occupational pneumoconiosis, we was notified of EE's diagnosis on 10/22/21.

October 14, 2021 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Aracoma Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

We was notified on 10/14/2021 that employee was diagnosed on 6/15/21 with occupational pneumoconiosis by a b reader and chest x rays.

August 25, 2021 WV · Coal electrician, lineman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Aracoma Coal Company · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Employee was pulling on miner cable felt pain in abdomen, did continue to work from 08/25/21 until 7-25-22 when EE had to have the place repaired due to increased pain in that area.

June 8, 2021 WV · Coal motorman, motor person, swamper, switchman, locomotive operator DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Aracoma Coal Company · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

We were notified on 6/8/2021 that employee was diagnosed with occupational pneumoconiosis on 10/23/2020 by a b-reader

April 22, 2021 WV · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Aracoma Coal Company · Fall onto or against objects

Employee was using Channel locks to straighten up belt that was being racked up. EE's Channel locks slipped off the belt causing EE to fall backwards into the coal rib hitting EE's head, elbow. The height in the area was 79 inches.

March 18, 2021 WV · Coal belt foreman, maintenance foreman, maintenance supervisor SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Aracoma Coal Company · Fall onto or against objects

Employee was hunched down against the wall of pump house, when employee stood up felt lightheaded and fell into the pump that was in front of employee, employee was supervising the ongoing work inside the pumphouse.