MSHA Mine Check
Look up any US mine's public safety record, compute the rates that matter, and read the red flags the way an acquisition team does.
Every US mine has a seven-digit MSHA Mine ID, and its inspection, violation, and accident history is public. Buyers, lenders, insurers, and new hires should read it before they commit. This page shows you where to find it, what to pull, and how to read it the way a due-diligence team does.
Step 1 — Open the mine's record
Look up the mine by name, operator, or state in MSHA's Mine Data Retrieval System. Paste the Mine ID here to keep it handy while you work.
Bulk data for every mine: MSHA Open Government Data.
Step 2 — Pull these five reports
| Report | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Overview | Status, operator and controller history, commodity, mine type, current employment |
| Violations | Citations and orders by standard, S&S designation, negligence level, and abatement |
| Assessments | Penalties proposed and paid, contested cases, and delinquent amounts |
| Accidents | Every reportable injury and incident, by date, activity, and degree |
| Employment | Hours worked by quarter — the denominator for every rate below |
Step 3 — Compute the rates
Use operator data only. Contractors report separately under Part 50, so keep their injuries and hours out of the operator rate.
Step 4 — Red flags a buyer should not ignore
Section 104(d) orders
An unwarrantable-failure finding means MSHA concluded management knew, or should have known, and did not act. One is a conversation. A string of them is a culture problem.
Section 104(b) and 107(a) orders
A 104(b) order means a cited hazard was not fixed in time. A 107(a) order is an imminent-danger withdrawal. Both describe how the site responds under pressure.
Pattern of violations warnings
A 104(e) pattern-of-violations notice or screening is rare and serious. It changes the enforcement regime for the whole mine.
Delinquent penalties
Unpaid assessments can follow the operation and can block permit actions. Ask who pays them at closing.
Rising trend
Compare the last eight quarters with the eight before. A rising S&S rate after an ownership change often tells you more than the absolute number.
Buying, lending on, or insuring a mine?
We read MSHA history as one part of a full technical due diligence: reserves, permits, plant condition, and safety culture.
Incidence rate = injuries × 200,000 ÷ hours. Severity measure = days lost and restricted × 200,000 ÷ hours. Educational use only. Check the current MSHA rules and data before you decide.