71% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $19,020,287 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Labor enforcement (WHD)
US Labor Department wage findings since 2005
3
labor cases
$811,055
back wages owed
547
employees affected
Violation types
Wage & hour (FLSA) (1)
Source: US DOL Wage and Hour Division enforcement records, matched by employer name and state.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
12,496
inspections on record
690,786
inspection hours
8.7
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.
60,059 citations across 690,786 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘA Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
18
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2026-07-09.
On record since 2010.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, 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.
$66.4M
proposed penalties
$48.4M
current assessed
$47.4M
paid to date
$983K
outstanding
58,572 assessments are final orders; 1,468 contested dockets.
Of $41.6M in penalties contested before the Commission, $23.6M was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-07-13.
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.
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.
1.42
total case rate
1.05
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below 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
1.90
0.85
0.000
2025
1.42
1.05
0.000
2024
1.45
0.93
0.000
2023
1.67
1.21
0.000
2022
1.29
0.86
0.025
2021
1.49
1.19
0.000
2020
1.97
1.42
0.000
2019
2.00
1.60
0.000
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
92%
within 1.5 mg/m3
88,129
samples
32.17
dust max (mg/m3)
237
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.
28,425 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 59,704 by the operator.
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.
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.
7,465citations taken to the federal commission · 12% of citations on record
Settled
7,028 · 94%
Stood as issued
231 · 3%
Vacated or withdrawn
35 · 0%
Still open
171 · 2%
75%
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 4,971 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
43%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$41.2M proposed, $23.4M 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 2026-08-16. 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 controller contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
EE was working outside prep plant on disassembly of vibrating screen. Removed screen from prep plant was on ground, while foreman was checking area, sideboard of screen began to fall. EE tried to avoid injury by moving out of the way but was pinned by sideboard against smaller screen which had been removed from prep plant. EE suffered fatal injuries. Under investigation by MSHA.
August 23, 2022NM · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techFatality · MACHINERY
Contractor suffered fatal injuries while performing maintenance on "Dutchman" of electric shovel bucket. Fatal injuries resulted from being pinned between shovel bucket door and bucket.
September 7, 2018IN · Coalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverFatality · FIRE
The IE was hauling overburden in a Cat 793 end dump to a fill area. The front area on the end dump caught fire. The IE parked the truck on the fill and exited the end dump. The IE sustained multiple burn injuries as a result of the exit. IE passed away on 09/12/18. Ultimate cause of death is pending the coroner's report.
May 31, 2015IL · Coalexaminer, fire boss, pre-shift examiner, mine examinerFatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Employee was operating a diesel personnel carrier on the Main South Travelway. It appears that his vehicle struck a coal pillar at xcut #193 and he was ejected from the vehicle. He sustained fatal crushing injuries to his chest area.
Employee was fatally injured when he was struck by a battery powered coal hauler in Unit 2.It is believed that the employee walked through the last open crosscut to #4 entry and sat down near the inby corner of #4 entry to eat his lunch. A coal hauler rounded the corner and pinned the employee to the rib.
Big Ridge Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
The EE was operating the C.M., he was making the first cut in the C.C. left from No. 4 to No. 5 entry. After making the initial cut,EE backed the C.M. into C.C. between No. 4 and 3 entries to set the machine to slab the right side of the cut. As he backed the machine into the C.C., he was pinned between the outby rib of the C.C. and the left side of the cutter head. (See attached)
September 1, 2011WY · Coaldrill operatorFatality · MACHINERY
Drill crew was attempting to back off a stuck drill pipe. A wire rope snub line was used to secure the worm tong. The snub line failed and the tong struck the employee resulting in fatal injuries.
February 11, 2011AZ · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techFatality · POWERED HAULAGE
A scraper and a service truck collided head-on while traveling in opposite directions on a haul road. The impact ignited a fire to both equipment and resulted in fatal injuries to the service truck driver.
July 9, 2010IL · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossFatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Big Ridge Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
A Supervisor was found lying in an active roadway intersection with fatal injuries that would appear to have been caused by a coal hauler running over his body. There were no eyewitnesses. The investigation is ongoing.
November 5, 2006AZ · Coalelectrician, linemanFatality · ELECTRICAL
The electrician was in the process of trouble shooting an electrical problem in the line of power feeding the 8200 Dragline. At the time of the accident the victim was in the KM-12 junction box when he contacted live electrical components resulting in fatal injuries.
May 18, 2004IN · Coalelectrician, linemanFatality · MACHINERY
Ee had gone to face area to service face equip as part of idle shift on unit #4. It appears from acc.site that ee was moving continuous miner from face of #3 entry outby about 1 & 1/2 crosscuts to service it. A coworker said ee had been alone for about 5 min, when coworker found ee pinched between tail of miner & coal rib about 15 ft outby intersection for crosscut #29, entry #3.
Employee was driving a service truck down the Colony Bay access road. Just past CP-4, employee stated he lost his brakes and was the road clear. The truck apparently hit the bank at the padded pond and went along the pond road. The truck slid into the pond. Employee was under water about 2-3 minutes. He died 2/26/04.
ON JULY 2ND, 2003, EMPLOYEE WAS STRUCK IN THE NECK BY A PROJECTILE WHILE CUTTING COAL WITH A CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SUGGEST THE VICIM WAS STRUCK BY A SMALL PIECE OF METAL FROM THE TIP OF A CUTTING BIT.
April 26, 2002NM · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techFatality · POWERED HAULAGE
EE WAS FUELING DOZER WHEN FUEL TRUCK UNEXPECTEDLY MOVED DOWN THE SLOPE. THE CHOCKS WERE PLACED AT REAR TANDEM WHEELS ON DRIVERS SIDE WHEN TRUCK MOVED. EE RAN AFTER TRUCK AND WAS STRUCK BY THE REAR WHEELS ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE COMPANY'S INVESTIGATION IS ON GOING.
A MACHINERY ACCIDENT OCCURRED RESULTING IN FATAL INJURIES TO CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR. THE EMPLOYEE RECEIVED CRUSHING INJURIES TO HIS UPPER BODY WHEN HE WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE CONTINUOUS MINE R BOOM AND COAL RIB.
WHILE CHIPPING ICE OFF OF THE EAST PORTAL INTAKE AIRSHAFT WALLS,A PIECE OF ICE FELL FROM AN UNKNOWN LOCATION AND FATALLY STRUCK THE VICTIM IN THE HEAD.
For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants
Where Peabody Energy Corporation 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.