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#1: 534 MSHA citations Coal

Solar Coal Co. LLC · Underground
Controlled by Scarlett Biliter
Mcdowell, Floyd County, KY  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 1502240

#1 has $179K in proposed MSHA penalties and $159K outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
15
Years on record
1986–2003
Latest incident
Sep 2003
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
534
citations
241
significant & substantial
$178,693
proposed penalties
$18,369
paid to date
10% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $160,324 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Solar Coal Co. LLC's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
70
inspections on record
2,160
inspection hours
24.7
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.
534 citations across 2,160 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

#1 has $179K in proposed MSHA penalties and $159K outstanding across 5 contested dockets.

Penalty disposition
ⓘ Differences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$179K
proposed penalties
$177K
current assessed
$18K
paid to date
$159K
outstanding
521 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $28K in penalties contested before the Commission, $26K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2005-11-14.
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.
46.2%
significant & substantial
2.7%
high negligence or reckless
48.1%
reasonably likely or greater
14.2%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 6.3% low, 91.0% moderate, 2.5% high, 0.2% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, 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.
4 citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
  • Settled 3 · 75%
  • Stood as issued 1 · 25%
100%
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 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
36%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$7K proposed, $4K 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 2004-09-23.
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 mine contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
KENT 2004-58 Settlement Hodgdon 2004 $11K → $11K
KENT 2004-79 Default Lesnick 2004 $8K → $8K
KENT 2004-25 Settlement Hodgdon 2004 $6K → $4K
KENT20030030 Settlement Feldman 2003 $2K → $2K
KENT 2004-80 Default Lesnick 2004 $1K → $1K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at #1 shows 88% of 250 respirable coal dust samples met the 1.5 mg/m3 standard.

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: 2005-10-26, 20 years ago
88%
within 1.5 mg/m3
250
samples
3.48
dust max (mg/m3)
144 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 106 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CUTTING MACHINE OPERATOR103
  • SCOOP CAR OPERATOR31
  • COAL DRILL OPERATOR29

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2005-11-04, 20 years ago
2.2
silica avg (%)
21
samples
8.0
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CUTTING MACHINE OPERATOR18
See US coal mines ranked by silica in their dust samples.

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: 2005-10-26, 20 years ago
5%
over PEL
21
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • COAL DRILL OPERATOR4
  • CUTTING MACHINE OPERATOR4
  • SCOOP CAR OPERATOR4
See US mines ranked by noise samples over the legal limit.
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Health sampling trend
ⓘ 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 by year
ⓘ 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.
Year within 1.5 mg/m3 samples
2005 80% 55
2004 88% 68
2003 90% 84
2002 95% 43
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2005 3.0 6
2004 2.3 5
2003 1.4 7
2002 2.3 3
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2005 10% 10
2003 0% 6
2002 0% 5
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

#1 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2005.

Injury rate, 2005
ⓘ 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 5.11 and the all-US-mining average was 4.21 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 5.46 cases per 100 workers that year.
Under 100,000 employee-hours were reported that year, so a single case moves the rate by two or more. Read the figure as approximate.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2005 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2004 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2003 * 3.32 0.00 0.000
2002 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
* Fewer than 100,000 employee-hours that year; the rate is less stable.
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.
Ownership history
  1. Premium Elkhorn Coal Corp 1950 to 1983
  2. Barnette Coal Enterprises Inc 1983 to 1991
  3. Gap Fork Fuels Inc 1991 to 2001
  4. Star Coal Trucking, Inc. 2001 to 2005
  5. Solar Coal Co. LLC 2005 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
ⓘ Coal production is reported quarterly and lags the current period; the most recent quarters may be incomplete.
Year Employees Coal produced (tons)
2005 21 83,328
2004 23 135,951
2003 29 154,297
2002 28 107,914
2001 12
2000 0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

#1 sits in Floyd County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 4.4% of county employment.

Local economic context
ⓘ County figures come from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year pooled estimates, so the 2023 vintage covers 2019 through 2023. The Census category is 'mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction', which is broader than MSHA jurisdiction and includes oil and gas workers no mine employs. These figures describe the surrounding county, not this mine, and are not a factor in any specific incident.
Floyd County, Kentucky · Population 35,342
4.4%
Mining share of county employment
$41,582
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.
Quarterly safety rates
ⓘ Citations per million reported employee-hours. Rates begin in 2000, when MSHA's quarterly employment data starts; earlier incidents are counted but cannot be rate-adjusted. Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2005 Q4 9,833 13 5 1322.1
2005 Q3 9,695 16 6 1650.3
2005 Q2 9,897 31 18 3132.3
2005 Q1 9,882 29 15 2934.6
2004 Q4 9,096 58 25 6376.4
2004 Q3 10,298 23 10 2233.4
2004 Q2 12,863 36 22 2798.7
2004 Q1 12,667 47 18 3710.4
Show 11 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2003 Q4 12,453 23 11 1846.9
2003 Q3 16,177 75 42 4636.2
2003 Q2 16,336 8 1 489.7
2003 Q1 15,276 19 3 1243.8
2002 Q4 16,674 61 27 3658.4
2002 Q3 15,104 50 29 3310.4
2002 Q2 14,438 27 2 1870.1
2002 Q1 11,493 12 4 1044.1
2001 Q4 4,112 4 2 972.8
2000 Q2 0 0 0
2000 Q1 0 0 0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

15 on file

2003 · 1 incident

September 6, 2003 KY · Coal mine manager, mine foreman, mine owner POWERED HAULAGE
Star Coal Trucking, Inc. · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS RIDING UP THE #3 BELT ON A 4 WHEEL BUGGY HIS SHOULDER CAUGHT ON THE TOP PULLING HIM ON TOP OF THE BUGGY. HE BROKE 5 RIBS ON HIS LEFT SIDE.

1995 · 1 incident

March 2, 1995 KY · Coal FIRE
Gap Fork Fuels Inc · Accident type, without injuries

MINE FIRE OCCURRED ON #2 BELT HEAD DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT PRODUCED BY BAD BEARING WHICH CAUGHT GREASE AND OIL ON FIRE.

1994 · 5 incidents

August 19, 1994 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Gap Fork Fuels Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

OPERATING ROOF BOLTER STEEL HIT HIM ON ARM.

July 9, 1994 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) NONPOWERED HAULAGE
Gap Fork Fuels Inc · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

EMPLOYEE WQS PREPARING EXPLOSIVES IN PRE DRILLED HOLES OF COAL AT FACE. A WHEELED CART OF EXPLOSIVES IS UTILIZED TO ASSIST COAL SHOOTER. EMPLOYEE PULLED CART ASLONG FACE WHICH RESULTED IN A BACK STRAING INJURY.

April 5, 1994 KY · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler MACHINERY
Gap Fork Fuels Inc · Struck against stationary object

THE BOLTER OPERATOR MOVED THE BOLTER INTO POSIT ION TO INSTALL THE FIRST BOLT. HE REACHED AROUNDTHE MACHINE TO MOVE THE STEERING LEVERS AND HIS ARM WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE MACHINE AND THE COAL RIB.

February 14, 1994 KY · Coal scoop car operator POWERED HAULAGE
Gap Fork Fuels Inc · Struck by flying object

EE WAS HAULING COAL WITH A SCOOP WHEN A LUMP OF COAL WAS THROWN FROM SCOOP TIRE AND STRUCK HIS HAD BEHIOND LEFT EAR.

1993 · 2 incidents

1992 · 2 incidents

October 23, 1992 KY · Coal beltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor rider HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Gap Fork Fuels Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

REPLACING BELT IN NO. 2 BELT, LIFTING.

April 11, 1992 KY · Coal cutting machine operator, ripper, universal operator MACHINERY
Gap Fork Fuels Inc · Struck by falling object

2 POT BOLTING WHERE A TWO BOLTS HAD BEEN DIS-LODGED & ATRS BROKE ROCK LOOSE FROM BOLTS

1990 · 1 incident

March 22, 1990 KY · Coal FIRE
Barnette Coal Enterprises Inc · Accident type, without injuries

SMALL FIRE ON NO. 2 BELT APPROX 1800 UNDERGROUND NO SOURCE OF IGNIGITION POUND FIRE 4 TO 5 FT AWAY FROM BELT AGAINST RIB. ARSON SUSPECTED NO INJURY OR DAMAGE.

1987 · 1 incident

January 19, 1987 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Barnette Coal Enterprises Inc · Struck by powered moving object

EMPLOYEE WAS IN8TALLING ROOF BOLTS IN FACE AREA WHENMOVING ROOF BOLTED FROM ONE BOLT TO ANOTHER HE PULLED THE BOLTER HEAD INTO HIS CHEST, RESULTING IN CRACK RIB.

1986 · 2 incidents

July 8, 1986 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Barnette Coal Enterprises Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS US3NG BOLTER HEAD TO PUSH BOLT UP IN BOLT HOLE GOT HAND CAUGHT BETWEEN BOLTER HEAD AND ROOF RESULTING IN BRUSTED FINGER ON LEFT HAND