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.
119 citations across 2,277 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Four Rivers Coal Inc has $12K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 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.
$12K
proposed penalties
$12K
current assessed
$12K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
119 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-01-29.
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.
MSHA sampling at Four Rivers Coal Inc shows 99% of 117 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: 2026-10-08
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
117
samples
1.80
dust max (mg/m3)
0
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.
111 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 6 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.
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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2026
3
2025
4
2024
1
2023
0
2022
0
2021
0
2020
0
2019
2
2018
0
2017
0
2016
0
2015
0
2014
0
2013
0
2012
0
2011
0
2010
0
2009
0
2008
0
2007
0
2006
0
2005
2
2004
0
2003
0
2002
2
2001
3
2000
2
1999
3
1998
4
1997
3
1996
2
1995
1
1994
0
1993
2
1992
2
1991
4
1990
3
1989
5
1988
2
1987
2
1986
3
1985
4
1984
4
1983
4
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly; years before 2000 come from MSHA's archived Part 50 employment files.
Four Rivers Coal Inc sits in Bell County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.6% 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.
Bell County, Kentucky · Population 23,878
3.6%
Mining share of county employment
$32,403
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; earlier incidents are counted but not rate-adjusted, though reported hours reach back to 1983. Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
EMP WAS HITTING AN IRON BAR WITH SLEDGE HAMMER ON A RAILCAR AND THE IRON BAR FLEW OUT AND HIT HIS LEFT EAR, HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL IT TOOK 5 STITCHES
July 17, 1985KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON