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Baldwin Plant: 451 MSHA citations Coal

Controlled by James C Justice III
Oliver Springs, Anderson County, TN  ·  NonProducing
MSHA Mine ID: 4002467

Baldwin Plant has $162K in proposed MSHA penalties and $16K outstanding across 20 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
18
Years on record
1986–2011
Latest incident
Nov 2011
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
451
citations
152
significant & substantial
$162,374
proposed penalties
$126,095
paid to date
78% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $36,279 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Premium Coal Company Inc's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
165
inspections on record
4,166
inspection hours
10.8
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.
451 citations across 4,166 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.
3
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2013-08-05.
On record since 2010.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

Baldwin Plant has $162K in proposed MSHA penalties and $16K outstanding across 20 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.
$162K
proposed penalties
$142K
current assessed
$126K
paid to date
$16K
outstanding
414 assessments are final orders; 20 contested dockets.
Of $96K in penalties contested before the Commission, $50K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2024-11-13.
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.
36.7%
significant & substantial
6.5%
high negligence or reckless
37.0%
reasonably likely or greater
16.2%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 2.4% low, 91.1% moderate, 6.5% high, 0.0% 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.
127 citations taken to the federal commission · 28% of citations on record
  • Settled 126 · 99%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 1 · 1%
83%
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 71 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
48%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$96K proposed, $50K 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 2021-04-07.
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
SE 2013-504 Withdrawal Paez 2014 $26K → $0
SE 2011-624 Settlement Zielinski 2012 $21K → $15K
SE 2013-608 Settlement Paez 2014 $16K → $10K
SE 2014-0205 Settlement Lesnick 2015 $14K → $10K
SE 2012-277 Settlement McCarthy 2012 $4K → $3K
SE 2014-78 Settlement Paez 2014 $3K → $3K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Baldwin Plant shows 100% of 91 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: 2013-04-30, 13 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
91
samples
1.29
dust max (mg/m3)
79 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 12 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR23
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER11
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE6

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2010-04-16, 16 years ago
8.6
silica avg (%)
2
samples
9.7
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR2
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: 2013-05-28, 13 years ago
14%
over PEL
71
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER10
  • UTILITY MAN10
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR8
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
2013 100% 6
2012 100% 16
2011 100% 18
2010 100% 11
2009 100% 22
2008 100% 6
2007 100% 6
2006 100% 6
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2010 7.5 1
2009 9.7 1
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2013 50% 8
2012 15% 13
2011 0% 10
2010 20% 15
2009 11% 9
2008 0% 5
2007 0% 6
2006 0% 5
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Baldwin Plant recorded 11.04 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2011.

Injury rate, 2011
ⓘ 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.
11.04
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.83 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Tennessee, coal mining averaged 4.18 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
2011 * 11.04 0.00 0.000
2010 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2009 * 4.18 4.18 0.000
2008 * 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. Industrial Processing Inc 1978 to 1995
  2. Powell Construction Company 1979 to 1979
  3. Tennessee Mining Inc 1995 to 1995
  4. Tennessee Mining Incorporated 1995 to 2004
  5. LCC Tennessee LLC 2004 to 2006
  6. National Coal Corporation 2006 to 2010
  7. Premium Coal Company Inc 2010 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 2
2025 2
2024 2
2023 4
2022 4
2021 4
2020 4
2019 4
2018 3
2017 3
2016 1
2015 1
2014 1
2013 1
2012 3
2011 14
2010 22
2009 21
2008 11
2007 4
2006 7
2005 0
2004 1
2003 3
2002 3
2001 0
2000 0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Baldwin Plant sits in Anderson County, Tennessee, where the Census mining category is 0.2% 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.
Anderson County, Tennessee · Population 78,175
0.2%
Mining share of county employment
$63,171
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
2026 Q2 1,084 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 1,290 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 1,150 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 1,074 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 1,036 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 960 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 1,064 1 0 939.8
2024 Q3 1,087 0 0 0.0
Show 96 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 0 2 0
2024 Q1 120 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 1,440 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 2,080 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 1,920 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 1,920 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 2,008 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 2,196 2 0 910.7
2022 Q2 1,440 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 2,040 1 0 490.2
2021 Q4 2,080 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 1,920 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 2,136 5 0 2340.8
2021 Q1 2,460 2 0 813.0
2020 Q4 1,920 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 1,920 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 1,920 6 0 3125.0
2020 Q1 2,080 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 2,020 2 0 990.1
2019 Q3 2,080 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 2,640 6 0 2272.7
2019 Q1 2,260 3 0 1327.4
2018 Q4 1,920 3 0 1562.5
2018 Q3 1,440 3 0 2083.3
2018 Q2 1,320 2 0 1515.2
2018 Q1 1,260 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 2,240 1 0 446.4
2017 Q3 1,604 1 0 623.4
2017 Q2 480 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 480 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 490 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 488 2 0 4098.4
2016 Q2 520 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 452 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 528 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 504 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 472 1 0 2118.6
2015 Q1 505 4 0 7920.8
2014 Q4 452 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 300 2 0 6666.7
2014 Q2 231 1 1 4329.0
2014 Q1 0 14 1
2013 Q4 684 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 201 22 3 109452.7
2013 Q2 363 5 1 13774.1
2013 Q1 1,194 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 0 2 0
2012 Q3 0 0 0
2012 Q2 3,013 3 0 995.7
2012 Q1 2,785 4 0 1436.3
2011 Q4 8,000 31 13 3875.0
2011 Q3 7,926 3 1 378.5
2011 Q2 9,097 14 5 1539.0
2011 Q1 11,194 34 30 3037.3
2010 Q4 15,711 1 0 63.6
2010 Q3 20,472 4 2 195.4
2010 Q2 14,082 17 3 1207.2
2010 Q1 13,671 19 5 1389.8
2009 Q4 14,295 4 0 279.8
2009 Q3 12,935 10 5 773.1
2009 Q2 10,940 4 1 365.6
2009 Q1 9,678 3 0 310.0
2008 Q4 7,880 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 10,563 8 3 757.4
2008 Q2 5,205 2 0 384.2
2008 Q1 2,511 2 1 796.5
2007 Q4 2,079 3 1 1443.0
2007 Q3 1,499 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 1,396 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 3,085 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 6,454 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 6,053 11 8 1817.3
2006 Q2 3,588 6 0 1672.2
2006 Q1 0 2 0
2005 Q4 0 0 0
2005 Q3 0 0 0
2005 Q2 0 0 0
2004 Q4 96 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 100 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 100 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 100 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 100 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 100 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 100 1 0 10000.0
2003 Q1 100 4 0 40000.0
2002 Q3 100 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 160 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 100 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 0 1 0
2001 Q3 0 0 0
2001 Q2 0 2 0
2001 Q1 0 0 0
2000 Q4 0 2 0
2000 Q3 0 0 0
2000 Q2 0 1 0
2000 Q1 0 0 0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

18 on file

2011 · 2 incidents

April 19, 2011 TN · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Premium Coal Company Inc · Contact with hot objects or substances

EE was adding water to the radiator of the dozer and hot water was expelled from the radiator, which contacted the EE's arm and upper right quadrant of torso, resulting in burns to the arm.

2009 · 1 incident

November 16, 2009 TN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
National Coal Corporation · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Lifting a cross tie to make a storage platform for parts.

1998 · 1 incident

January 19, 1998 TN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Tennessee Mining Incorporated · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EMPLOYEE WAS HELPING MOVE A WATER HOSE ADN CLAIMS TO HAVE PULLED A MUSCLE (OR POSSIBLY HERNIA). NO REPORT OR COMPLAINT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY.

1997 · 1 incident

February 12, 1997 TN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Tennessee Mining Incorporated · Fall to the walkway or working surface

EMPLOYEE WAS MINING FLOCCULANT WHEN HE SLIPPED IN SPILLED WATER AND FELL CAUSING CONTUSIONS TO BACK AND NECK.

1996 · 3 incidents

October 19, 1996 TN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Tennessee Mining Incorporated · Fall down stairs

EMPLOOYEE SLIPPED AND FELL WHILLE DESCENDING A FLIGHT OF STAIRS. INFLICTING ABRASIONS TO HIS RIGHT HAND AND BACK.

August 24, 1996 TN · Coal motorman, motor person, swamper, switchman, locomotive operator POWERED HAULAGE
Tennessee Mining Incorporated · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS ASSISTING IN THE PLACEMENT OF RAILROAD CARS PRIOR TO BEIGN LOADED. AS HE STARTED TO STEP UP ON THE STEP HE SLIPPED FRACTURING HIS LEFT ANKLE. THIS CAUSED HIM TO FALL AND HIS RIG HT FOOT GO TANGLE DIN THE TRAIN WHEELS, WHICH WRERE SLOWING ROLLIGN BACKWARDS, AND THIS PULLED HIM UNDER THE TRAIN CAR AMPUTATING HIS RIGHT LEG APPROXIMATELY 6" FROM THE HIP.

August 13, 1996 TN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Tennessee Mining Incorporated · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EMPLOYEE WAS LIFTING A PUMP WHEN HE PULLED A MUSCLE AND OR TENDON.

1995 · 2 incidents

October 31, 1995 TN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Tennessee Mining Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS CARRYING 2 CONTAINERS OF OIL UP THE CAT WALK TO THE COAL LOADOUT, WHEN HIS LOWER BACK STARTED HURTING (BACK STRAIN).

1990 · 5 incidents

December 28, 1990 TN · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Industrial Processing Inc · Fall to the walkway or working surface

EMPL WAS WASHING FLOORS IN PLANT WITH FIREHOSE. HE STEPPED IN SOME CHEMICAL WHICH CAUSED HIM TO FALL.

December 1, 1990 TN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Industrial Processing Inc · Struck by falling object

EMPL WAS TAKING BOTTOM OFF CYCLONE. AFTER TAKING ALL BOLTS OUT BOTTOM FELL ON FINGER.

June 4, 1990 TN · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Industrial Processing Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

AS EMPL WAS CLIMBING OFF OF BULLDOZER HE SAID SOMETHING GAVE OUT IN BACK.

February 27, 1990 TN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Industrial Processing Inc · Fall onto or against objects

WHILE CLEANING IN TUNNEL EMPL TRIPPED & HIT RIGHT KNEE ON BELT STRUCTURE.

1989 · 2 incidents

August 9, 1989 TN · Coal greaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oiler HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Industrial Processing Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WAS HELPING REMOVE A MOTOR FROM A VIBRATOR SCREEN USING A SEIVE BLOCK AND CABLE, HHOK SLIPPED OFF OF BEAM, LETTING SEIVE BLOCK FALL STRICKING EMPLOYEE ON LEFT COLLAR BONE AREA.

March 3, 1989 TN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Industrial Processing Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WAS CLEANING WALK WAY ON BELT LINE,PULLED A PIECE OF PIPE INTO ELBOW. THE ELBOW SWELLED AND PINCHED NERVE.

1986 · 1 incident

August 8, 1986 TN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Industrial Processing Inc · Struck against stationary object

HE WAS CLENAING3ROLLERS ON A COAL CONVEYOR BELT USING A 4 FT BAR WHILE USING BAR HE HIT HIS ELBOW ON HAND RAIL CONVEYOR BELT WAS NOT RUNNING AT TIME OF ACCIDENT