Ball Creek Surface Mine # 28 has $2K in proposed MSHA penalties and $330 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
9
Years on record
1997–2003
Latest incident
Jan 2003
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
26
citations
16
significant & substantial
$2,314
proposed penalties
$1,984
paid to date
86% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $330 gap.
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.
Rate withheld: 454 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Ball Creek Surface Mine # 28 has $2K in proposed MSHA penalties and $330 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.
$2K
proposed penalties
$2K
current assessed
$2K
paid to date
$330
outstanding
26 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2003-05-07.
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 Ball Creek Surface Mine # 28 shows 100% of 41 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: 2004-04-27, 22 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
41
samples
0.81
dust max (mg/m3)
37 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 4 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.
Ball Creek Surface Mine # 28 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2003.
Injury rate, 2003
ⓘ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 5.87 and the all-US-mining average was 4.43 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 6.65 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
2003 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2002 *
6.58
6.58
0.000
2001 *
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.
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)
2004
2
2003
14
69,926
2002
40
546,036
2001
41
549,806
2000
6
4,669
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Ball Creek Surface Mine # 28 sits in Knott County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 2.8% 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.
Knott County, Kentucky · Population 14,046
2.8%
Mining share of county employment
$37,736
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
2004 Q4
0
0
0
2004 Q3
322
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
1,005
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
1,107
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
1,711
0
0
0.0
2003 Q3
0
0
0
2003 Q2
5,263
5
2
950.0
2003 Q1
18,558
0
0
0.0
Show 12 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2002 Q4
21,644
6
2
277.2
2002 Q3
22,907
2
2
87.3
2002 Q2
21,102
0
0
0.0
2002 Q1
25,556
3
1
117.4
2001 Q4
32,059
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
37,445
1
0
26.7
2001 Q2
24,820
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
348
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
0
0
0
2000 Q3
4,827
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
6,087
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
5,584
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
9 on file
2003 · 1 incident
January 4, 2003KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE WAS STRAIGHTENING EXHAUST PIPE ON DOZER, WHEN HE FELL & APPARENTLY STRUCK HIS HEAD ON THE TRACKS. VICTIM WAS TAKEN TO HAZARD ARH HOSPITAL THEN TRANSPORTED TO SAMARITAN HOSPITAL IN LEXINGTON , KY. INJURIES: LACERATION BEHIND LT EAR, CONCUSSION, 7TH VERTABRAE CRACKED.
July 15, 2002KY · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
WHILE REPLACING BEVEL GEAR IN DOZER, THEY WERE REMOVING COUNTERWEIGHT. WEIGHT DROPPED TWO INCHES WHILE VICTIM WAS USING PRYBAR TO PUNCH PIN OUT. THIS CAUSED BAR TO STRIKE HIM IN RIGHT SIDE OF FACE. APPARENT LACERATION ALSO FRACTURED JAW.
1999 · 2 incidents
April 29, 1999KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EE WAS UNLOADING PARTS WHILE STANDING ON THE TAILGATE OF A PICKUP TRUCK. HE LOST HIS FOOTING AND FELL--LANDING ON HIS LEFT SIDE IN TURN, BREAKING HIS LEFT ARM. HE WAS TAKEN TO ER.
April 29, 1999KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
EE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF KNOCKING THE PIN OUT OF AN EQUALIZER BAR. WHEN THE PIN CAME OUT, THE DOZER SAT DOWN CAUSING THE BAR TO STRIKE HIM IN HIS LEFT KNEE. DR DIAGNOSED THE INJURY AS BEING A BRUISE.
1998 · 2 incidents
March 25, 1998KY · Coalloader head operator, roscoe operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
EE STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO OPERATE A 992G ON 3/23/98. EE FURTHER STATED THAT HE BY 3/25/98 THAT THE MACHINE WAS SO STIFF THAN ANY MOTION CAUSED BACK PAIN. HE NOTIFIED THE FOREM AN AND WAS REASSIGNED TO A 992C. EE WORKED UNTIL4/10/98. HE VISISTED HAZARD ARH AT 7:00AM ON 4/10/98 WHERE HE WAS GIVEN 3 DAYS OFF WORK
March 20, 1998KY · Coalcoal/ore shovel operator, shoveler, power shovelerMACHINERY
EE STATED THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE HYD SYSTEM, CAUSING THE MACHINE TO FREE-SWING. THE BOOM MADE CONTACT WITH A TREE, CAUSING EE TO BE THROWN FROM THE MACHINE. EE FUTHER STATED THAT HIS S EAT BELT HAD COME LOOSE ALLOWING HIM TO BE THROW OUT OF THE OPEN DOOR. HE WAS X RAYED AT THE HAZARD ARH EMERGENCY ROOM AND RELEASED.
EE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ALIGHNINING A DRILL STEEL WITH A BIT SUB. AS HE WAS PULLING AT THE DRILL STEEL. HE FELT A SLIGHT PULL IN HIS LOWER BACK. HE CONTINUED TO WORK THROUGHT 10-11-97. AT WHI CH TIME, HE STATED THAT HE WAS IN PAIN AND NEEDED TO SEE A DR. A MRI AT HIGHLANDS REGIONAL MED. CENTER REVEALED A HERNIATED DISK IN HIS LOWER BACK.