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.
223 citations across 1,936 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Big Branch has $47K in proposed MSHA penalties and $727 outstanding across 8 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.
$47K
proposed penalties
$41K
current assessed
$41K
paid to date
$727
outstanding
212 assessments are final orders; 8 contested dockets.
Of $25K in penalties contested before the Commission, $19K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2016-05-19.
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.
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.
3citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
Settled
3 · 100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 3 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
38%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$2K proposed, $1K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2005-11-18.
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.
MSHA sampling at Big Branch shows 98% of 230 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: 2016-06-07, 10 years ago
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
230
samples
2.51
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.
132 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 98 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.
Big Branch recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2015.
Injury rate, 2015
ⓘ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 3.76 and the all-US-mining average was 2.72 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.56 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2015
0.00
0.00
0.000
2014
1.84
1.84
0.000
2013
1.77
1.77
0.000
2006 *
2.48
2.48
0.000
2005
0.97
0.00
0.000
2004
0.00
0.00
0.000
2003
0.00
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.
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)
2016
41
317,274
2015
38
503,950
2014
38
417,809
2013
38
425,270
2012
27
61,469
2007
0
2006
35
208,473
2005
80
495,393
2004
77
491,977
2003
59
307,113
2002
60
390,843
2001
56
539,553
2000
33
309,600
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Big Branch sits in Harlan County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 4.3% 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.
Harlan County, Kentucky · Population 26,185
4.3%
Mining share of county employment
$37,198
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
2016 Q3
26,415
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
32,874
2
0
60.8
2016 Q1
30,000
2
0
66.7
2015 Q4
28,041
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
31,181
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
29,370
5
0
170.2
2015 Q1
27,492
1
0
36.4
2014 Q4
26,567
0
0
0.0
Show 39 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2014 Q3
27,305
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
29,066
3
1
103.2
2014 Q1
25,481
1
0
39.2
2013 Q4
30,437
2
0
65.7
2013 Q3
28,167
1
0
35.5
2013 Q2
29,776
1
0
33.6
2013 Q1
24,511
5
1
204.0
2012 Q4
17,919
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
0
0
0
2007 Q3
0
0
0
2007 Q2
0
0
0
2007 Q1
0
0
0
2006 Q4
0
0
0
2006 Q3
0
0
0
2006 Q2
36,653
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
43,906
6
0
136.7
2005 Q4
50,788
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
52,769
7
3
132.7
2005 Q2
52,541
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
49,942
4
0
80.1
2004 Q4
49,843
2
0
40.1
2004 Q3
48,672
2
0
41.1
2004 Q2
47,725
5
2
104.8
2004 Q1
45,693
14
5
306.4
2003 Q4
22,763
0
0
0.0
2003 Q3
36,579
2
1
54.7
2003 Q2
37,495
16
3
426.7
2003 Q1
37,542
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
34,097
12
7
351.9
2002 Q3
30,696
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
30,969
3
0
96.9
2002 Q1
40,037
7
0
174.8
2001 Q4
37,559
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
39,757
20
8
503.1
2001 Q2
41,859
3
1
71.7
2001 Q1
29,617
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
35,636
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
23,609
20
13
847.1
2000 Q2
11,725
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
14 on file
2016 · 3 incidents
June 21, 2016KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was helping foreman set a pump near a pond when EE twisted their right ankle, went to Mary Breckingridge Hospital ER and they said it was a sprained ankle.
Employee stepped between rocks in spillway when he twisted his right knee area. Employee is just now having surgery on knee (9/30/2014) expected to be off work 4 to 6 weeks.
Employee told Foreman that he hurt his back, When asked by the Foreman, did he hurt it at work, the employee stated that he did not hurt it at work and he had turned it in on his health insurance. We later received a letter from a lawyer stating that the employee hurt his back at work.
2006 · 1 incident
March 25, 2006KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was operating a dozer when he got a limb caught between the blade and the nose piece. The operator was trying to remove the limb when the limb slipped catching his hand between the limb and a guard on the back of the blade. The guard made a laceration on the employees hand.
2005 · 1 incident
April 15, 2005KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerMACHINERY
Employee was tramming dozer towards parking lot when he was blinded by the sun. The dozer dropped over a hump, hitting the blade and causing the dozer to stop abruptly. EE hit his head on cab of dozer (11 stitches to forehead.)
EE WAS DRIVING HIS PICKUP TOWARDS THE FUEL TANKS WHEN HE LOST CONTROL IN A CURVE WITH LOOSE GRAVELS. THE TRUCK SKIDDED INTO A DITCH INJURING THE EE'S LITTLE FINGER.
2000 · 1 incident
October 5, 2000KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techPOWERED HAULAGE