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.
76 citations across 1,014 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Big Branch #34 has $39K in proposed MSHA penalties and $302 outstanding across 3 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.
$39K
proposed penalties
$37K
current assessed
$37K
paid to date
$302
outstanding
76 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $15K in penalties contested before the Commission, $12K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-04-22.
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.
6citations taken to the federal commission · 8% of citations on record
Settled
2 · 33%
Stood as issued
4 · 67%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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%
15%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$15K proposed, $12K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2025-06-30.
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 #34 shows 100% of 144 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: 2026-08-06
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
144
samples
0.94
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.
73 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 71 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 #34 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ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 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.08 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
2025 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2024
0.00
0.00
0.000
2023 *
2.62
2.62
0.000
2022 *
4.29
4.29
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)
2026
38
152,841
2025
42
301,570
2024
44
362,467
2023
31
313,808
2022
23
130,913
2021
5
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Big Branch #34 sits in Pike County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 5.1% 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.
Pike County, Kentucky · Population 57,466
5.1%
Mining share of county employment
$42,179
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
22,165
2
1
90.2
2026 Q1
20,465
0
0
0.0
2025 Q4
23,201
3
2
129.3
2025 Q3
22,186
0
0
0.0
2025 Q2
26,312
8
3
304.0
2025 Q1
26,603
0
0
0.0
2024 Q4
27,633
8
1
289.5
2024 Q3
29,170
0
0
0.0
Show 11 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
25,474
4
2
157.0
2024 Q1
19,337
0
0
0.0
2023 Q4
19,636
2
0
101.9
2023 Q3
18,467
0
0
0.0
2023 Q2
18,876
3
0
158.9
2023 Q1
19,488
0
0
0.0
2022 Q4
17,878
4
1
223.7
2022 Q3
16,026
3
2
187.2
2022 Q2
8,171
1
0
122.4
2022 Q1
4,585
0
0
0.0
2021 Q4
2,460
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
4 on file
2026 · 1 incident
March 30, 2026KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was installing a wishbone pin in a 777 when they felt a sharp pain in left shoulder. They stated it felt better as the day went on but throughout the night it started hurting and burning more.
Employee was feeling tightness in the chest and was dizzy. EE was flown to the Medical Center for possible heart attack. It was determined by EE's personal physician that EE had a slight myocardial infraction. EE started missing work on 09/11/2024.
Caterpillar 777F Truck driver claims EE's lower back was injured after a large rock rolled out of the caterpillar 992 loader bucket and jarred EE's truck.
2022 · 1 incident
August 3, 2022KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerOTHER
The employee was injured when a contract employee walked up from behind them, wrapped their arms around them and then squeezed them. The employee said they immediately felt like something was wrong. At the end of the shift they went to the doctor to be examined. Employee was diagnosed with a broken rib.