Mining Incidents

Big Laurel #3: 71 MSHA citations Coal

Controlled by Thomas R Hamilton
Yeaddiss, Leslie County, KY  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 1517853

Big Laurel #3 has $9K in proposed MSHA penalties and $319 outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
7
Years on record
1997–2001
Latest incident
Nov 2001
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
71
citations
34
significant & substantial
$8,603
proposed penalties
$7,492
paid to date
87% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,111 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
23
inspections on record
409
inspection hours
n/a
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: 409 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Big Laurel #3 has $9K in proposed MSHA penalties and $319 outstanding across 2 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.
$9K
proposed penalties
$8K
current assessed
$7K
paid to date
$319
outstanding
70 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $4K in penalties contested before the Commission, $3K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2005-04-27.
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.
47.9%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
47.9%
reasonably likely or greater
12.7%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 0.0% low, 100.0% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
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
KENT20020064 Settlement Schroeder 2002 $2K → $2K
KENT20010318 Settlement Zielinski 2001 $1K → $920
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Big Laurel #3 shows 100% of 93 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: 2005-09-15, 20 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
93
samples
1.24
dust max (mg/m3)
34 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 59 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR50
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR24
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER10

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2005-05-16, 21 years ago
28.1
silica avg (%)
4
samples
40.0
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR3
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR1

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: 2005-03-08, 21 years ago
29%
over PEL
17
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR6
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE3
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER2
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
2005 100% 14
2001 100% 33
2000 100% 46
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2005 30.0 3
2001 22.4 1
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2005 0% 5
2001 57% 7
2000 20% 5
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Big Laurel #3 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2005.

Injury rate, 2005
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 5.11 and the all-US-mining average was 4.21 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 5.46 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
2005 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2001 * 6.13 4.08 0.000
2000 1.93 1.93 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. Nally & Hamilton Enterprises Inc 1996 to present
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)
2006 0
2005 32 191,528
2002 10 6,969
2001 34 446,105
2000 36 447,572
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Big Laurel #3 sits in Leslie County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 10.6% 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.
Leslie County, Kentucky · Population 10,261
10.6%
Mining share of county employment
$40,176
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
2006 Q3 0 0 0
2006 Q2 0 0 0
2006 Q1 0 0 0
2005 Q4 8,361 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 23,494 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 23,131 3 0 129.7
2005 Q1 17,350 4 0 230.5
2002 Q2 0 0 0
Show 9 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2002 Q1 3,311 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 22,833 9 1 394.2
2001 Q3 23,763 14 6 589.2
2001 Q2 24,798 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 26,552 9 4 339.0
2000 Q4 26,718 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 27,573 12 9 435.2
2000 Q2 24,098 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 25,170 4 3 158.9
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

7 on file

2001 · 3 incidents

November 27, 2001 KY · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Nally & Hamilton Enterprises Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING A GEAR OFF A SHAFT WHEN HE STRUCK HIS LEFT FOREFINGER WITH A HAMMER.

November 5, 2001 KY · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
Nally & Hamilton Enterprises Inc · Struck against a moving object

EE WAS TRAMMING A D11 DOZER WHEN HE UNEXPECTLY RAN OVER A BIG ROCK THE JAR CAUSED PAIN IN HIS HIP AREA.

January 3, 2001 KY · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Nally & Hamilton Enterprises Inc · Struck by flying object

FOREMAN WAS BUSTING UP A PALLET WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER WHEN A PIECE OF THE PALLET FLEW OFF AND HIT THE EE IN THE FOREHEAD.

2000 · 1 incident

March 10, 2000 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Nally & Hamilton Enterprises Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS WORKING ON LOADER WHEN HE FELT A PAIN IN LOWER BACK

1998 · 2 incidents

1997 · 1 incident

February 3, 1997 KY · Coal blaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkey POWERED HAULAGE
Nally & Hamilton Enterprises Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EE WAS STANDING BESIDE DRILL WHILE DIRECTING THEPOWDER TRUCK DRIVER TO BACK THE POWDER TRUCK UP BESIDE THE DRILL. DRIVER GOT TOO CLOSE & CAUGHT EE BETWEEN THE DRILL & THE TRUCK