Mining Incidents

Buckeye Strip #1: 207 MSHA citations Coal

Jeff, Perry County, KY  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 1518738

Buckeye Strip #1 has $70K in proposed MSHA penalties and $11K outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
4
Years on record
2007–2011
Latest incident
Oct 2011
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2004
207
citations
66
significant & substantial
$69,959
proposed penalties
$55,214
paid to date
79% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $14,745 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2004
48
inspections on record
1,512
inspection hours
13.7
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.
207 citations across 1,512 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.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2011-12-21.
On record since 2011.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

Buckeye Strip #1 has $70K in proposed MSHA penalties and $11K 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.
$70K
proposed penalties
$66K
current assessed
$55K
paid to date
$11K
outstanding
204 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $14K in penalties contested before the Commission, $10K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2017-03-21.
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.
32.4%
significant & substantial
0.5%
high negligence or reckless
32.4%
reasonably likely or greater
7.8%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 2.9% low, 96.6% moderate, 0.5% 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.
7 citations taken to the federal commission · 3% of citations on record
  • Settled 7 · 100%
67%
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 6 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
30%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$14K proposed, $10K 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 2012-08-28.
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
KENT 2011-1550 Settlement Andrews 2012 $9K → $6K
KENT 2012-1503 Settlement Bulluck 2013 $3K → $2K
KENT 2012-780 Settlement Andrews 2013 $2K → $1K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Buckeye Strip #1 shows 99% of 119 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: 2017-06-26, 9 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
119
samples
1.68
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.
107 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 12 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR38
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE22
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER20

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2011-07-19, 15 years ago
13.2
silica avg (%)
9
samples
39.6
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR6
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE2
  • 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: 2017-03-09, 9 years ago
2%
over PEL
94
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR23
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER19
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE18
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
2017 100% 7
2015 100% 4
2013 100% 11
2012 100% 6
2011 100% 10
2010 100% 11
2009 100% 10
2008 100% 15
2007 100% 17
2006 94% 16
2005 100% 9
2004 100% 3
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2011 4.6 1
2010 1.3 2
2009 21.7 1
2007 5.4 2
2006 26.1 2
2005 26.7 1
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2017 0% 5
2015 0% 4
2013 0% 11
2012 0% 5
2011 0% 9
2010 0% 11
2009 10% 10
2008 0% 11
2007 0% 5
2006 10% 10
2005 0% 10
2004 0% 3
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Buckeye Strip #1 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2013.

Injury rate, 2013
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 3.94 and the all-US-mining average was 2.99 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.63 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
2013 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2012 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2011 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2010 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2009 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2008 * 2.39 0.00 0.000
2007 * 2.58 0.00 0.000
2006 * 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. Kern Coal Inc 2004 to 2006
  2. James River Coal Service Company 2006 to 2014
  3. Blue Diamond Mining, LLC 2014 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)
2018 0
2017 6
2016 0
2015 0
2014 1
2013 43 133,039
2012 41 118,387
2011 27 89,142
2010 30 75,063
2009 28 98,374
2008 29 102,531
2007 28 166,995
2006 23 170,923
2005 5 51,413
2004 4 13,500
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Buckeye Strip #1 sits in Perry County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.3% 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.
Perry County, Kentucky · Population 27,847
3.3%
Mining share of county employment
$45,261
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
2018 Q2 0 0 0
2018 Q1 0 0 0
2017 Q4 0 0 0
2017 Q3 2,270 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 4,260 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 6,993 1 1 143.0
2016 Q4 0 0 0
2016 Q3 0 0 0
Show 47 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2016 Q2 0 0 0
2016 Q1 0 0 0
2015 Q4 0 0 0
2015 Q3 0 2 0
2015 Q2 0 0 0
2015 Q1 0 0 0
2014 Q4 0 0 0
2014 Q3 0 0 0
2014 Q2 1,153 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 2,157 3 0 1390.8
2013 Q4 13,910 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 24,937 6 1 240.6
2013 Q2 26,025 1 0 38.4
2013 Q1 27,582 18 1 652.6
2012 Q4 23,204 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 24,455 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 22,854 12 3 525.1
2012 Q1 20,784 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 21,157 19 4 898.0
2011 Q3 21,271 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 17,426 15 4 860.8
2011 Q1 17,544 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 17,476 10 2 572.2
2010 Q3 19,442 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 21,006 2 0 95.2
2010 Q1 18,272 1 0 54.7
2009 Q4 17,914 12 5 669.9
2009 Q3 21,238 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 19,145 7 1 365.6
2009 Q1 20,701 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 22,564 5 1 221.6
2008 Q3 19,540 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 20,262 2 0 98.7
2008 Q1 21,282 0 0 0.0
2007 Q4 17,907 2 2 111.7
2007 Q3 19,227 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 21,018 5 5 237.9
2007 Q1 19,408 1 0 51.5
2006 Q4 17,529 1 1 57.0
2006 Q3 17,694 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 16,028 2 2 124.8
2006 Q1 8,038 12 0 1492.9
2005 Q4 3,585 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 2,700 6 4 2222.2
2005 Q2 2,280 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 2,340 5 3 2136.8
2004 Q4 1,950 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

4 on file

2011 · 1 incident

2008 · 1 incident

June 13, 2008 KY · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
James River Coal Service Company · Struck against a moving object

The dozer operator backed into the highwall, resulting in injury to the neck.

2007 · 2 incidents

August 31, 2007 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech POWERED HAULAGE
James River Coal Service Company · Struck by falling object

The mechanic was lifting a front axel with his boom truck into the bed of a parts-truck when the chain slipped causing the axel to drop hitting the mechanic on the hand.

August 15, 2007 KY · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
James River Coal Service Company · Fall from machine

EE was getting out of truck. He turned toward the cab, got hold of the door, but not the handle. He started to step down with his right leg and missed the lower step. He tried to catch himself with his right arm and went down on his elbow. He felt and heard his right shoulder pop.