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.
481 citations across 4,110 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
C-5 has $257K in proposed MSHA penalties and $69K outstanding across 55 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.
$257K
proposed penalties
$210K
current assessed
$142K
paid to date
$69K
outstanding
471 assessments are final orders; 55 contested dockets.
Of $225K in penalties contested before the Commission, $177K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2014-05-13.
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.
227citations taken to the federal commission · 47% of citations on record
Settled
211 · 93%
Stood as issued
16 · 7%
93%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 118 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
21%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$225K proposed, $177K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2014-02-19.
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 C-5 shows 98% of 430 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: 2012-03-09, 14 years ago
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
430
samples
3.26
dust max (mg/m3)
222 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 208 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.
C-5 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2011.
Injury rate, 2011
ⓘ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 3.83 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.28 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
2011 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2010 *
7.94
7.94
0.000
2009 *
6.57
6.57
0.000
2008 *
5.15
5.15
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)
2014
3
2013
0
2012
11
26,337
2011
30
69,799
2010
29
65,050
2009
32
123,852
2008
30
158,288
2007
19
40,641
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
C-5 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
2014 Q4
667
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
2,288
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
896
3
0
3348.2
2014 Q1
318
6
0
18867.9
2013 Q4
0
3
0
2013 Q3
0
8
0
2013 Q2
0
0
0
2013 Q1
0
3
0
Show 21 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
0
1
1
2012 Q1
20,271
19
5
937.3
2011 Q4
23,973
39
10
1626.8
2011 Q3
18,030
39
10
2163.1
2011 Q2
11,124
16
1
1438.3
2011 Q1
18,622
13
1
698.1
2010 Q4
21,553
25
5
1159.9
2010 Q3
16,546
36
8
2175.8
2010 Q2
20,369
39
15
1914.7
2010 Q1
17,119
28
6
1635.6
2009 Q4
19,191
22
5
1146.4
2009 Q3
22,899
14
1
611.4
2009 Q2
24,805
17
1
685.3
2009 Q1
24,413
30
9
1228.9
2008 Q4
20,254
31
10
1530.6
2008 Q3
17,982
12
1
667.3
2008 Q2
19,248
15
4
779.3
2008 Q1
20,251
19
5
938.2
2007 Q4
12,166
12
6
986.4
2007 Q3
9,484
12
6
1265.3
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
11 on file
2012 · 2 incidents
February 6, 2012KY · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Ee was cutting a piece of belt when the knife slipped and cut his leg just above the knee. He went to doctor, got 5 stitches and returned to work, no lost time.
January 25, 2012KY · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Ee was at the #3 belt head when he slipped on a crib block. As he fell against the rib, he was trying to catch himself. This caused him to dislocate his shoulder. The doctors are saying he will be off for a few weeks.
2010 · 3 incidents
October 25, 2010KY · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Ee was standing beside the rib, when a piece of rock fell from the roof and hit him in the head and shoulder. Injuries are numerous but not life threating or debilitating. Doctors are saying he will be off for two or three months, maybe more.
September 17, 2010KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Ee is a repairman. He was using a buggy for transportation when he hit a timber with the buggy. This moved the timber so that a piece of rock fell from the top and hit him on the neck and shoulder.
EE was cutting holes in tail piece for spill skirt installation. The CO monitor was sounding off. EE could not make the outside man understand how to cut it off. EE left the area to turn off the CO monitor. He was away from the area for a long while so that he could eat lunch. When he returned, he discovered smoke and fire at the tail piece.
October 13, 2009KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)POWERED HAULAGE
A repairman and the Ee had a scoop jacked-up on blocks. The blocks kicked out causing the scoop to drop 3 to 4 feet. Ee was in the drivers compartment. This sudden drop tossed Ee around in the compartment which hurt his back. He has a compression fracture.
May 12, 2009KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS
The rub rail on the miner was being removed when it fell and hit Ee on foot. The impact broke his little toe. Required surgery to repair. Ee will be off work a couple or three weeks.
March 11, 2009KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Rex Coal Company Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE operates a roof bolter. His hand got caught in canopy when it came down. He simply had his hand in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he knew it. It mashed his thumb so much that it broke it. Will be off a two or three weeks.
2008 · 2 incidents
April 30, 2008KY · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee bent down to shovel a belt when his knee popped. Doctors are saying that his knee cap may have popped loose and a little physical therapy should take care of the problem.
February 28, 2008KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Ee operates a roof bolter. He caught his finger in between head and arm of the bolter. This pinched his skin to the point of looking like a cut. Three stitches required. No lasting problems.