Mining Incidents

Carbon Hill Mine Coal

Controlled by William Ridley Elkins Jr
Carbon Hill, Walker County, AL  ·  NonProducing
MSHA Mine ID: 0103389

Carbon Hill Mine has $316K in proposed MSHA penalties and $31K outstanding across 38 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
24
Years on record
2010–2025
Latest incident
Oct 2025
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2009
686
citations
169
significant & substantial
$315,507
proposed penalties
$190,713
paid to date
60% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $124,794 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2009
237
inspections on record
12,498
inspection hours
5.5
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.
686 citations across 12,498 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Carbon Hill Mine has $316K in proposed MSHA penalties and $31K outstanding across 38 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.
$316K
proposed penalties
$222K
current assessed
$191K
paid to date
$31K
outstanding
660 assessments are final orders; 38 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-12-15.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Carbon Hill Mine shows respirable coal dust averaging 0.42 mg/m3 (99% compliant) across 2,331 samples.

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.
0.42
dust avg (mg/m3)
5.08
dust max (mg/m3)
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
2,331
samples
Most recent sample: 2026-01-04.
Silica (quartz)
5.8
silica avg (%)
20.0
silica max (%)
169
samples
Most recent sample: 2025-12-18.
Noise
9%
over PEL
195
samples
Most recent sample: 2025-12-10.
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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
2025 Q4 16,331 29 12 1775.8
2025 Q3 15,850 25 1 1577.3
2025 Q2 18,883 20 4 1059.2
2025 Q1 16,970 16 1 942.8
2024 Q4 18,817 12 1 637.7
2024 Q3 15,108 36 9 2382.8
2024 Q2 17,941 23 5 1282.0
2024 Q1 16,252 30 11 1845.9
Show 61 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2023 Q4 21,375 13 2 608.2
2023 Q3 14,192 22 7 1550.2
2023 Q2 16,694 9 1 539.1
2023 Q1 14,822 6 0 404.8
2022 Q4 17,498 11 5 628.6
2022 Q3 13,669 6 0 438.9
2022 Q2 16,562 5 2 301.9
2022 Q1 14,362 34 5 2367.4
2021 Q4 20,053 8 1 398.9
2021 Q3 15,569 17 3 1091.9
2021 Q2 14,534 3 0 206.4
2021 Q1 14,846 4 0 269.4
2020 Q4 17,292 4 0 231.3
2020 Q3 16,369 5 1 305.5
2020 Q2 12,776 8 2 626.2
2020 Q1 9,090 6 0 660.1
2019 Q4 2,385 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 17,418 18 4 1033.4
2019 Q2 18,246 24 2 1315.4
2019 Q1 13,701 16 5 1167.8
2018 Q4 15,287 29 7 1897.0
2018 Q3 14,878 9 0 604.9
2018 Q2 14,692 2 0 136.1
2018 Q1 13,856 5 1 360.9
2017 Q4 14,223 4 3 281.2
2017 Q3 13,281 1 0 75.3
2017 Q2 13,032 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 13,823 4 1 289.4
2016 Q4 16,775 5 1 298.1
2016 Q3 15,993 11 5 687.8
2016 Q2 5,850 3 0 512.8
2016 Q1 3,425 5 0 1459.9
2015 Q4 15,438 16 10 1036.4
2015 Q3 31,562 14 6 443.6
2015 Q2 35,129 12 1 341.6
2015 Q1 24,515 11 2 448.7
2014 Q4 20,945 6 2 286.5
2014 Q3 25,923 6 1 231.5
2014 Q2 23,094 10 4 433.0
2014 Q1 19,614 12 8 611.8
2013 Q4 22,395 10 5 446.5
2013 Q3 22,501 15 6 666.6
2013 Q2 20,209 5 2 247.4
2013 Q1 19,861 13 4 654.5
2012 Q4 18,555 6 1 323.4
2012 Q3 20,115 16 6 795.4
2012 Q2 20,320 10 1 492.1
2012 Q1 18,846 7 3 371.4
2011 Q4 14,789 6 1 405.7
2011 Q3 12,606 2 0 158.7
2011 Q2 9,441 3 0 317.8
2011 Q1 6,641 5 0 752.9
2010 Q4 7,236 7 3 967.4
2010 Q3 5,629 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 2,049 2 1 976.1
2009 Q4 1,627 3 0 1843.9
2009 Q3 520 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 520 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 0 0 0
2008 Q4 0 0 0
2008 Q3 0 0 0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

24 on file

2025 · 2 incidents

October 17, 2025 AL · Coal scoop car/scooptram operator, load/haul/dump (lhd) operator, teletram operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was hanging curtain when EE felt a strain in EE's back while reaching up.

September 16, 2025 AL · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Struck by falling object

Was spot bolting on #2 belt went to start drilling a hole and a piece of draw rock measuring about 1 foot x 1 foot 3" thick struck them on the hand breaking their middle finger

2024 · 2 incidents

October 10, 2024 AL · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Accident type, without injuries

On 10/10/24 a roof fall was discovered by an EE during EE's pre-shift. The roof fall happened between 4:30 pm 10/9/24 and 5:30 am 10/10/24. Roof fall is located at break 37 on the Primary Escapeway in the intake. No equipment was involved. The fall was 5 feet in height.

May 2, 2024 AL · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler POWERED HAULAGE
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Struck against a moving object

EE was on a rail mantrip when EE came around a curve and slight slope when another mantrip was parked at the bottom of the down grade, which is about 100 feet long. EE struck the other mantrip and complained of pain in left rib area.

2023 · 3 incidents

November 7, 2023 AL · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

While straightening a 6' 3/4" glue bolt, the operator felt a sharp pain in their right shoulder.

October 3, 2023 AL · Coal beltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor rider HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EE was using a piece of flat bar steel to adjust a belt roller. EE missed the intended striking area and smashed a finger between the belt structure and flat bar metal. Mashed fingernail and cut end of the finger. No stitches or broken bones.

February 1, 2023 AL · Coal FIRE
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Accident type, without injuries

Roof fall occurred at No. 1 XC underground. The fall was five feet in height. Water was present in the fall area of the roof which may have contributed to the fall.

2022 · 1 incident

June 9, 2022 AL · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) POWERED HAULAGE
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee had moved car anchor to a new location. When the car op. turned the cable reel on to take excess slack up the employee had their feet taken out from under them resulting in a fall. Employee complained of back pain.

2021 · 1 incident

August 9, 2021 AL · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Accident type, without injuries

A roof fall occurred sometime the weekend of 08/08/2021. When investigated moisture was discovered in the roof at area of the fall. Also the area was entering into a hollow with lower roof cover from the mine to the surface.

2020 · 3 incidents

December 15, 2020 AL · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

The employee was installing a roof bolt in the face of the No. 2 heading when EE inadvertently applied rotation to the drill causing EE's left had to twist around the roof bolt being installed.

June 4, 2020 AL · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Fall onto or against objects

While attempting to repair a broken track on the operator side of the miner. EE slipped and fell on the track, resulting in a laceration to the right wrist which required 5 stitches. EE returned to work on the same day.

May 24, 2020 AL · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
CLAS COAL COMPANY INC. · Struck by flying object

Subject was in close vicinity where a repair man was using a hammer and chisel on the off side roof bolter drill head. A piece of the chisel broke away when struck by the hammer and hit EE underneath the chin. The sliver of metal was embedded under the skin.

2019 · 1 incident

August 27, 2019 AL · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) POWERED HAULAGE
Z & J Operating, LLC · Struck against a moving object

Section down, 9 men left early (1:00-1:15PM). 9 men traveling on 13 man rail ride. Heard noise, stopped and determined that both leaf springs had twisted and caused ride to lower. They proceeded slowly and made regular stops. Ride struck end of rail, sudden stop, an employee's right side hit operator's compartment.

2018 · 3 incidents

December 28, 2018 AL · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Z & J Operating, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was drilling on dual boom bolter and smashed finger (thumb) with a drill steel causing injury.

November 2, 2018 AL · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Z & J Operating, LLC · Struck against stationary object

Employee cut arm between tailpiece and scoop. Employee pushed tailpiece up edge of scoop bucket and caught arm on scoop deck.

October 7, 2018 AL · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Z & J Operating, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee hit finger with a hammer.

2015 · 2 incidents

August 31, 2015 AL · Coal examiner, fire boss, pre-shift examiner, mine examiner POWERED HAULAGE
Prospect Mining and Development Company, Inc. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Foreman/fireboss was driving a battery powered 2 man ride. He stated that he was backing up and an electrical cable - hanging from the roof - came in contact with the back of his hard hat; causing a neck strain.

August 24, 2015 AL · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON

Employee was on the locomotive traveling from outside to the end of the track underground. He jumped from the locomotive while it was still moving; and he fell to the ground. He tried to brace his fall with his right hand; and he fractured his right wrist.

2013 · 1 incident

October 21, 2013 AL · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Prospect Mining and Development Company, Inc. · Accident type, without injuries

Mine Foreman was conducting a weekly exam. He found a roof fall in the section return (entry no 1 )between spad 7+00 and 7+50. The large horse-back was at the anchorage of the 5 foot bolt. MSHA was called at 10:30 A.M. The area was dangered off, then cribbed, and the return air was rerouted to entry no 2.

2012 · 3 incidents

2011 · 1 incident

March 25, 2011 AL · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Prospect Mining and Development Company, Inc. · Struck by falling object

IE and two men were removing the off side planetary from the joy miner. They were using a set of come-a-longs and two ply bars. While laying on his side, EEs' ply bar slipped, causing his legs to move inward-the planetary fell out and onto his right foot-mashing btw planetary and cat track. No broken bones.

2010 · 1 incident

November 17, 2010 AL · Coal security guard, watchman OTHER
Prospect Mining and Development Company, Inc. · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The night time Security Guard had pre-existing medical conditions. He died of an apparent heart attack exiting his motor home parked beside the mine office.

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

The full compliance file on Carbon Hill Mine

A dated report covering the 26-year penalty trail, line-item violation pattern, contest and docket posture, rate-normalized peer benchmark, and full fatality history. Delivered as a PDF with the underlying data as CSV.