Mining Incidents

CHM 1: 123 MSHA citations Coal

Williamsburg, Whitley County, KY  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 1518765

CHM 1 has $45K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
8
Years on record
2006–2024
Latest incident
Apr 2024
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2004
123
citations
23
significant & substantial
$44,610
proposed penalties
$43,497
paid to date
98% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,113 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2004
78
inspections on record
2,104
inspection hours
5.8
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.
123 citations across 2,104 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

CHM 1 has $45K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 1 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.
$45K
proposed penalties
$45K
current assessed
$43K
paid to date
$1K
outstanding
118 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $29K in penalties contested before the Commission, $29K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-06-11.
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.
19.2%
significant & substantial
5.0%
high negligence or reckless
19.2%
reasonably likely or greater
10.8%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 11.7% low, 83.3% moderate, 5.0% 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.
5 citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
  • Settled 3 · 60%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 2 · 40%
60%
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 5 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
15%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$34K proposed, $29K 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 2012-12-10.
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 2010-282 Settlement Bulluck 2013 $29K → $29K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at CHM 1 shows 100% of 133 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: 2026-06-24
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
133
samples
1.17
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.
125 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 8 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • AUGER OPERATOR41
  • FORKLIFT OPERATOR24
  • GROUNDMAN22

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2023-10-31
0.3
silica avg (%)
1
samples
0.3
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • AUGER 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: 2026-06-23
1%
over PEL
123
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • AUGER OPERATOR32
  • FORKLIFT OPERATOR25
  • GROUNDMAN22
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
2026 100% 5
2025 100% 4
2024 100% 9
2023 100% 9
2022 100% 8
2021 100% 8
2020 100% 4
2019 100% 3
2018 100% 7
2017 100% 7
2015 100% 4
2014 100% 9
2013 100% 6
2012 100% 9
2010 100% 8
2009 100% 7
2008 100% 7
2007 100% 4
2006 100% 8
2005 100% 7
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2026 0% 5
2025 0% 3
2024 0% 3
2023 0% 8
2022 0% 8
2021 0% 12
2020 0% 7
2018 0% 10
2017 0% 7
2015 0% 4
2014 0% 9
2013 20% 5
2012 0% 8
2010 0% 4
2009 0% 4
2008 0% 7
2007 0% 3
2006 0% 8
2005 0% 8
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

CHM 1 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2018.

Injury rate, 2018
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
No reportable injury cases in any year shown. Employee-hours were reported in each of those years, so these are true zeros rather than missing data. Citations, listed in the compliance record above, are inspector-found violations and are counted separately from worker injuries.
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.34 and the all-US-mining average was 2.33 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 3.81 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
2018 * 0.00 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. Black Fuel Energy LLC 2004 to 2011
  2. Black Fuel Energy LLC 2011 to 2012
  3. Kopper Glo Mining, LLC 2012 to 2017
  4. Contract Highwall Mining, LLC 2017 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)
2026 3 20,416
2025 5 52,558
2024 7 134,711
2023 7 109,819
2022 7 218,164
2021 7 162,915
2020 4 20,278
2019 5 33,732
2018 8 182,975
2017 5 96,984
2016 0
2015 4 20,058
2014 4 71,266
2013 5 31,883
2012 3 63,727
2011 4 40,943
2010 6 113,654
2009 6 90,683
2008 7 151,301
2007 8 221,457
2006 8 156,292
2005 8 187,951
2004 4 27,674
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

CHM 1 sits in Whitley County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 0.0% 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.
Whitley County, Kentucky · Population 36,755
0.0%
Mining share of county employment
$41,719
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 1,679 2 1 1191.2
2026 Q1 1,679 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 104 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 2,836 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 2,906 1 0 344.1
2025 Q1 4,110 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 2,544 2 0 786.2
2024 Q3 5,425 0 0 0.0
Show 78 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 6,385 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 3,810 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 4,636 3 0 647.1
2023 Q3 4,168 5 0 1199.6
2023 Q2 3,004 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 708 2 0 2824.9
2022 Q4 2,545 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 5,181 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 5,838 3 0 513.9
2022 Q1 5,426 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 5,716 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 4,511 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 3,064 3 0 979.1
2021 Q1 4,950 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 1,964 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 1,771 2 0 1129.3
2020 Q2 160 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 406 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 3,106 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 235 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 1,084 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 5,830 7 2 1200.7
2018 Q3 4,913 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 6,458 7 1 1083.9
2018 Q1 5,855 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 6,054 3 0 495.5
2017 Q3 6,060 3 0 495.0
2017 Q2 0 0 0
2017 Q1 0 0 0
2016 Q4 0 0 0
2016 Q3 0 0 0
2016 Q1 0 0 0
2015 Q4 523 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 1,301 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 1,409 2 0 1419.4
2015 Q1 140 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 2,176 1 0 459.6
2014 Q3 2,421 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 2,598 7 3 2694.4
2014 Q1 2,582 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 0 0 0
2013 Q3 1,051 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 2,734 2 0 731.5
2013 Q1 2,950 3 1 1016.9
2012 Q4 3,177 3 3 944.3
2012 Q3 1,348 1 0 741.8
2012 Q2 1,265 1 0 790.5
2012 Q1 1,327 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 1,971 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 2,150 1 0 465.1
2011 Q2 2,867 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 2,573 1 1 388.7
2010 Q4 3,687 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 2,847 5 1 1756.2
2010 Q2 4,042 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 2,072 2 0 965.3
2009 Q4 2,942 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 3,388 4 3 1180.6
2009 Q2 4,207 14 1 3327.8
2009 Q1 3,837 2 0 521.2
2008 Q4 5,159 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 3,486 4 0 1147.4
2008 Q2 3,694 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 2,658 1 0 376.2
2007 Q4 4,161 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 3,761 1 0 265.9
2007 Q2 4,317 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 4,170 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 4,522 5 0 1105.7
2006 Q3 3,746 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 6,096 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 5,636 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 4,357 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 4,634 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 5,105 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 3,732 4 0 1071.8
2004 Q4 3,072 3 2 976.6
2004 Q3 1,314 1 1 761.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

8 on file

2024 · 1 incident

April 1, 2024 KY · Coal outside foreman, leadman EXPLODING VESSELS UNDER PRESSURE
Contract Highwall Mining, LLC · Contact with hot objects or substances

The generator overheated so the employee released the pressure then as EE took off the radiator cap the antifreeze spewed up causing burns to EE's face, neck, right shoulder and right arm.

2019 · 1 incident

July 9, 2019 KY · Coal master mechanic, foreman, supervisor STRIKING OR BUMPING
Contract Highwall Mining, LLC · Struck against stationary object

The employee stepped off of the miner and turned around striking EE's elbow on the miner machine. The employee later received medical attention at the Pikeville Medical Center on 7/11/2019. EE was diagnosed with a fractured bone.

2017 · 1 incident

2013 · 1 incident

January 29, 2013 KY · Coal outside foreman, leadman MACHINERY
Kopper Glo Mining, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was using a hand held grinder when he let it slip and the grinding dish struck his left wrist.

2011 · 1 incident

October 6, 2011 KY · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Black Fuel Energy LLC · Struck by falling object

The forklift pushed the cutter head up to the miner to be hooked up when the fork pulled out he didn't realize his toes were under the head which fell down a couple of inches resulting in mashing all 5 toes. No bones were broken just mashed.

2008 · 1 incident

June 11, 2008 KY · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Black Fuel Energy LLC · Struck by falling object

We were in the process of tearing down miner to move to another job. The strap holding the hoses & cables to the reel broke causing the cables & hoses to fall off of reel scraping down victim's back causing scratching & bruising.

2007 · 1 incident

December 26, 2007 KY · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Black Fuel Energy LLC · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Ground person instructed highwall miner operator to push beam forward. Ground person reached to remove debris (dirt) as the beam was approaching the cutting head to be latched together. The ground person reached in before operator could stop forward motion and retracted.

2006 · 1 incident

December 8, 2006 KY · Coal ENTRAPMENT
Black Fuel Energy LLC · Accident type, without injuries

We were mining 630' under the mountain there was a rock fall ont he head when we tried to drill it out the latches brase on beam lowering 18 beams and the mines heard 63rth undergound.