Mining Incidents

Cm&E #3: 149 MSHA citations Coal

Controlled by Benjamin R. Bennett
Pathfork, Harlan County, KY  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 1518145

Cm&E #3 has $34K in proposed MSHA penalties and $9K outstanding across 16 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

Watch this mine

Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Cm&E #3.

Fatalities
0
Total incidents
5
Years on record
2000–2009
Latest incident
Dec 2009
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
149
citations
42
significant & substantial
$33,773
proposed penalties
$17,487
paid to date
52% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $16,286 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
58
inspections on record
1,339
inspection hours
11.1
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.
149 citations across 1,339 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Cm&E #3 has $34K in proposed MSHA penalties and $9K outstanding across 16 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.
$34K
proposed penalties
$26K
current assessed
$17K
paid to date
$9K
outstanding
149 assessments are final orders; 16 contested dockets.
Of $26K in penalties contested before the Commission, $18K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2010-04-13.
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.
28.2%
significant & substantial
1.3%
high negligence or reckless
28.9%
reasonably likely or greater
8.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 10.1% low, 88.6% moderate, 1.3% 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.
64 citations taken to the federal commission · 43% of citations on record
  • Settled 61 · 95%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 3 · 5%
88%
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 16 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
31%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$26K proposed, $18K 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 2010-06-24.
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 2009-1549 Prevail Barbour 2013 $7K → $5K
KENT 2008-567 Settlement Feldman 2009 $6K → $4K
KENT 2010-1210 Settlement Zielinski 2012 $4K → $2K
KENT 2010-767 Prevail Barbour 2013 $2K → $2K
KENT 2008-303 Settlement Lesnick 2010 $1K → $1K
KENT 2008-568 Settlement Feldman 2009 $1K → $580
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Cm&E #3 shows 96% of 216 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: 2010-09-22, 15 years ago
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
216
samples
3.79
dust max (mg/m3)
130 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 86 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR83
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR49
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER44

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2009-07-09, 17 years ago
10.4
silica avg (%)
19
samples
34.6
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR13
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR5
  • OILER/GREASER1

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: 2010-04-07, 16 years ago
4%
over PEL
105
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER33
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR26
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE23
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
2010 100% 11
2009 100% 31
2008 100% 22
2007 100% 28
2006 100% 15
2005 100% 9
2004 100% 18
2003 96% 24
2002 82% 39
2000 100% 19
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2009 0.3 1
2008 29.6 1
2007 13.5 4
2005 1.3 1
2004 25.9 2
2003 8.3 3
2002 0.9 2
2000 6.7 5
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2010 0% 5
2009 0% 23
2008 0% 10
2007 0% 15
2006 0% 10
2005 0% 4
2004 0% 9
2003 0% 12
2002 0% 8
2000 44% 9
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Cm&E #3 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2010.

Injury rate, 2010
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 3.96 and the all-US-mining average was 3.20 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.85 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
2010 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2009 * 4.74 4.74 0.000
2008 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2007 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2006 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2005 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2004 * 3.84 3.84 0.000
2002 * 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. Cloverfork Mining & Excavating Inc 1999 to 2010
  2. Cloverfork Mining & Excavating Inc 2010 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)
2015 0
2014 0
2013 1
2012 1
2011 5
2010 20 45,890
2009 31 149,468
2008 22 126,284
2007 22 123,501
2006 16 103,001
2005 18 139,940
2004 19 133,438
2003 18 130,976
2002 16 160,867
2001 9 14,842
2000 21 48,811
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Cm&E #3 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
2015 Q1 0 0 0
2014 Q4 0 0 0
2014 Q3 0 0 0
2014 Q2 0 0 0
2014 Q1 0 0 0
2013 Q4 0 0 0
2013 Q3 0 0 0
2013 Q2 22 0 0 0.0
Show 48 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2013 Q1 109 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 117 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 187 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 132 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 142 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 1,439 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 3,367 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 3,667 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 3,119 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 2,876 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 5,838 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 16,271 7 0 430.2
2010 Q1 17,246 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 22,759 12 1 527.3
2009 Q3 20,751 6 0 289.1
2009 Q2 21,296 7 2 328.7
2009 Q1 19,559 6 3 306.8
2008 Q4 16,596 13 1 783.3
2008 Q3 14,879 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 15,433 6 0 388.8
2008 Q1 12,807 1 1 78.1
2007 Q4 15,232 2 0 131.3
2007 Q3 14,972 10 6 667.9
2007 Q2 15,256 8 0 524.4
2007 Q1 13,595 5 0 367.8
2006 Q4 10,908 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 11,010 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 11,060 4 1 361.7
2006 Q1 12,175 1 0 82.1
2005 Q4 14,571 3 0 205.9
2005 Q3 9,999 4 0 400.0
2005 Q2 13,640 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 13,789 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 14,744 9 8 610.4
2004 Q3 13,614 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 12,769 1 0 78.3
2004 Q1 10,954 2 0 182.6
2003 Q3 11,681 1 0 85.6
2003 Q2 13,060 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 12,538 6 3 478.5
2002 Q4 12,314 1 1 81.2
2002 Q3 10,233 1 1 97.7
2002 Q2 10,179 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 9,390 5 1 532.5
2001 Q4 5,806 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 9,100 6 3 659.3
2000 Q2 17,438 5 1 286.7
2000 Q1 11,019 2 0 181.5
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

5 on file

2009 · 2 incidents

December 1, 2009 KY · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Cloverfork Mining & Excavating Inc · Fall onto or against objects

EE was loading the powder truck while climbing down the steps he fell striking his right knee on one of the steps.

July 13, 2009 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
Cloverfork Mining & Excavating Inc · Contact with hot objects or substances

EE was cutting a ring off of bit on the drill and air blew thru it blowing hot grease on his face.

2004 · 1 incident

February 3, 2004 KY · Coal

INJURED HAD TRAVELED WITH THE ROCK TRUCK DRIVER FROM WHERE HIS VEHICLE WAS LOCATED TO WHERE HIS DOZER WAS LEFT. INJURED STATED THAT AS HE BEGAN CLIMBING DOWN THE LADDER AT THE ROCK TRUCK, HE L OST HIS FOOTING AND FELL. INJURED SUFFERED A BROKEN WRIST.

2003 · 1 incident

July 22, 2003 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Cloverfork Mining & Excavating Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

INJURED STATED THAT HE WAS CHECKING THE OIL IN THE RD800 GREASE TRUCK AND AS HE WAS LIFTING THE HOOD HE FELT SOMETHING PULL IN HIS LOWER BACK. INJURED HAD NO LOST TIME UNTIL 7-28-03.

2000 · 1 incident

August 10, 2000 KY · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
Cloverfork Mining & Excavating Inc · Struck against a moving object

INJURED STRUCK HIS HEAD AGAINST A METAL BAR LOCATED IN THE CAB OF THE DOZER AS THE DOZER DROPPED OVER AN 8' EMBANKMENT WITH A SUDDEN JAR. INJURED REQUIRED STITCHES TO THE HEAD AND RETURNED TO WORK WHEN THE STITCHES WERE REMOVED WITH NO RESTRICTIONS.