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.
78 citations across 1,205 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Colmar has $44K in proposed MSHA penalties and $5K 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.
$44K
proposed penalties
$39K
current assessed
$34K
paid to date
$5K
outstanding
69 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $51K in penalties contested before the Commission, $17K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-04-01.
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.
7citations taken to the federal commission · 9% of citations on record
Settled
1 · 14%
Stood as issued
4 · 57%
Vacated or withdrawn
2 · 29%
50%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 2 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
67%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$51K proposed, $17K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2022-06-21.
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 Colmar shows 100% of 113 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: 2026-08-04
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
113
samples
1.23
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.
56 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 57 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.
Colmar recorded 9.76 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ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.
9.76
total case rate
4.88
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.08 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
2025 *
9.76
4.88
0.000
2023 *
2.87
2.87
0.000
2022 *
9.55
9.55
2.388
* 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)
2026
16
54,983
2025
14
132,703
2024
15
44,061
2023
24
90,232
2022
27
117,759
2021
19
56,284
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Colmar sits in Bell County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.6% 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.
Bell County, Kentucky · Population 23,878
3.6%
Mining share of county employment
$32,403
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
Employee was helping set up Highwall Miner when they walked around front left track, when a mud ball fell from highwall and busted on ground throwing debris, hitting employee in groin area.
2024 · 1 incident
November 4, 2024KY · Coalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was driving down haul road in personal vehicle when employee met an employee from the day shift crew leaving work early coming up the haul road. Employee coming down the haul road was in the center of the road striking the day shift's employee vehicle in the driver's side front.
2022 · 3 incidents
December 27, 2022KY · Coalblaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkeySLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was getting out of the bed of EE's work truck when EE went to step to the ground from the rear bumper location, employee foot slipped due to the ground being froze and slick causing EE to fall and hitting EE's left knee on the ground.
July 26, 2022KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerPOWERED HAULAGE
EE was operating 980M Caterpillar Frontend Loader cleaning up loose material in the pit area, when bucket became lodged in solid material. When EE went to back up the bucket became dislodged from the solid material and slammed EE down, causing the seat to bottom out on the seat frame.
Employee was climbing off grader when the wind blew the grader door hit employee in back knocking employee off grader onto ground, landed flat on back, knocking the breath out of employee.
Related mines
Other mines operated by Nally & Hamilton Enterprises Inc