Mining Incidents

Colona Synfuel: 33 MSHA citations Coal

Louisa, Lawrence County, KY  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 1510789

Colona Synfuel has $3K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
4
Years on record
1990–2000
Latest incident
Sep 2000
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
33
citations
12
significant & substantial
$2,614
proposed penalties
$2,614
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
72
inspections on record
1,180
inspection hours
2.8
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.
33 citations across 1,180 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Colona Synfuel has $3K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 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.
$3K
proposed penalties
$3K
current assessed
$3K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
31 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2014-08-25.
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.
36.4%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
36.4%
reasonably likely or greater
12.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 36.4% low, 63.6% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Colona Synfuel shows 99% of 93 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: 2014-08-20, 12 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
93
samples
2.31
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.
92 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 1 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER33
  • GROUNDMAN13
  • WEIGHMAN12

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: 2013-10-29, 12 years ago
0%
over PEL
46
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER17
  • GROUNDMAN6
  • MINE FOREMAN/MINE MANAGER5
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
2014 100% 4
2013 100% 6
2012 100% 3
2011 100% 3
2009 100% 3
2007 94% 18
2005 100% 10
2004 100% 9
2003 100% 10
2002 100% 5
2001 100% 12
2000 100% 10
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2013 0% 6
2012 0% 3
2011 0% 3
2009 0% 4
2007 0% 11
2005 0% 5
2004 0% 3
2003 0% 5
2002 0% 6
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Colona Synfuel recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2007.

Injury rate, 2007
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 4.71 and the all-US-mining average was 3.77 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 5.12 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
2007 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2006 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2005 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2004 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2003 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2002 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2001 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2000 * 10.86 10.86 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. Tri-State Terminals Inc 1977 to 1982
  2. Belfry Coal Corp 1982 to 1990
  3. Kentucky May Coal Company Inc 1990 to 1995
  4. Double C Construction Ltd 1994 to 1994
  5. Island Fork Construction Ltd 1994 to 1995
  6. Big Sandy Resources Inc 1995 to 1998
  7. Colona Synfuel Llc 1998 to 2000
  8. Colona Synfuel L L C 2000 to 2010
  9. Kanawha River Terminals LLC 2010 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2020 0
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 0
2014 4
2013 2
2012 1
2011 5
2010 2
2009 2
2008 1
2007 22
2006 18
2005 27
2004 19
2003 17
2002 20
2001 20
2000 15
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Colona Synfuel sits in Lawrence County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.4% 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.
Lawrence County, Kentucky · Population 16,171
3.4%
Mining share of county employment
$45,584
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
2020 Q4 0 0 0
2020 Q3 0 0 0
2020 Q2 0 0 0
2020 Q1 0 0 0
2019 Q4 0 0 0
2019 Q3 0 0 0
2019 Q2 0 0 0
2019 Q1 0 0 0
Show 76 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2018 Q4 0 0 0
2018 Q3 0 0 0
2018 Q2 0 0 0
2018 Q1 0 0 0
2017 Q4 0 0 0
2017 Q3 0 0 0
2017 Q2 0 0 0
2017 Q1 0 0 0
2016 Q4 0 0 0
2016 Q3 0 0 0
2016 Q2 0 0 0
2016 Q1 0 0 0
2015 Q4 0 0 0
2015 Q3 0 0 0
2015 Q2 0 0 0
2015 Q1 0 0 0
2014 Q4 1,920 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 1,920 3 1 1562.5
2014 Q2 2,080 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 2,772 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 1,843 2 0 1085.2
2013 Q3 1,562 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 626 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 0 0 0
2012 Q4 0 0 0
2012 Q3 0 0 0
2012 Q2 0 1 0
2012 Q1 1,000 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 3,600 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 1,440 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 3,000 1 0 333.3
2011 Q1 2,400 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 210 2 0 9523.8
2010 Q3 1,440 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 0 0 0
2010 Q1 0 0 0
2009 Q4 960 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 1,440 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 0 0 0
2009 Q1 0 0 0
2008 Q4 0 0 0
2008 Q3 336 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 0 0 0
2008 Q1 0 0 0
2007 Q4 12,788 1 0 78.2
2007 Q3 16,460 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 18,148 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 13,546 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 5,883 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 0 0 0
2006 Q2 8,318 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 14,379 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 14,144 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 16,397 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 17,255 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 16,074 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 11,850 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 13,916 1 0 71.9
2004 Q2 10,935 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 11,494 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 10,507 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 7,593 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 9,347 1 0 107.0
2003 Q1 7,433 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 5,984 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 10,289 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 11,733 2 1 170.5
2002 Q1 12,057 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 13,907 3 1 215.7
2001 Q3 10,945 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 8,382 2 1 238.6
2001 Q1 8,675 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 10,398 5 1 480.9
2000 Q3 10,338 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 9,584 3 1 313.0
2000 Q1 6,503 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

4 on file

2000 · 2 incidents

September 8, 2000 KY · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator POWERED HAULAGE
Colona Synfuel Llc · Struck against a moving object

EE STATES THAT A TWISTING MOTION INSIDE ENDLOADER CAUSED PAIN IN CENTER OF BACK.

June 5, 2000 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Colona Synfuel Llc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

PICKING UP A PIECE OF RE-BAR.

1998 · 1 incident

September 4, 1998 KY · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Colona Synfuel Llc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS SHOVELING COAL DUST IN THE CRUSHER AREA. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS SQUATTING AND SHOVELING UNDER TUNNEL BELT UNDER CRUSHER AND INJURED HIS BACK.

1990 · 1 incident

February 26, 1990 KY · Coal electrician, lineman ELECTRICAL
Belfry Coal Corp · Flash burns (electric)

EMPLOYEE STUCK VOLTAGE METER LEADS INTO BREAKER BOX. HE HAD METER ON WRONG SETTING, WHICH CAUSED A FLASH (ELECTRICAL ARC).