Cook & Sons: 49 MSHA citations Coal
Earnest Cook & Sons Mining Inc
· Surface
Controlled by
Michael K Cook; Randy A Cook
MSHA Mine ID: 1517714
Cook & Sons has $14K in proposed MSHA penalties and $60 outstanding across 6 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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- Fatalities
- 0
- Total incidents
- 0
- Years on record
- —
- Latest incident
- —
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
49
citations
26
significant & substantial
$13,519
proposed penalties
$9,069
paid to date
67% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $4,450 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
21
inspections on record
347
inspection hours
n/a
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.Rate withheld: 347 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Cook & Sons has $14K in proposed MSHA penalties and $60 outstanding across 6 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.$14K
proposed penalties
$9K
current assessed
$9K
paid to date
$60
outstanding
48 assessments are final orders; 6 contested dockets.
Of $12K in penalties contested before the Commission, $7K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2003-10-23.
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.54.2%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
54.2%
reasonably likely or greater
10.4%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 10.4% low, 89.6% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KENT20010369 | Settlement | Bulluck | 2002 | $6K → $2K |
| KENT20010191 | Settlement | Barbour | 2001 | $2K → $2K |
| KENT20010250 | Settlement | Barbour | 2001 | $1K → $1K |
| KENT20020007 | Settlement | Bulluck | 2002 | $1K → $395 |
| KENT20010144 | Settlement | Barbour | 2001 | $894 → $797 |
| KENT20010247 | Settlement | Barbour | 2001 | $475 → $475 |
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at Cook & Sons shows 93% of 30 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: 2002-03-07, 24 years ago
ⓘ
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.93%
within 1.5 mg/m3
30
samples
3.62
dust max (mg/m3)
27 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 3 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR8
- HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR7
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER5
Silica (quartz)
Last sampled: 2001-07-05, 25 years ago14.7
silica avg (%)
7
samples
24.9
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR3
- HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR3
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER1
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: 2002-03-07, 24 years ago
ⓘ
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.0%
over PEL
3
samples
Most-sampled occupations
- AUGER HELPER1
- AUGER OPERATOR1
- LABORER/BLACKSMITH1
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 100% | 3 |
| 2001 | 89% | 19 |
| 2000 | 100% | 8 |
Silica (quartz) by year
| Year | silica avg (%) | samples |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 10.8 | 4 |
| 2000 | 19.9 | 3 |
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
- Big Elk Creek Coal Company Inc 1995 to 2000
- Earnest Cook & Sons Mining Inc 2000 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 3 | |
| 2003 | 3 | |
| 2002 | 3 | 7,535 |
| 2001 | 8 | 50,351 |
| 2000 | 15 | 80,138 |
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Cook & Sons sits in Letcher County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.5% 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.Letcher County, Kentucky · Population 21,146
3.5%
Mining share of county employment
$40,501
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Q1 | 480 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2003 Q4 | 480 | 1 | 0 | 2083.3 |
| 2003 Q3 | 480 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2003 Q2 | 480 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2003 Q1 | 480 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2002 Q4 | 480 | 1 | 0 | 2083.3 |
| 2002 Q3 | 480 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2002 Q2 | 480 | 1 | 0 | 2083.3 |
Show 8 earlier quarters Hide earlier quarters
| Quarter | Hours worked | Citations | S&S | Per 1M hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Q1 | 1,950 | 6 | 3 | 3076.9 |
| 2001 Q4 | 1,560 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2001 Q3 | 4,680 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2001 Q2 | 4,002 | 14 | 7 | 3498.3 |
| 2001 Q1 | 5,630 | 12 | 9 | 2131.4 |
| 2000 Q4 | 4,638 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2000 Q3 | 3,369 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2000 Q2 | 1,913 | 12 | 5 | 6272.9 |
No reportable incidents on file.
MSHA has no recorded reportable accidents for this mine in the current dataset. New reports appear here within a week of being filed.