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.
633 citations across 3,505 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Cowpen Mine has $113K in proposed MSHA penalties and $80K outstanding across 19 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.
$113K
proposed penalties
$107K
current assessed
$26K
paid to date
$80K
outstanding
610 assessments are final orders; 19 contested dockets.
Of $48K in penalties contested before the Commission, $41K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2023-09-22.
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.
206citations taken to the federal commission · 33% of citations on record
Settled
199 · 97%
Stood as issued
6 · 3%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 0%
98%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 50 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
15%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$48K proposed, $41K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2023-11-20.
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 Cowpen Mine shows 96% of 324 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: 2023-09-28
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
324
samples
2.32
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.
119 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 205 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.
Cowpen Mine recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2023.
Injury rate, 2023
ⓘ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 3.17 and the all-US-mining average was 2.10 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.32 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
2023 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2011 *
5.62
5.62
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.
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)
2024
0
2023
24
68,245
2022
18
45,285
2017
0
2016
0
2015
0
2014
11
32,862
2013
9
6,884
2012
18
19,614
2011
18
69,203
2010
0
2009
12
23,402
2008
21
59,199
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Cowpen Mine sits in Pike County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 5.1% 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.
Pike County, Kentucky · Population 57,466
5.1%
Mining share of county employment
$42,179
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
2024 Q3
0
0
0
2024 Q2
0
0
0
2024 Q1
0
0
0
2023 Q4
1,547
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
14,201
41
6
2887.1
2023 Q2
13,921
21
4
1508.5
2023 Q1
12,253
54
14
4407.1
2022 Q4
11,191
46
7
4110.4
Show 34 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2022 Q3
12,246
44
8
3593.0
2022 Q2
9,614
45
8
4680.7
2022 Q1
1,269
4
2
3152.1
2017 Q2
0
0
0
2017 Q1
0
0
0
2016 Q4
0
0
0
2016 Q3
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
0
1
0
2014 Q3
1,100
2
0
1818.2
2014 Q2
8,842
47
6
5315.5
2014 Q1
9,842
68
14
6909.2
2013 Q4
5,831
17
3
2915.5
2013 Q3
850
2
0
2352.9
2012 Q2
48
10
1
208333.3
2012 Q1
11,783
22
13
1867.1
2011 Q4
21,848
25
10
1144.3
2011 Q3
10,814
28
6
2589.2
2011 Q2
2,934
28
8
9543.3
2011 Q1
0
0
0
2010 Q4
0
0
0
2010 Q3
0
0
0
2010 Q2
0
0
0
2010 Q1
0
0
0
2009 Q4
996
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
705
1
0
1418.4
2009 Q2
2,106
6
0
2849.0
2009 Q1
14,099
22
3
1560.4
2008 Q4
18,050
61
17
3379.5
2008 Q3
7,585
17
5
2241.3
2008 Q2
0
1
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
3 on file
2011 · 1 incident
May 4, 2011KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Picking rock and felt pain in left shoulder. * Previous accident on 4 wheeler.
2008 · 1 incident
October 16, 2008KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Calvary Coal Corp · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Drilling hole in roof and left hand, middle finger, got caught between roof and steel. Negative x-ray, but now referred to hand surgeon. Released to light duty.