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.
330 citations across 2,246 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Creech #1 has $48K in proposed MSHA penalties and $23K outstanding across 4 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.
$48K
proposed penalties
$47K
current assessed
$25K
paid to date
$23K
outstanding
307 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $706 in penalties contested before the Commission, $409 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2004-03-04.
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.
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 Creech #1 shows 96% of 355 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: 2004-03-08, 22 years ago
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
355
samples
5.14
dust max (mg/m3)
173 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 182 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.
Creech #1 recorded 7.03 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2003.
Injury rate, 2003
ⓘ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.
7.03
total case rate
5.27
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 5.87 and the all-US-mining average was 4.43 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 6.65 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2003
7.03
5.27
0.000
2002
1.51
0.00
0.000
2001
1.65
0.00
0.000
2000 *
19.05
19.05
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)
2004
23
39,509
2003
51
239,466
2002
62
369,426
2001
56
295,059
2000
16
45,794
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Creech #1 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
2004 Q2
1,708
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
17,240
12
2
696.1
2003 Q4
21,969
10
3
455.2
2003 Q3
29,409
19
5
646.1
2003 Q2
30,915
8
1
258.8
2003 Q1
31,520
31
17
983.5
2002 Q4
31,704
38
18
1198.6
2002 Q3
32,740
15
4
458.2
Show 10 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2002 Q2
33,250
13
1
391.0
2002 Q1
34,448
10
4
290.3
2001 Q4
33,317
18
6
540.3
2001 Q3
33,736
29
7
859.6
2001 Q2
28,788
19
11
660.0
2001 Q1
25,225
10
4
396.4
2000 Q4
27,109
13
3
479.5
2000 Q3
2,672
1
0
374.3
2000 Q2
1,107
1
0
903.3
2000 Q1
613
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
10 on file
2003 · 5 incidents
July 7, 2003KY · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator
THE EE WAS OPERATING A FLETCHER ROOF DRILL, WHEN A PIECE OF ROCK FELL HITTING THE EE ON THE BACK. ROCK WAS 4"X 19"LONG X 3". EE WORKED HIS USUSAL JOB WITH NO PROBLEM UNTIL 8/26/03. HE CALLED I N ON THAT DAY AND SAID HE WAS GOING TO THE DR. ABOUT HIS ACCIDENT OF 7/7/03. HE HAS NOT RETURNED.
EE WAS CRAWLING TOWARD FRONT OF DRILL TO START BOLTING WHEN A SLIP CAME OUT OF THE RIB HITTING HIM ON THE BACK. RECEIVED A POSITIVE MRI READING 06/26/03 FOR A HERNIATED DISC.
A ROOF FALL MEASURING 20'LONG X 18'WIDE X 3 1/2' TO 5'HIGH WAS DISCOVERED IN #2 ENTRY IN 2ND INTERSECTION APPROX. 700' OUTBY THE ACTIVE SECTION. LOCATION IS 60' TO 80' INBY SS #210.
THE EE ADVISED HIS FOREMAN THAT HE HAD TWISTED HIS KNEE WHILE SERVICING THE JOY MINER. THE EE ADVISED THAT HE WOULD GO TO DR. LATER. ON 1-22-03 EE ADVISED THE HE WOULD NEED TO GO TO DR AT A LA TER TIME, HE WOULD BE BACK TO WORK WHEN HE FELT BETTER AS OF 1-23-03 THE EE HAD NOT WENT TO DR.
2002 · 1 incident
January 11, 2002KY · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE STATED THAT INCIDENT WHICH ALLEGEDLY OCCURRED IN JANUARY 02 RESULTED IN HERNIA DIAGNOSED MONTHS LATER. HE HURT HIS HAND IN AUGUST, PREVENTING HIM FROM WORKING. WHILE OFF WORK WITH THIS NON-WORK RELATED INJURY, HE HAD HERNIA REPAIRED. HE IS EXPECTED TO BE READY TO WORK FROM SURGERY PRIOR TO RELEASE FOR HAND.
2001 · 1 incident
May 6, 2001KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerPOWERED HAULAGE
EE WAS OPERATING A SHUTTLE CAR. AS HE WAS TRAVELING UP THE ENTRY, HE PLACED HIS HAND ON TOP OF THE CAR CANOPY AND HIS FINGER WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE CANOPY AND THE MINE ROOF. FRACTURE AND LACER ATION TO LEFT RING FINGER. RETURNED TO REGULAR DUTIES NEXT SCHEDULED SHIFT.
2000 · 3 incidents
November 12, 2000KY · Coalcontinuous miner operator, coal mole operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE WAS OPERATING SHUTTLE CAR AND AS HE TURNED AROUND TO CHANGE DIRECTIONS, HE TWISTED HIS LEFT KNEE. HE WORKED AT HIS REGULAR JOB UNTIL HAVING SURGERY 3/21/01. BEGAN MISSING 3/23/01.
November 1, 2000KY · Coalscoop car/scooptram operator, load/haul/dump (lhd) operator, teletram operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS