Holmes Mill, Harlan County,
KY
·
Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 1518185
Darby Mine No 1 has $553K in proposed MSHA penalties and $505K outstanding across 7 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
5
Total incidents
28
Years on record
2001–2006
Latest incident
May 2006
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
378
citations
156
significant & substantial
$552,766
proposed penalties
$23,684
paid to date
4% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $529,082 gap.
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.
378 citations across 11,294 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Darby Mine No 1 has $553K in proposed MSHA penalties and $505K outstanding across 7 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.
$553K
proposed penalties
$528K
current assessed
$24K
paid to date
$505K
outstanding
363 assessments are final orders; 7 contested dockets.
Of $522K in penalties contested before the Commission, $498K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2007-04-12.
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.
78citations taken to the federal commission · 21% of citations on record
Settled
51 · 65%
Stood as issued
27 · 35%
100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 54 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
5%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$522K proposed, $498K 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 2007-11-01.
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 Darby Mine No 1 shows 88% of 414 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: 2006-05-19, 20 years ago
88%
within 1.5 mg/m3
414
samples
8.35
dust max (mg/m3)
195 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 219 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.
Darby Mine No 1 recorded 34.37 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2006.
Injury rate, 2006
ⓘ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.
34.37
total case rate
34.37
days-away rate
28.639
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 4.87 and the all-US-mining average was 3.91 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 5.96 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
2006 *
34.37
34.37
28.639
2005 *
5.24
0.00
0.000
2004 *
19.20
5.49
0.000
2003 *
12.52
6.26
0.000
2002 *
12.33
9.25
0.000
2001 *
17.83
17.83
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)
2007
0
2006
17
92,660
2005
33
188,052
2004
33
238,450
2003
31
264,005
2002
30
250,454
2001
20
134,614
2000
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Darby Mine No 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
Kentucky Darby Llc · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
On Sat., 5/20/06, at approx., 1AM, an explosion occurred underground at the mine. The explosion occurred during the 3rd shift that is designated as the maintenance shift. The source & causes of explosion are unk at this time. Explosion claimed the lives of 5 of the 6 miners. All the victims have been recovered. The surviving miner was taken to hospital, treated and released.
May 20, 2006KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techFatality · IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST
Kentucky Darby Llc · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
On Sat., 5/20/06, at approx., 1AM, an explosion occurred underground at the mine. The explosion occurred during the 3rd shift that is designated as the maintenance shift. The source & causes of explosion are unk at this time. Explosion claimed the lives of 5 of the 6 miners. All the victims have been recovered. The surviving miner was taken to hospital, treated and released.
On Sat., 5/20/06, at approx., 1AM, an explosion occurred underground at the mine. The explosion occurred during the 3rd shift that is designated as the maintenance shift. The source & causes of explosion are unk at this time. Explosion claimed the lives of 5 of the 6 miners. All the victims have been recovered. The surviving miner was taken to hospital, treated and released.
May 20, 2006KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techFatality · IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST
Kentucky Darby Llc · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
On Sat., 5/20/06, at approx., 1AM, an explosion occurred underground at the mine. The explosion occurred during the 3rd shift that is designated as the maintenance shift. The source & causes of explosion are unk at this time. Explosion claimed the lives of 5 of the 6 miners. All the victims have been recovered. The surviving miner was taken to hospital, treated and released.
On Sat., 5/20/06, at approx., 1AM, an explosion occurred underground at the mine. The explosion occurred during the 3rd shift that is designated as the maintenance shift. The source & causes of explosion are unk at this time. Explosion claimed the lives of 5 of the 6 miners. All the victims have been recovered. The surviving miner was taken to hospital, treated and released.
On Sat., 5/20/06, at approx., 1AM, an explosion occurred underground at the mine. The explosion occurred during the 3rd shift that is designated as the maintenance shift. The source & causes of explosion are unk at this time. Explosion claimed the lives of 5 of the 6 miners. All the victims have been recovered. The surviving miner was taken to hospital, treated and released.
A ROOF FALL OCCURRED ON #2 LEFT ENTRY IN #2 & #3 INTERSECTION #6 BRK. THERE WAS NO RESTRICTION TO VENTILATION. THE FALL WILL BE CRIBBED OFF AND WILL NOT BE CLEANED UP.
A roof fall occurred on 1st left in no. 5 entry no. 8 break with no restriction to ventilation or travel. The fall will be cribbed off and not cleaned up.
June 15, 2005KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Kentucky Darby Llc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EMPLOYEE WAS INSTALLING ROOF BOLTS.
April 28, 2005KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Kentucky Darby Llc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Installing roof bolts, pushed wrong lever & mashed finger.
2004 · 7 incidents
October 22, 2004KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)STRIKING OR BUMPING
EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING THE MINER. A PIECE OF DRAW ROCK FELL IN THE CUT. THE PIECE OF DRAW ROCK BROKE A ROOF STRAP AND HIT EMPLOYEE CAUSINGINJURY TO EMPLOYEE'S PELVIS.
September 15, 2001KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Kentucky Darby Llc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
HAD HAND ON HEAD OF ROOF BOLTER AND PINCHED IT BETWEEN HEAD AND BOOM.