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: 542 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Elswick Fork #1 has $27K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 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.
$27K
proposed penalties
$21K
current assessed
$21K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
53 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $25K in penalties contested before the Commission, $14K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2002-09-27.
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 Elswick Fork #1 shows 96% of 50 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: 2000-10-02, 25 years ago
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
50
samples
4.43
dust max (mg/m3)
6 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 44 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.
Elswick Fork #1 recorded 7.88 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2000.
Injury rate, 2000
ⓘ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.
7.88
total case rate
5.91
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
About average. The US coal mining average was 7.74 and the all-US-mining average was 5.64 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 8.83 cases per 100 workers that year.
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)
2002
0
2001
0
2000
40
687,929
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Elswick Fork #1 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
I WAS SHOWING EE WHAT I NEEDED HIM TO DO. HE WAS WALKING BACK TO HIS LOADER, HE HAD STEPPED FROM LEVEL GROUND TO WHERE A DOZER HAD TRAMMED THROUGH, MUST HAVE STEPPED WRONG AND LOOKED TO HAVE O VER EXTENDED KNEE, IT WAS ONLY ABOUT A 6" DROP.
AT APPROX 1:00, THE SHOVEL OPERATOR AND TRUCK OPERATORS STOPPED FOR LUNCH. THE EQUIPMENT WAS WORKING IN THE PIT EAST OF THE PARKING LOT. THE SHOVEL WAS PARKED ON THE MIDDLE SEAM AND THE TRUCKS WERE PARKED 10 FT ABOVE THE SHOVEL ON THE TOP SEAM. EMPLOYEE WALKED FROM SHOVEL TO TRUCK, HE CLIMBED UP THE SLOPED LOOSE MATERIAL, HE TRIPPED LOSING HIS BALANCE, FALLING TO GROUND.
February 8, 2000KY · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
SUBJECT CLIMBING OFF LOADER, ATTEMPTING TO STEP TO SECOND STEP WHEN HIS FOOT DID NOT PIVOT AROUND WHEN HIS BODY MOVED CAUSING TO LOSE BALANCE WHEN STEP DOWNWARD WAS MADE HIS LEFT FOOT WAS INSE RTED AT AN ANGLE DUE TO THE NON SLIP MATERIAL ONSTEP. FOOT DID NOT PIVOT WITH BODY MOVEMENT SUBJECT FELL TO GROUND.
February 3, 2000KY · Coalgreaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oilerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
CHECKING AND FILLING BRAKE CANISTERS ON 980F, PUTTING LIDS BACK ON AND HAND SLIPPED, HIS THUMB CAUGHT METAL THEREFORE CUTTING TOP OF THUMB AT THE KNUCKLE. EE HAS NOT RETURNED TO WORK.
1999 · 4 incidents
August 4, 1999KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE WAS INSPECTING RADIATOR BRACKETS ON D-11N CAT DOZER. WHILE CLIMBING DOWN FROM THE MACHINE, FOOT SLIPPED ON MUD THAT WAS ON THE PUSHARM, FELL HITTING HIS LEFT SHOULDER.
EE WAS RETURNING OIL HOSE FROM BACK OF SERVICE TRUCK. THE HOSE ROLLED UP TO MUCH, HE CLIMBED UP ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK TO GET HOSE & SLIPPED FALLING OFF BACKWARDS
February 5, 1999KY · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EE WAS WALKING AROUND BACK OF CAB. INSPECTION DOOR HAD BEEN LEFT OPEN. EE STEPPED INTO THE INSPECTION AREA WITH HIS LEFT LEG CAUSING DAMAGE TO ANKLE AND HEEL AREA.
MECHANIC WHILE CLIMBING DOWN THE LADDER ON A 785TRUCK SLIPPED, HIS LEFT LEG WENT INSIDE A LADDERRUNG CAUSING HIM TO LOSE HIS BALANCE SO HE FELL TO THE GROUND TWISTED LEFT KNEE, SPRAINED HIS NI ECK AT TIMPACT (LADDER WAS WET & MUDDY)
August 9, 1998KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON