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.
123 citations across 2,128 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Four Mile has $20K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K 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.
$20K
proposed penalties
$19K
current assessed
$17K
paid to date
$2K
outstanding
116 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $4K in penalties contested before the Commission, $4K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-06-24.
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.
35citations taken to the federal commission · 28% of citations on record
Settled
25 · 71%
Stood as issued
9 · 26%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 3%
67%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 9 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
9%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$4K proposed, $4K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2019-05-21.
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 Four Mile shows 100% of 237 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: 2026-07-30
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
237
samples
1.04
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.
123 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 114 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.
Four Mile recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ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 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.08 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
2025 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2024 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2023 *
2.26
2.26
0.000
2022 *
3.03
3.03
0.000
2021 *
5.81
5.81
0.000
2020 *
2.00
2.00
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
0.00
0.00
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)
2026
17
77,059
2025
18
114,851
2024
25
119,890
2023
30
171,019
2022
20
107,984
2021
20
146,562
2020
32
152,402
2019
29
207,911
2018
11
25,630
2016
0
2015
0
2014
0
2013
5
111
2012
16
56,350
2011
36
171,005
2009
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Four Mile sits in Bell County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.6% 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.
Bell County, Kentucky · Population 23,878
3.6%
Mining share of county employment
$32,403
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
2026 Q2
11,272
4
0
354.9
2026 Q1
12,044
0
0
0.0
2025 Q4
11,987
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
10,908
0
0
0.0
2025 Q2
10,281
4
3
389.1
2025 Q1
12,035
1
0
83.1
2024 Q4
4,311
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
10,305
0
0
0.0
Show 46 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
25,660
3
0
116.9
2024 Q1
26,027
0
0
0.0
2023 Q4
25,453
3
0
117.9
2023 Q3
19,380
3
1
154.8
2023 Q2
23,400
0
0
0.0
2023 Q1
20,083
2
0
99.6
2022 Q4
17,561
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
17,731
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
15,023
8
1
532.5
2022 Q1
15,781
3
1
190.1
2021 Q4
14,776
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
15,422
11
2
713.3
2021 Q2
21,240
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
17,392
3
0
172.5
2020 Q4
21,319
2
0
93.8
2020 Q3
22,971
12
1
522.4
2020 Q2
28,304
0
0
0.0
2020 Q1
27,310
11
1
402.8
2019 Q4
23,031
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
23,500
7
0
297.9
2019 Q2
24,242
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
23,905
2
0
83.7
2018 Q4
14,735
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
7,179
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
0
0
0
2018 Q1
738
0
0
0.0
2016 Q4
0
0
0
2016 Q3
0
0
0
2016 Q2
0
0
0
2016 Q1
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
0
0
2014 Q3
0
0
0
2014 Q2
0
0
0
2013 Q4
263
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
1,113
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
7,451
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
1,000
1
0
1000.0
2012 Q1
11,435
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
27,528
1
1
36.3
2011 Q3
26,018
14
1
538.1
2011 Q2
26,135
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
9 on file
2026 · 1 incident
January 29, 2026KY · Coalminer, prospector, necMACHINERY
Removing broken master link bolts - D10T track. Elevated portion on the service truck crane and a crib block. When lowering track to ground, engaged boom in order to elevate the track off the crib block. Boom had a delayed due to a now diagnosed missing sensor spring. The boom raised unexpectedly, caused tension on the crane cable and the cable whiplashed. Laceration to forehead.
While pulling a transmission and torque out of loader, had to remove auto lube pump and tank to get out of the way. During the process another employee was helping with it and somehow tripped up and fell causing the auto lube pump to fall and hit employee in the top of head.
May 6, 2022KY · Coalblaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkeyHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was opening side door on box trailer, where wet hole bags are stored. Employee pulled handle to unlatch door when handle sprung around striking employee above right eye, causing a laceration above right eye approximately 1 inch in length. Employee received 4 stitches to the laceration.
Employee was steam cleaning a D11R Dozer, when they slipped, fell and hit left knee on the dozers' blade stabilizer bar. Employee did not miss any work until 9-11-2020.
2011 · 2 incidents
July 28, 2011KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanPOWERED HAULAGE
Employee was hauling mud on Volvo truck when he went across ruts in road and jerked the cab of the truck hurting his lower back. Employee didn't tell foreman until next day 7/29/11 and did not go to ER until 7/30/11 and is not going to his regular doctor until 8/1/11, he then came back to work on 8/3/11 and left early to go back to the ER with back pain.
Employee was cleaning up area after a storm with a skid loader. He kept twisting his neck to back up then go forward. Developed pain in neck. Employee didn't immediately go to the doctor.
Related mines
Other mines operated by Nally & Hamilton Enterprises Inc