Halfway Branch Surface Mine has $21K in proposed MSHA penalties and $784 outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
11
Years on record
2001–2011
Latest incident
Apr 2011
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
99
citations
60
significant & substantial
$21,360
proposed penalties
$17,576
paid to date
82% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $3,784 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.
99 citations across 1,165 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Halfway Branch Surface Mine has $21K in proposed MSHA penalties and $784 outstanding across 2 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.
$21K
proposed penalties
$18K
current assessed
$18K
paid to date
$784
outstanding
94 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $4K in penalties contested before the Commission, $1K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2012-05-17.
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.
1citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
Stood as issued
1 · 100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 1 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$72 proposed, $72 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 2005-05-05.
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 Halfway Branch Surface Mine shows 100% of 86 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: 2012-05-24, 14 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
86
samples
0.80
dust max (mg/m3)
85 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 1 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.
Halfway Branch Surface Mine recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2012.
Injury rate, 2012
ⓘ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 3.74 and the all-US-mining average was 2.96 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.35 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
2012 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2011 *
2.95
2.95
0.000
2005 *
2.33
0.00
0.000
2004 *
2.36
2.36
0.000
2003
3.44
0.00
0.000
2002
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)
2014
0
2013
1
2012
20
52,941
2011
24
145,309
2010
0
2009
0
2008
0
2007
1
2006
14
55,463
2005
31
589,598
2004
36
257,780
2003
48
523,208
2002
49
570,848
2001
18
96,521
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Halfway Branch Surface 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
2014 Q1
0
0
0
2013 Q4
0
0
0
2013 Q3
0
0
0
2013 Q2
0
0
0
2013 Q1
1,093
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
2,252
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
4,078
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
14,898
4
2
268.5
Show 42 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2012 Q1
17,754
1
0
56.3
2011 Q4
17,533
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
12,207
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
20,142
7
4
347.5
2011 Q1
18,026
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
0
0
0
2010 Q3
0
1
0
2010 Q2
0
0
0
2010 Q1
0
0
0
2009 Q4
0
0
0
2009 Q3
0
0
0
2009 Q2
0
0
0
2009 Q1
0
0
0
2008 Q4
0
0
0
2008 Q3
0
0
0
2008 Q2
0
0
0
2008 Q1
214
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
0
0
0
2007 Q3
793
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
297
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
0
0
0
2006 Q3
3,267
0
0
0.0
2006 Q2
3,863
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
25,365
5
5
197.1
2005 Q4
20,331
1
0
49.2
2005 Q3
21,003
3
1
142.8
2005 Q2
22,125
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
22,320
8
5
358.4
2004 Q4
20,704
0
0
0.0
2004 Q3
20,535
6
5
292.2
2004 Q2
7,200
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
36,420
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
33,264
6
3
180.4
2003 Q3
30,446
2
0
65.7
2003 Q2
22,001
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
30,502
2
1
65.6
2002 Q4
35,290
4
2
113.3
2002 Q3
34,928
2
2
57.3
2002 Q2
35,955
25
12
695.3
2002 Q1
24,467
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
17,412
4
2
229.7
2001 Q3
4,485
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
11 on file
2011 · 2 incidents
April 12, 2011KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerOTHER
Employee had moved a Cat. 992 loader out of the way of the pit. He walked over to his dozer (147 ft) and began his pre shift of the dozer. He had walked around the front of the left corner of blade when he collapsed. He was found by the loader operator. CPR was initiated immediately and was continued to the hospital and until he was pronounced deceased.
March 17, 2011KY · Coaldriller, highwall operator, highwall drill operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was raising a hinged cover on the highwall miner launch when the cover slipped out of his right hand and fell on his left hand and fingers resulting in a fracture and laceration. The highwall miner was idle preparing to change location.
EE WORKING ON TRUCK. 21/4" SOCKET CAME OFF 3/4" DRIVE IMPACT WRENCH, STRUCK HIS MOUTH CHIPPING TOOTH AND CUTTING BOTH LIPS. NO STITCHES, BUT TOOTH REQUIRED DENTAL WORK.
Employee was connecting blast holes. He was two rows away from highwall. Second employee was watching wall. A rock fell from top, hit a safety bench and bounced out. Hit ee on shoulder resulting in hairline fracture.
May 23, 2005KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee picked up a drive-line assembly without gloves, and cut his finger on a burr. He was taken to the E.R. where stitches were used to close the wound.
MEMBER WAS BUSTING COAL IN PIT #7. THE COAL IS HARD, MEMBER ROLLED THE LOADER BUCKET AND PRESSED HARD. WHEN THE COAL BROKE, THE LOADER BOUNCED. THIS JERKING INJURED THE MEMBER'S LOWER BACK.
2003 · 3 incidents
November 24, 2003KY · Coalmine manager, mine foreman, mine ownerMACHINERY
EMPLOYEE WAS DISMOUNTING A BACKHOE WHEN HIS FOOT SLIPPED CAUSING HIM TO FALL. HE STRUCK HIS ELBOW ON THE GROUND. HE SUSTAINED A CHIP TO HIS LEFT ELBOW.