Hamilton County Coal Processing has $18K in proposed MSHA penalties and $151 outstanding across 4 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
8
Years on record
2015–2026
Latest incident
May 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2012
62
citations
16
significant & substantial
$17,643
proposed penalties
$15,709
paid to date
89% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,934 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.
62 citations across 2,775 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Hamilton County Coal Processing has $18K in proposed MSHA penalties and $151 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.
$18K
proposed penalties
$16K
current assessed
$16K
paid to date
$151
outstanding
58 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $5K in penalties contested before the Commission, $3K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-06-29.
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.
5citations taken to the federal commission · 8% of citations on record
Settled
4 · 80%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 20%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 4 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
40%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$5K proposed, $3K 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 2023-07-12.
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 Hamilton County Coal Processing shows 100% of 243 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: 2026-06-24
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
243
samples
0.89
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.
176 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 67 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.
Hamilton County Coal Processing recorded 2.39 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.
2.39
total case rate
2.39
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 Illinois, coal mining averaged 7.39 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 *
2.39
2.39
0.000
2024 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2023 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
2.19
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
Year
Employees
2026
33
2025
39
2024
41
2023
39
2022
37
2021
31
2020
23
2019
39
2018
42
2017
41
2016
28
2015
39
2014
23
2013
11
2012
6
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Hamilton County Coal Processing sits in Hamilton County, Illinois, where the Census mining category is 4.0% 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.
Hamilton County, Illinois · Population 7,972
4.0%
Mining share of county employment
$61,520
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
17,905
1
0
55.9
2026 Q1
17,347
4
0
230.6
2025 Q4
18,299
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
22,057
2
2
90.7
2025 Q2
21,367
0
0
0.0
2025 Q1
21,950
0
0
0.0
2024 Q4
19,767
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
20,468
0
0
0.0
Show 50 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
22,651
1
1
44.1
2024 Q1
23,309
0
0
0.0
2023 Q4
21,669
1
0
46.1
2023 Q3
20,706
1
0
48.3
2023 Q2
21,044
2
2
95.0
2023 Q1
21,711
1
0
46.1
2022 Q4
19,999
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
22,355
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
21,815
0
0
0.0
2022 Q1
22,825
1
1
43.8
2021 Q4
22,128
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
21,469
0
0
0.0
2021 Q2
17,652
3
0
170.0
2021 Q1
18,366
2
0
108.9
2020 Q4
15,721
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
14,294
4
2
279.8
2020 Q2
5,303
0
0
0.0
2020 Q1
20,792
0
0
0.0
2019 Q4
21,950
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
23,180
0
0
0.0
2019 Q2
23,468
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
24,144
1
0
41.4
2018 Q4
22,505
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
22,574
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
22,898
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
23,499
4
1
170.2
2017 Q4
22,536
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
22,974
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
23,571
1
1
42.4
2017 Q1
23,869
1
0
41.9
2016 Q4
17,862
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
12,298
1
0
81.3
2016 Q2
11,955
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
15,073
2
0
132.7
2015 Q4
19,931
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
20,988
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
23,930
1
0
41.8
2015 Q1
20,771
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
13,235
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
11,770
1
1
85.0
2014 Q2
9,035
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
8,238
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
6,498
2
0
307.8
2013 Q3
4,396
1
0
227.5
2013 Q2
2,893
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
3,627
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
3,284
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
2,417
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
2,417
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
2,417
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
8 on file
2026 · 2 incidents
May 1, 2026IL · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
EE was swinging a sledge hammer, missed the bolt smashing EE's right pinky finger between (C) channel and wood end handle. Causing EE to receive stitches.
March 27, 2026IL · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Moving belt covers from a pallet and loading them on a cart to move them down in the tunnel. While lifting the cover EE felt a pop in EE's left elbow and couldn't move EE's arm. Was taken off work by doctor on 04/03/2026.
2025 · 1 incident
August 24, 2025IL · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Standing on a ladder knocking a Huk bolt loose on the wear-liner of the rotary breaker chute when the ladder slipped causing EE to fall over the guardrail onto the ground.
Employee got down off the dozer at the edge of the clean coal pile and was walking toward the office, employee stepped in a rut and felt pain in the right knee. Employee had surgery to repair the knee on May 17, 2017.