Hance Mine No. 1 has $165K in proposed MSHA penalties and $34K outstanding across 55 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
15
Years on record
2010–2013
Latest incident
Nov 2013
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2009
379
citations
95
significant & substantial
$165,004
proposed penalties
$84,759
paid to date
51% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $80,245 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.
379 citations across 4,116 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘA Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2012-11-02.
On record since 2012.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Hance Mine No. 1 has $165K in proposed MSHA penalties and $34K outstanding across 55 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.
$165K
proposed penalties
$119K
current assessed
$85K
paid to date
$34K
outstanding
362 assessments are final orders; 55 contested dockets.
Of $240K in penalties contested before the Commission, $85K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-02-23.
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.
186citations taken to the federal commission · 49% of citations on record
Settled
169 · 91%
Stood as issued
9 · 5%
Vacated or withdrawn
8 · 4%
60%
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 139 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
65%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$240K proposed, $85K 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 2015-04-23.
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 Hance Mine No. 1 shows 96% of 390 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: 2014-10-08, 11 years ago
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
390
samples
3.83
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.
197 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 193 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.
Hance Mine No. 1 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2014.
Injury rate, 2014
ⓘ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 3.96 and the all-US-mining average was 2.93 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.63 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
2014 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2013 *
11.27
7.51
0.000
2012 *
10.47
6.98
0.000
2011 *
8.28
2.76
0.000
2010 *
17.74
10.64
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
17
159,120
2013
22
224,482
2012
23
206,368
2011
29
229,555
2010
25
224,164
2009
5
16,148
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Hance Mine No. 1 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
2014 Q4
4,184
6
1
1434.0
2014 Q3
9,038
12
1
1327.7
2014 Q2
11,378
4
0
351.6
2014 Q1
11,796
11
2
932.5
2013 Q4
12,644
7
0
553.6
2013 Q3
12,910
10
3
774.6
2013 Q2
15,192
10
2
658.2
2013 Q1
12,485
18
1
1441.7
Show 13 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2012 Q4
14,267
18
8
1261.7
2012 Q3
13,919
23
8
1652.4
2012 Q2
14,747
17
5
1152.8
2012 Q1
14,353
4
1
278.7
2011 Q4
14,770
7
1
473.9
2011 Q3
17,926
40
13
2231.4
2011 Q2
19,764
21
6
1062.5
2011 Q1
19,962
31
6
1553.0
2010 Q4
18,878
17
2
900.5
2010 Q3
19,457
23
5
1182.1
2010 Q2
14,273
23
8
1611.4
2010 Q1
3,771
13
0
3447.4
2009 Q4
1,850
12
1
6486.5
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
15 on file
2013 · 3 incidents
November 15, 2013KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Miner operator was moving continuous miner, stopped, and ran into a truss bolt. he fell to the ground and got up and continued to work. He has had no type of medical attention and has continued to work his normal job duties until this date 12-10-2013. He states he is having neck pain from the injury and reports he is going to seek medical attention
November 12, 2013KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
The employee had left the face area and was walking to get on the mantrip. The employee slipped and fell hitting on both knees. There were no witnesses to the accident and the employee failed to report his injury until the following day at 6:30 a.m. by phone. The miner states he can't put his weight on his left knee.
April 22, 2013KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was helping move the continuous miner from one place to another. He bent over to move the miner cable, raised it waist high when he felt a sharp pain through his right shoulder, neck and arm.
2012 · 3 incidents
August 24, 2012KY · Coalbelt foreman, maintenance foreman, maintenance supervisorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
The injured party was working at the #35 crosscut of the number 2 belt. He was attempting to throw a wooden pallet across the belt and felt a pop in his back. He completed this shift and returned to work on 08/27/2012 and he completed this shift. On 08/28/2012 employee called in and stated he was in pain and was going to see a doctor.
May 29, 2012KY · Coalcontinuous miner helper, coal mole helper, bridgemanFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
A piece of draw rock measuring 53 inches long, 35 inches in width, from 0 to 4 inches thick struck a miner. The injury caused a broken leg and dislocation from the left foot.
May 21, 2012KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSTRIKING OR BUMPING
Walking in No 3 entry and bumped head into mine roof. Having pain in neck and left arm. Accident not reported until 5/29/12.
2011 · 4 incidents
June 28, 2011KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Tennco Energy, Inc. · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects
Employee was drilling starter hole and lost his drill bit in the hole. Employee put a roof bolt in the hole & spun it to push the bit up in the hole. While in this process a burr on the roof bolt caught the employee's glove wrapping his hand around the roof bolt.
May 10, 2011KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerMACHINERY
Tennco Energy, Inc. · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Mashed index finger left hand on canopy post
March 7, 2011KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE sat down at corner of intersection to eat lunch on mine floor. Cap coal fell on EE while proped up against rib.
April 5, 2010KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossMACHINERY
Tennco Energy, Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Roof bolting operator was installing rope bolts in intersection and steel got hung, section foreman was helping pull drill steel with rubber gloves on and drill steel grabbed glove and twisted wrist.