HOWARDS CREEK MINE: 13 MSHA citations
Coal
HOWARDS CREEK MINE has $2K in proposed MSHA penalties and $121 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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- Fatalities
- 0
- Total incidents
- 1
- Years on record
- 2026
- Latest incident
- Jun 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2019
3
significant & substantial
$1,847
proposed penalties
93% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $121 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2019
n/a
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: 471 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
HOWARDS CREEK MINE has $2K in proposed MSHA penalties and $121 outstanding across 0 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.
12 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-01-05.
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.
23.1%
significant & substantial
7.7%
high negligence or reckless
23.1%
reasonably likely or greater
7.7%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 0.0% low, 92.3% moderate, 7.7% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at HOWARDS CREEK MINE shows 100% of 40 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: 2026-08-26
24 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 16 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR19
- HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR6
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER4
Silica (quartz)
Last sampled: 2025-12-31
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR3
- HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR1
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.
Last sampled: 2026-08-11
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR4
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER4
- ROTARY BUCKET EXCAVATOR OPERATOR4
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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.
| Year |
within 1.5 mg/m3 |
samples |
| 2026 |
100% |
10 |
| 2025 |
100% |
10 |
| 2019 |
100% |
20 |
Silica (quartz) by year
| Year |
silica avg (%) |
samples |
| 2025 |
4.2 |
3 |
| 2019 |
13.1 |
1 |
Noise by year
| Year |
over PEL |
samples |
| 2026 |
0% |
3 |
| 2025 |
0% |
8 |
| 2019 |
0% |
9 |
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
-
GSI Coal & Mining LLC
2018 to 2023
-
Maple Creek Mining, LLC
2023 to 2024
-
Bulldog Development, LLC
2024 to 2025
-
Maple Creek LLC
2025 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
HOWARDS CREEK MINE sits in Breathitt County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 2.3% 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.
Breathitt County, Kentucky · Population 13,438
2.3%
Mining share of county employment
$41,101
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
1 on file
2026 · 1 incident
Maple Creek LLC · Fall from machine
To the best of our knowledge no one seen EE fall. An EE saw EE climbing backup the berm after the fall. Then an EE ask of anyone saw EE fall. Everyone said no. We ask if EE was ok and EE said yes. EE did say EE's leg felt funny.