Hughes Creek Terminal P-4 has $64K in proposed MSHA penalties and $16K outstanding across 4 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
18
Years on record
1986–2007
Latest incident
Sep 2007
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
117
citations
52
significant & substantial
$63,865
proposed penalties
$37,222
paid to date
58% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $26,643 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.
Rate withheld: 930 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Hughes Creek Terminal P-4 has $64K in proposed MSHA penalties and $16K 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.
$64K
proposed penalties
$53K
current assessed
$37K
paid to date
$16K
outstanding
116 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $37K in penalties contested before the Commission, $26K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2024-06-25.
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.
29citations taken to the federal commission · 25% of citations on record
Settled
29 · 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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 17 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
29%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$37K proposed, $26K 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 2012-09-06.
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 Hughes Creek Terminal P-4 shows 98% of 42 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: 2026-07-09
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
42
samples
1.67
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.
42 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER17
TIPPLE OPERATOR5
BARGE ATTENDANT4
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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2026
0
2025
0
2024
1
2023
0
2022
0
2021
0
2019
0
2018
0
2017
0
2016
0
2015
0
2014
1
2013
1
2012
3
2011
3
2010
3
2009
4
2008
7
2007
5
2006
2
2002
5
2001
9
2000
7
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Hughes Creek Terminal P-4 sits in Kanawha County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 1.9% 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.
Kanawha County, West Virginia · Population 178,198
1.9%
Mining share of county employment
$58,887
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
0
0
0
2026 Q1
0
0
0
2025 Q4
0
0
0
2025 Q1
0
0
0
2024 Q4
180
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
650
0
0
0.0
2024 Q2
726
1
0
1377.4
2024 Q1
0
0
0
Show 71 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2023 Q4
0
0
0
2023 Q3
0
0
0
2023 Q2
0
0
0
2023 Q1
0
0
0
2022 Q4
0
0
0
2022 Q3
0
0
0
2022 Q2
0
0
0
2022 Q1
0
0
0
2021 Q4
0
0
0
2019 Q2
0
0
0
2019 Q1
0
0
0
2018 Q4
0
0
0
2018 Q3
0
0
0
2018 Q2
0
0
0
2018 Q1
0
0
0
2017 Q4
0
0
0
2017 Q3
0
0
0
2017 Q2
0
0
0
2017 Q1
0
0
0
2016 Q4
0
0
0
2016 Q3
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
40
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
544
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
448
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
480
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
400
1
1
2500.0
2013 Q4
544
0
0
0.0
2013 Q3
440
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
544
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
480
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
544
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
319
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
1,163
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
1,939
23
11
11861.8
2011 Q4
2,279
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
2,168
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
1,604
2
0
1246.9
2011 Q1
2,283
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
2,361
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
1,983
1
1
504.3
2010 Q2
1,736
7
1
4032.3
2010 Q1
1,768
5
0
2828.1
2009 Q4
1,707
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
707
4
1
5657.7
2009 Q2
1,856
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
2,592
3
1
1157.4
2008 Q4
2,209
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
6,281
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
4,954
26
10
5248.3
2008 Q1
4,188
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
2,231
4
2
1792.9
2007 Q3
3,229
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
2,135
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
3,568
4
3
1121.1
2006 Q4
3,104
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
974
14
11
14373.7
2006 Q2
0
1
1
2002 Q2
0
4
3
2002 Q1
4,792
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
5,556
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
4,224
1
1
236.7
2001 Q2
5,964
1
1
167.7
2001 Q1
3,583
1
1
279.1
2000 Q4
3,610
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
3,493
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
3,467
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
3,053
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
18 on file
2007 · 1 incident
September 22, 2007WV · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
New 3/4" wire rope cable was being installed on barge winch grabline. While cable was being pulled through an 8" sheave, EE attempted to reposition the sheave. The moving cable caught his right hand & pulled his fingers into the sheave injuring his fingers & hand. One finger was crushed with an open wound. The other fingers were also injured, but not as serious.
2001 · 1 incident
March 7, 2001WV · Coalbarge/boat/dredge/towbarge/towboat/leach operator, riverman, deck handHANDLING OF MATERIALS
PULLING ON SCALES AT DOCT TO WEIGHT TRAILER, DRIVER DID NTO SEE TRAIN AND PULLED TRACTOR ON TO RAILROAD CROSSING. THE TRAIN STRUCK THE TRACTOR AND TRAILER.
1990 · 1 incident
February 27, 1990WV · Coalbarge/boat/dredge/towbarge/towboat/leach operator, riverman, deck handSTRIKING OR BUMPING
EMPLOYEE WAS USING A GRINDER AND GOT METAL IN LEFT EYE.
March 1, 1988WV · Coalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Hughes Creek Inc · Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EMPLOYEE WAS PULLING LOADED BARGE WITH WHENCE HPIOST CHAIN CAME OFF,WHILE TRYING TO GET 3/4 STEEL CABLE BACK ON LOADED BARGE FILED BETWEEN CELL AND BARGE,CABLE CAME LOOSE AND EMPLOYEE FELL IN LOADED BARGE.
1987 · 1 incident
February 6, 1987WV · Coalbarge/boat/dredge/towbarge/towboat/leach operator, riverman, deck handSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON