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.
44 citations across 1,185 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
HWM # 36 has $8K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 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.
$8K
proposed penalties
$7K
current assessed
$7K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
43 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $1K in penalties contested before the Commission, $893 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2022-06-10.
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 · 11% of citations on record
Settled
5 · 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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 3 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
30%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$1K proposed, $893 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2019-11-25.
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 HWM # 36 shows 100% of 50 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: 2022-07-12, 4 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
50
samples
0.46
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.
50 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
AUGER OPERATOR12
HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER12
UTILITY MAN9
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.
HWM # 36 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2021.
Injury rate, 2021
ⓘ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 3.35 and the all-US-mining average was 2.19 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.58 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
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
5.79
5.79
0.000
2017 *
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)
2022
12
73,988
2021
14
147,737
2020
8
60,823
2019
8
78,527
2018
20
105,465
2017
21
95,511
2016
3
2015
6
2014
11
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
HWM # 36 sits in Letcher County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.5% 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.
Letcher County, Kentucky · Population 21,146
3.5%
Mining share of county employment
$40,501
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
2022 Q3
437
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
6,009
8
5
1331.3
2022 Q1
6,133
4
1
652.2
2021 Q4
10,165
2
0
196.8
2021 Q3
7,721
0
0
0.0
2021 Q2
7,830
9
0
1149.4
2021 Q1
3,226
0
0
0.0
2020 Q4
1,054
0
0
0.0
Show 26 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2020 Q3
3,124
3
0
960.3
2020 Q2
2,812
2
0
711.2
2020 Q1
5,286
1
0
189.2
2019 Q4
3,748
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
3,136
5
3
1594.4
2019 Q2
6,221
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
2,746
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
5,264
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
12,720
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
7,134
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
9,397
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
8,207
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
13,334
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
11,256
3
0
266.5
2017 Q1
10,601
5
1
471.7
2016 Q4
2,382
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
0
0
0
2016 Q2
0
0
0
2016 Q1
1,925
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
2,564
1
0
390.0
2015 Q3
3,110
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
5,191
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
4,295
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
5,244
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
5,643
1
1
177.2
2014 Q2
4,140
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
1 on file
2018 · 1 incident
March 7, 2018KY · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorMACHINERY
Crew was attempting to tram the Highwall Miner while victim in fork loader observed the trailing cable. From the confines of the loader 25 feet away a piece of metal from the Highwall Miner track flew through the slightly opened side glass of the loader striking the employee and causing employee to lose vision in left eye.