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.
310 citations across 2,331 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Infinity #4 has $115K in proposed MSHA penalties and $3K outstanding across 29 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.
$115K
proposed penalties
$90K
current assessed
$87K
paid to date
$3K
outstanding
305 assessments are final orders; 29 contested dockets.
Of $86K in penalties contested before the Commission, $59K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2011-11-30.
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.
193citations taken to the federal commission · 62% of citations on record
Settled
185 · 96%
Stood as issued
8 · 4%
95%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 82 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
31%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$86K proposed, $59K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2012-05-18.
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 Infinity #4 shows 99% of 210 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: 2011-12-07, 14 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
210
samples
3.56
dust max (mg/m3)
112 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 98 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.
Infinity #4 recorded 16.45 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2011.
Injury rate, 2011
ⓘ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.
16.45
total case rate
14.10
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.83 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.28 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
2011 *
16.45
14.10
0.000
2010 *
13.97
3.49
0.000
2009 *
22.28
19.50
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)
2013
0
2012
0
2011
34
120,341
2010
21
55,172
2009
32
125,267
2008
17
53,234
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Infinity #4 sits in Harlan County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 4.3% 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.
Harlan County, Kentucky · Population 26,185
4.3%
Mining share of county employment
$37,198
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
2013 Q2
0
0
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
0
0
0
2012 Q2
0
0
0
2012 Q1
0
0
0
2011 Q4
19,397
27
10
1392.0
2011 Q3
21,033
34
11
1616.5
2011 Q2
22,230
42
18
1889.3
Show 11 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2011 Q1
22,456
29
11
1291.4
2010 Q4
21,723
30
12
1381.0
2010 Q3
21,815
27
10
1237.7
2010 Q2
13,713
3
2
218.8
2010 Q1
0
4
0
2009 Q4
6,685
7
4
1047.1
2009 Q3
18,355
14
7
762.7
2009 Q2
24,720
39
12
1577.7
2009 Q1
22,048
19
7
861.8
2008 Q4
18,868
12
4
636.0
2008 Q3
1,104
17
4
15398.6
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
21 on file
2011 · 7 incidents
September 21, 2011KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
EE was holding a hammer against a pump while another EE was hitting with another hammer to drive a pump back onto a bolt machine. A piece of metal broke off, striking EE in the hand.
March 25, 2011KY · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was standing beside feeder, watching a co-worker use a come-along to put conveyor chain back together, when the chain slipped & hit EE on the right cheek, causing him to get 7 stitches.
August 5, 2010KY · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was putting a medal guard on the side of a head drive, when it slipped and slide down his hand and cut his middle finger. EE was taken to Hospital ER room where he had 7 stitches put in his finger.
July 22, 2010KY · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was walking across the section in the LOB when he ran into a strap that was partially bent down hitting himself on the right ear. Three stitches were placed on his ear.
During the weekly inspection of the Infinity # 4 UG mine which is in non-producing status, a roof fall was discovered in the 1st left panel which is a worked out area. This fall was in the No. 2 entry intersection. The fall was above the roof bolts anchorage. This area has been dangered off with timbers and danger signs.
2009 · 8 incidents
September 21, 2009KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee reported that he hurt his back bending a bolt while operating a bolt machine. He did not report this to anyone. He first told the mine supt. that his back was hurting him due to an old car accident he had prior to coming to work at Infinity Energy.
September 12, 2009KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was throwing cable over against a rib where an overcast had been cut out and ran into a rock brow head first jamming his neck. Refused medical attention at time of the accident 9/12/09. He went to his regular doctor 9/14/09 and told him he had a sore neck(he called it a crick).
August 4, 2009KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
While roof bolting, a piece of draw rock, approx. 8"x4'x4', fell between the bolts and struck injury on the left shoulder. The wittness to the accident saw the draw rock give way and told him to run, had he stayed under the protection of the ATRS, he would not have been injured. He sustained a bruise to his shoulder and return to full duty on Monday.
2008 · 1 incident
December 9, 2008KY · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
While installing the second bolt in the row, a piece of draw rock fell from between the bolts and struck EE on the left foot. The rock measured approx 8" X 36" X 4".
Related mines
Other mines operated by Infinity Energy Incorporated