Jennie Branch Mine has $51K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
10
Years on record
2015–2018
Latest incident
Mar 2018
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2015
254
citations
62
significant & substantial
$50,973
proposed penalties
$49,356
paid to date
97% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,617 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.
254 citations across 3,953 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Jennie Branch Mine has $51K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 3 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.
$51K
proposed penalties
$49K
current assessed
$49K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
244 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $12K in penalties contested before the Commission, $10K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2018-12-03.
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.
7citations taken to the federal commission · 3% of citations on record
Settled
5 · 71%
Stood as issued
2 · 29%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 7 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
14%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$12K proposed, $10K 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 2017-03-22.
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 Jennie Branch Mine shows 100% of 698 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: 2018-10-26, 7 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
698
samples
1.66
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.
132 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 566 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.
Jennie Branch Mine recorded 3.21 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2018.
Injury rate, 2018
ⓘ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.
3.21
total case rate
3.21
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
About average. The US coal mining average was 3.34 and the all-US-mining average was 2.33 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 3.81 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
2018 *
3.21
3.21
0.000
2017 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2016 *
4.53
0.00
0.000
2015 *
13.32
9.99
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)
2018
24
199,265
2017
23
218,343
2016
19
156,198
2015
24
213,279
2014
8
709
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Jennie Branch Mine 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
2018 Q4
15,703
9
2
573.1
2018 Q3
15,838
20
1
1262.8
2018 Q2
15,796
16
2
1012.9
2018 Q1
14,933
13
3
870.6
2017 Q4
17,924
22
8
1227.4
2017 Q3
14,896
26
6
1745.4
2017 Q2
15,293
13
2
850.1
2017 Q1
12,603
14
5
1110.8
Show 9 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2016 Q4
13,385
17
7
1270.1
2016 Q3
10,316
15
2
1454.1
2016 Q2
9,692
18
9
1857.2
2016 Q1
10,773
13
4
1206.7
2015 Q4
17,577
8
3
455.1
2015 Q3
15,151
10
3
660.0
2015 Q2
16,760
20
2
1193.3
2015 Q1
10,590
11
2
1038.7
2014 Q4
225
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
10 on file
2018 · 1 incident
March 16, 2018KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)POWERED HAULAGE
Miner was riding the mantrip when it struck a coal rib causing a piece of coal rib to strike a miner in the lower left side back. This accident was not reported to mine management until 03/22/2018. The miner involved worked this shift and the next shift. Miner went to the Doctor on 03/19/2018 and returned to work on 03/22/2018 when they reported this happened at work.
Roof Fall in the 2nd north west mains, approximately 250 feet inby spad 1169 between a cribbed area and a solid coal rib. The fall is approximately 10 feet wide, 6 feet high and 30 feet long
Roof fall in 2nd North west mains approximately 325 feet inby spad 1168. Fall does not affect ventilation or passage of miners. The fall is approximately 18 feet wide, 7 feet high and 60 feet long and does take in an intersection that abuts a solid coal rib.
Tennco, Inc. · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects
Employee was using a slate bar to remove a loose rib as deemed by MSHA Inspector and EE's Supervisor when EE strained EE's groin trying to remove the rib.
2015 · 6 incidents
October 11, 2015KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossSTRIKING OR BUMPING
Foreman ran into a miner cable that was hung in an intersection on the 11th and 12th. He continued working without being off or seeing a doctor until he was laid off on December 1, 2015. EE had to seek medical attention for his neck February 11, 2016. He reported the injury to mine management again on February 17, 2016
September 11, 2015KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techFALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Tennco, Inc. · Struck by rolling or sliding object
The employee was checking a shuttle car tire in the #3 entry 2 crosscuts outby the face when a piece of rib coal rolled off knocking him off balance causing pushing him into the shuttle car and catching him between the car and the coal rib.
June 25, 2015KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Tennco, Inc. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Roof Bolting Machine operator was installing 8 foot rope bolts. As he was placing the bolt in the hole and pushing it into place he accidently hit the rotation lever on the drill. As the bolt begin to spin a strand of wire or metal broke away from the bolt and entered the right hand of the machine operator.
April 16, 2015KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
The employee is a roof bolt machine operator and was working in the number 4 entry of the 001 section. EE was installing the inside roof bolt when a piece of roof rock broke loose and struck EE's left foot. The rock was approximately 2'X 1'and from 0 to 5 inches thick.
A roof fall occurred in the number 4 portal (fan) intake air course entry approximately 18 feet wide, 10 feet high and 60 to 70 feet in length. The cause of the fall was due to the extremely harsh winter weather of late where the roof froze and thawed several. This fall was immediately report to MSHA via the 800 number.