Jones Fork Plant has $115K in proposed MSHA penalties and $8K outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
18
Years on record
1991–2016
Latest incident
Mar 2016
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
637
citations
195
significant & substantial
$115,469
proposed penalties
$104,371
paid to date
90% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $11,098 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.
637 citations across 5,734 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Jones Fork Plant has $115K in proposed MSHA penalties and $8K outstanding across 5 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
$113K
current assessed
$104K
paid to date
$8K
outstanding
627 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $15K in penalties contested before the Commission, $12K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2024-09-04.
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.
28citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
Settled
28 · 100%
80%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 5 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
20%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$15K proposed, $12K 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 2016-09-07.
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 Jones Fork Plant shows 100% of 159 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: 2014-12-10, 11 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
159
samples
1.21
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.
146 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 13 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.
Jones Fork Plant recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2016.
Injury rate, 2016
ⓘ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 3.79 and the all-US-mining average was 2.59 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.56 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
2016 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2015 *
7.65
7.65
0.000
2014 *
15.28
10.19
0.000
2011 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2010 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2009 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2008 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2007 *
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
Year
Employees
2026
2
2025
3
2024
3
2023
4
2022
4
2021
4
2020
4
2019
3
2018
5
2017
7
2016
10
2015
15
2014
19
2013
1
2012
4
2011
19
2010
11
2009
17
2008
32
2007
29
2006
27
2005
27
2004
26
2003
28
2002
29
2001
28
2000
29
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Jones Fork Plant sits in Knott County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 2.8% 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.
Knott County, Kentucky · Population 14,046
2.8%
Mining share of county employment
$37,736
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
The articulating truck blew a steering hose near the turbo causing a fire. The operator attempted to extinguish the fire but had to call the fire department. The rock truck cab was a total loss but no one was injured.
2015 · 1 incident
January 10, 2015KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was standing on a piece of metal laying on a ladder he pulled the ladder out and the metal tilted causing him to fall 5-6 feet into a chute. Employee said he was ok but while shoveling on 1/12/15 he reported his back was hurting employee went to doctor on 1/13/15 and returned to work on 1/19/15
2014 · 4 incidents
December 29, 2014KY · Coalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was cleaning in draw off tunnel and stepped on bar gate over a drain sump that slipped out of its frame causing the employee to fall in the sump.
September 15, 2014KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was walking from back door of the plant to the front parking lot to get oil. He had stopped to scratch his head and turned into the belt structure beam and put a scratch on his head, on 7/25/14 he went to ldrndman clinic because he had a head-ach and was released.
2006 · 1 incident
April 5, 2006KY · Coalquality control technician, laboratory technician, laboratory assistantPOWERED HAULAGE
EE was swinging lare componet (777A Brake unit) with service truck boom. He was watching the top of the boom to check clearance while swinging boom. As a result he was trapped between compartment and service truck.
Ee was engaged in removing a deck from the coarse coal screen. The deck became wedged. When ee freed the deck with a slate bar the deck struck his foot.
1999 · 1 incident
August 10, 1999KY · Coalcrane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, riggerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
EMPLOYEE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CLOSING A RAILROAD CAR DOOR. EMPLOYEE INSERTED A BAR IN THE CAR DOOR LOCK MECHANISM. WHEN THE EMPLOYEE PULLED THEBAR DOWN TO CLOSE DOOR, EMPLOYEE REACHED TO PULL THE LOCK OR LATCH DOWN, THE RAILROAD CAR SPRUNG OPEN. THIS ALLOWED THE BAR TO SLIP OUT OF EMPLOYEE'S HAND, STRIKING EMPLOYEE BEHIND HIS RIGHT EAR. EMPLOYEE SUSTAINED LACERATION WITH STITCHES.
EMPLOYEE WAS REMOVING A PIECE OF WOOD (30"LX3-4"WX1-2"T) FROM THE PRIMARY SAMPLING BELT HEAD ROLLER CHUT LOCATED IN TEH LOAD-OUT FACILITY WHEN PIECE OF WOOD BECAME JAMMED CAUSIGN EMPLOYEE'S RI GHT HAND TO BE CAUGHT BETWEEN WOOD AND METAL CHUTE. EMPLOYEE SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO TOP OF RIGHT HAND (METACARPAL) AND MIDDLE FINGER.
EE WAS ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE RAIL CAR DOOR WHEN BAR SLIPPED CAUSING EE'S WEIGHT TO SHIFT, RIGHT FOOT STAYED STATIONARY. EE SUSTAINED A SPIRAL FX TO THE TIBULA BONE 1/2" ABOVE RIGHT ANKLE.
1995 · 1 incident
July 25, 1995KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EMPLOYEE HAD UNHOOKED CHAINS FROM ENGINE ON BED OF BOOM TRUCK TO BE UNLOADED, WAS CLIMBING DOWN FROM TRUCK BED TO OPERATE BOOM TRUCK CRANE HOIST, LOST HIS BALANCE AND FELL BACKWARDS, LEFT FOOT WAS CAUGHT NDER BOOM CONTORLS WITH BODY WEIGHT SUSPENDED.