K-3 Surface Mine has $135K in proposed MSHA penalties and $317 outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
6
Years on record
2002–2004
Latest incident
Jan 2004
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2002
89
citations
57
significant & substantial
$134,929
proposed penalties
$94,212
paid to date
70% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $40,717 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: 507 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
K-3 Surface Mine has $135K in proposed MSHA penalties and $317 outstanding across 2 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.
$135K
proposed penalties
$95K
current assessed
$94K
paid to date
$317
outstanding
88 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $124K in penalties contested before the Commission, $83K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2004-03-18.
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.
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 K-3 Surface Mine shows 94% of 17 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: 2003-09-16, 22 years ago
94%
within 1.5 mg/m3
17
samples
1.64
dust max (mg/m3)
17 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
BULLDOZER OPERATOR5
HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR4
HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER3
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.
K-3 Surface Mine recorded 6.10 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2003.
Injury rate, 2003
ⓘ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.
6.10
total case rate
6.10
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
About average. The US coal mining average was 5.87 and the all-US-mining average was 4.43 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 6.65 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.
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)
2004
24
54,049
2003
40
667,962
2002
19
238,235
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
K-3 Surface Mine sits in Martin County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 8.0% 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.
Martin County, Kentucky · Population 11,181
8.0%
Mining share of county employment
$46,185
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
2004 Q2
3,398
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
18,943
10
7
527.9
2003 Q4
23,564
0
0
0.0
2003 Q3
26,685
9
5
337.3
2003 Q2
23,366
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
24,812
21
13
846.4
2002 Q4
17,385
3
2
172.6
2002 Q3
12,138
9
3
741.5
Show 1 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2002 Q2
0
0
0
Fatalities at this mine
1 recorded
December 28, 2002KY · Coalwelder (shop)Fatality · MACHINERY
VICTIM WAS STRUCK BY EXCAVATOR BUCKET WHILE WORKING INSIDE A ROCK TRUCK BED. HE WAS CRUSHED BETWEEN THE BUCKET OF THE EXCAVATOR AND THE INTERIOROF THE TRUCKBED. RESULTED IN FATAL INJURIES.
Reportable incidents
5 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2004 · 1 incident
January 20, 2004KY · Coalbackhoe operator, trackhoe operator, crane operatorMACHINERY
OPERATOR WAS USING THE EXCAVATOR TO PULL A ROCK BACK ONTO THE BENCH FROM THE OUTSLOPE. A SECTION OF THE ROCK BROKE OFF CAUSING THE EXCAVATOR TO JERK BACKWARDS. THIS CAUSED THE OPERATOR'S NECK TO HAVE PAIN DUE TO THE WHIPLASH EFFECT.
2003 · 3 incidents
April 14, 2003KY · Coalgreaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oilerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON