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.
167 citations across 1,053 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
K-6 has $53K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K outstanding across 11 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.
$53K
proposed penalties
$30K
current assessed
$28K
paid to date
$2K
outstanding
161 assessments are final orders; 11 contested dockets.
Of $43K in penalties contested before the Commission, $19K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2020-06-29.
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.
59citations taken to the federal commission · 35% of citations on record
Settled
59 · 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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 40 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
56%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$43K proposed, $19K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2009-12-23.
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-6 shows 100% of 75 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: 2009-10-13, 16 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
75
samples
1.21
dust max (mg/m3)
27 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 48 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.
K-6 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2009.
Injury rate, 2009
ⓘ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
No reportable injury cases in any year shown. Employee-hours were reported in each of those years, so these are true zeros rather than missing data. Citations, listed in the compliance record above, are inspector-found violations and are counted separately from worker injuries.
Below average. The US coal mining average was 4.16 and the all-US-mining average was 3.36 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 5.04 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)
2018
0
2017
2
2016
2
2015
1
2014
2
2013
0
2012
0
2011
3
2010
5
2009
18
44,209
2008
22
27,076
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
K-6 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
2018 Q4
0
0
0
2018 Q3
0
0
0
2018 Q2
0
0
0
2018 Q1
0
0
0
2017 Q4
0
0
0
2017 Q3
218
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
6
0
0
0.0
2016 Q4
0
0
0
Show 32 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2016 Q3
120
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
181
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
0
0
0
2015 Q4
0
0
0
2015 Q3
0
0
0
2015 Q2
156
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
464
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
417
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
456
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
544
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
498
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
0
0
0
2013 Q3
0
0
0
2013 Q2
0
0
0
2013 Q1
0
0
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
0
0
0
2012 Q1
0
0
0
2011 Q4
0
0
0
2011 Q3
932
2
0
2145.9
2011 Q2
743
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
2,038
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
3,637
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
4,013
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
321
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
3,159
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
6,077
2
0
329.1
2009 Q3
11,448
46
16
4018.2
2009 Q2
11,947
50
18
4185.2
2009 Q1
12,558
13
1
1035.2
2008 Q4
10,501
21
2
1999.8
2008 Q3
8,970
19
3
2118.2
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
2 on file
2010 · 1 incident
February 5, 2010KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was installing ridged rail belt structure. He was lifting with both hands when he felt a strain in his groin. He tried to work thru this for weeks and weeks, but then decided to consult a doctor, who found he had a hernia. His first day off work was 9-21-10. He is doing well now.
EE caught his finger in between auger and auger barrel and pinched his finger to the point of cutting it. No bone broken. Six stitches required. He did not miss any work.
Related mines
Other mines operated by Harlan Cumberland Coal LLC