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.
90 citations across 1,346 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Kelly Branch has $32K in proposed MSHA penalties and $23K outstanding across 0 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.
$32K
proposed penalties
$32K
current assessed
$9K
paid to date
$23K
outstanding
87 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-01-29.
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.
MSHA sampling at Kelly Branch shows 100% of 132 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: 2026-08-11
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
132
samples
0.90
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.
56 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 76 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.
Kelly Branch recorded 3.02 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ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.
3.02
total case rate
3.02
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.08 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
2025 *
3.02
3.02
0.000
2024 *
6.10
6.10
0.000
2023
3.71
3.71
0.000
2022
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
ⓘCoal production is reported quarterly and lags the current period; the most recent quarters may be incomplete.
Year
Employees
Coal produced (tons)
2026
30
81,539
2025
24
123,359
2024
32
131,225
2023
35
161,085
2022
32
181,061
2021
25
76,576
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Kelly Branch 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
Employee stated that front right-side tire went down causing employee to go in the ditch and scrap the highwall on the haul back to the parking lot area.
July 2, 2024KY · Coaloutside foreman, leadmanMACHINERY
Employee was operating D11T Dozer cleaning highwall and pushing shot material when EE backed up on a rock and dozer slid off rock causing it to jar EE's back and left leg. Employee refused medical attention at time of accident said was ok and didn't seek medical attention until 07/08/2024.
February 15, 2024KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerMACHINERY
Employee was operating D6 Dozer cutting a road in at the toe of the valley field when employee backed up the offside track went up a rock and slid off causing it to jar their neck and shoulder area.
Employee was operating Caterpillar 777 Rock Truck and was headed back from the dump area through a narrow area in the roadway when another rock truck coming from the pit area also entered the narrow area. Employee hit the brake and caused the truck to slide toward the other truck and employee jerked the steering wheel in the other direction and went into an empty pond.
August 4, 2023KY · Coalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Tandem Coal Truck driver was attempting to change to a higher gear on a slight decline. When driver changed gears, EE thought it had gone into gear but was actually in the neutral position. When the driver realized the truck was in the neutral position, the truck had gained speed causing the truck to runaway.
2021 · 1 incident
August 30, 2021KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON