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Kentner Creek Underground: 228 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

West Plains Mining, LLC · Underground
Controlled by Daniel Balkema
Wabash, Wabash County, IN  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 1202457

Kentner Creek Underground has $145K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
7
Years on record
2016–2020
Latest incident
Jun 2020
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2014
228
citations
76
significant & substantial
$145,341
proposed penalties
$145,341
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See West Plains Mining, LLC's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2012
82
inspections on record
2,165
inspection hours
10.5
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.
228 citations across 2,165 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Kentner Creek Underground has $145K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 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.
$145K
proposed penalties
$145K
current assessed
$145K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
227 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-04-14.
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.
33.5%
significant & substantial
5.3%
high negligence or reckless
33.5%
reasonably likely or greater
28.2%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 8.4% low, 86.3% moderate, 5.3% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
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.

Metal and nonmetal contaminants (personal samples)
ⓘ Many samples are screening measurements of substances with no applicable exposure limit; they are counted as samples but excluded from every over-limit figure. Over-limit shares use only limit-tested samples.

Last sampled: 2026-07-07
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
34
samples
27
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Diesel particulate (total carbon)24
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz6
  • Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz2
  • Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (91)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2026-07-07 EC @ 160 61 160 0.38 Blaster, Powder Gang
2026-07-07 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Blaster, Powder Gang
2026-07-07 TC @ 160 81 160 0.51 Blaster, Powder Gang
2026-07-07 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Blaster, Powder Gang
2025-07-22 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Scaling (mechanical)
2025-07-22 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Scaling (mechanical)
2025-07-22 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Scaling (mechanical)
2025-07-22 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Scaling (mechanical)
2024-09-04 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2024-09-04 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2024-09-04 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2024-09-04 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2024-07-30 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.16 Utility Man
2023-09-06 EC @ 160 57 160 0.36 Truck Driver
2023-09-06 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Truck Driver
2023-09-06 TC @ 160 77 160 0.48 Truck Driver
2023-09-06 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Truck Driver
2022-07-19 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Roof Bolter, Rock
2022-07-19 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Roof Bolter, Rock
2022-07-19 TC @ 160 49 160 0.31 Roof Bolter, Rock
2022-07-19 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Roof Bolter, Rock
2022-07-19 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Drill Operator, Rotary
2022-07-19 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Rotary
2022-07-19 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Rotary
2022-07-19 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Rotary
2021-04-20 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 ORGANIC CARBON 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2021-04-20 EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Laborer, Bullgang
2020-12-08 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.23 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2020-12-08 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.15 Roof Bolter, Rock
2020-12-08 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.23 Truck Driver
2020-12-08 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.14 Front-end Loader Operator
2020-12-08 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.19 Front-end Loader Operator
2020-08-25 TC @ 160 138 160 0.86 Blaster, Powder Gang
2020-08-25 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Blaster, Powder Gang
2020-08-25 EC @ 160 113 160 0.71 Blaster, Powder Gang
2020-08-25 TC @ 160 135 160 0.84 Blaster, Powder Gang
2020-08-25 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Blaster, Powder Gang
2020-08-25 EC @ 160 111 160 0.69 Blaster, Powder Gang
2020-08-25 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2020-08-25 EC @ 160 41 160 0.26 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2020-08-25 TC @ 160 41 160 0.26 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2019-08-06 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Rotary
2019-08-06 TC @ 160 36 160 0.23 Front-end Loader Operator
2019-08-06 EC @ 160 31 160 0.19 Front-end Loader Operator
2019-08-06 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2019-08-06 TC @ 160 88 160 0.55 Drill Operator, Rotary
2019-08-06 EC @ 160 59 160 0.37 Drill Operator, Rotary
2018-07-31 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 6.12 10 0.61 Welder, etc.
2018-07-31 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 8.84 10 0.88 Mechanic
2018-04-03 EC @ 160 13 160 0.08 Front-end Loader Operator
2018-04-03 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Truck Driver
2018-04-03 EC @ 160 17 160 0.11 Truck Driver
2018-04-03 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Truck Driver
2018-04-03 TC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2018-04-03 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2017-05-31 EC @ 160 22 160 0.14 Front-end Loader Operator
2017-05-31 TC @ 160 23 160 0.14 Drill Operator, Rotary
2017-05-31 EC @ 160 20 160 0.13 Drill Operator, Rotary
2017-05-31 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Rotary
2017-05-31 TC @ 160 42 160 0.26 Front-end Loader Operator
2017-05-31 EC @ 160 28 160 0.18 Front-end Loader Operator
2017-05-31 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2017-05-31 TC @ 160 33 160 0.21 Front-end Loader Operator
2017-05-31 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2016-08-09 EC @ 160 78 160 0.49 Drill Operator, Jet Piercing
2016-08-09 TC @ 160 60 160 0.38 Roof Bolter, Rock
2016-08-09 EC @ 160 42 160 0.26 Roof Bolter, Rock
2016-08-09 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Roof Bolter, Rock
2016-08-09 TC @ 160 92 160 0.58 Drill Operator, Jet Piercing
2016-08-09 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Drill Operator, Jet Piercing
2015-08-05 EC @ 160 8 160 0.05 Roof Bolter, Rock
2015-08-05 TC @ 160 13 160 0.08 Roof Bolter, Rock
2015-08-05 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Roof Bolter, Rock
2014-03-18 EC @ 160 7 160 0.04 Front-end Loader Operator
2014-03-18 TC @ 160 99 160 0.62 Truck Driver
2014-03-18 EC @ 160 83 160 0.52 Truck Driver
2014-03-18 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Truck Driver
2014-03-18 TC @ 160 7 160 0.04 Front-end Loader Operator
2014-03-18 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2012-08-28 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2012-08-28 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.13 10 0.01 Drill Operator, Rotary

Area samples (mill and shop air)

Last sampled: 2026-07-07
6
samples
Show the individual readings (13)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Area sampled
2026-07-07 EC @ 160 0 UG TRAVEL/HAULAGE
2026-07-07 TC @ 160 0 UG TRAVEL/HAULAGE
2025-07-22 TC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2025-07-22 EC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2024-09-04 TC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2024-09-04 EC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2023-09-07 TC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2023-09-07 EC @ 160 0 UG ACTIVE MINING
2022-07-19 TC @ 160 0 UG TRAVEL/HAULAGE
2022-07-19 EC @ 160 0 UG TRAVEL/HAULAGE
2021-04-20 TC from EC @ 160 0 UG GENERAL
2021-04-20 TC @ 160 0 UG GENERAL
2021-04-20 EC @ 160 0 UG GENERAL
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly. Metal/nonmetal contaminant figures come from MSHA's Personal Health Samples and Area Samples files (public record), updated weekly.

Kentner Creek Underground recorded 0.00 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.65 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Indiana, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.61 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2025 0.00 0.00 0.000
2024 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2023 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2022 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2021 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2020 * 2.45 2.45 0.000
2019 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2018 * 3.38 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.
Ownership history
  1. West Plains Mining, LLC 2012 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 46
2025 43
2024 39
2023 40
2022 34
2021 31
2020 37
2019 34
2018 25
2017 24
2016 23
2015 14
2014 3
2013 3
2012 3
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Kentner Creek Underground sits in Wabash County, Indiana, where the Census mining category is 0.2% 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.
Wabash County, Indiana · Population 30,901
0.2%
Mining share of county employment
$68,414
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
2026 Q2 28,270 8 1 283.0
2026 Q1 23,956 2 0 83.5
2025 Q4 24,331 5 1 205.5
2025 Q3 27,482 2 0 72.8
2025 Q2 27,198 2 0 73.5
2025 Q1 23,918 2 0 83.6
2024 Q4 23,666 6 5 253.5
2024 Q3 25,422 40 19 1573.4
Show 47 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 23,653 14 5 591.9
2024 Q1 24,825 24 8 966.8
2023 Q4 26,528 10 4 377.0
2023 Q3 23,764 23 6 967.9
2023 Q2 23,802 8 2 336.1
2023 Q1 17,068 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 18,983 5 2 263.4
2022 Q3 21,123 4 2 189.4
2022 Q2 19,167 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 15,521 1 1 64.4
2021 Q4 17,400 3 1 172.4
2021 Q3 17,430 1 1 57.4
2021 Q2 18,479 2 0 108.2
2021 Q1 15,514 4 1 257.8
2020 Q4 18,388 3 0 163.1
2020 Q3 21,709 2 1 92.1
2020 Q2 21,755 18 7 827.4
2020 Q1 19,742 6 1 303.9
2019 Q4 22,038 3 1 136.1
2019 Q3 24,205 2 0 82.6
2019 Q2 18,959 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 14,516 1 0 68.9
2018 Q4 14,804 3 0 202.6
2018 Q3 14,969 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 15,418 1 1 64.9
2018 Q1 13,957 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 14,599 1 0 68.5
2017 Q3 14,520 4 1 275.5
2017 Q2 13,630 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 12,643 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 13,303 1 0 75.2
2016 Q3 12,882 4 0 310.5
2016 Q2 12,974 3 2 231.2
2016 Q1 10,915 2 0 183.2
2015 Q4 10,921 1 0 91.6
2015 Q3 9,745 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 9,783 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 1,732 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 1,197 1 0 835.4
2014 Q3 2,214 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 2,199 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 1,685 2 0 1186.9
2013 Q4 2,021 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 2,091 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 63 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 996 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 1,749 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

7 on file

2020 · 1 incident

June 8, 2020 IN · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman MACHINERY
West Plains Mining, LLC · Struck by powered moving object

While performing work from the catwalk on the west side of the crusher, EE was struck by the excavator causing EE to fall.

2018 · 2 incidents

July 18, 2018 IN · Metal/Non-Metal blaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkey FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
West Plains Mining, LLC · Struck by falling object

Loading a shot, a rock came loose & struck left arm.

January 18, 2018 IN · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
West Plains Mining, LLC · Struck against stationary object

Upon restarting conveyor ee reached around a guard inserting a 4 ft pry bar contacting pulley and belt causing hands to contact conveyor frame. EE was taken to the emergency room due to lack of movement in middle finger, if not better in a few weeks to see a specialist. 2/16/18 saw specialist, referred ee to a hand doctor. 2/21/18 hand doctor performed surgery to fix tendon.

2017 · 1 incident

April 13, 2017 IN · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
West Plains Mining, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Miner received a laceration on left pinky finger, for proper healing 5 stitches were required. Miner's finger was pinched in a guard access door while changing a bearing.

2016 · 3 incidents

September 9, 2016 IN · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
West Plains Mining, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Miner received a sliver (also known as a splinter) in EE's right thumb while removing a wedge to release a blow bar.

July 29, 2016 IN · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
West Plains Mining, LLC · Struck by flying object

Laborer was grinding, a piece ricocheted and got behind the eye protection.

January 7, 2016 IN · Metal/Non-Metal blaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkey HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
West Plains Mining, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was laying out a series of shots, the lead weight on EE's measuring tape became stuck, EE pulled up on the tape & it came back striking EE in the mouth.