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.
74 citations across 2,145 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Keystone East has $12K in proposed MSHA penalties and $10 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.
$12K
proposed penalties
$9K
current assessed
$9K
paid to date
$10
outstanding
72 assessments are final orders; 11 contested dockets.
Of $6K in penalties contested before the Commission, $3K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2008-05-28.
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.
19citations taken to the federal commission · 26% of citations on record
Settled
19 · 100%
89%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 19 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
47%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$6K proposed, $3K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2008-08-07.
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 Keystone East shows 97% of 241 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: 2008-07-17, 18 years ago
97%
within 1.5 mg/m3
241
samples
2.40
dust max (mg/m3)
116 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 125 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.
Keystone East recorded 9.72 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2008.
Injury rate, 2008
ⓘ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.
9.72
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 4.41 and the all-US-mining average was 3.61 cases per 100 workers.
In Pennsylvania, coal mining averaged 5.40 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
2008 *
9.72
0.00
0.000
2007 *
11.63
7.75
0.000
2006 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2005 *
3.61
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)
2013
0
2012
0
2011
0
2010
0
2009
0
2008
18
230,949
2007
21
401,996
2006
24
516,252
2005
26
421,985
2004
19
52,857
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Keystone East sits in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 2.2% 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.
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania · Population 65,069
2.2%
Mining share of county employment
$64,295
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
2013 Q1
0
0
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
0
0
0
2012 Q2
0
0
0
2012 Q1
0
0
0
2011 Q4
0
0
0
2011 Q3
0
0
0
2011 Q2
0
0
0
Show 25 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2011 Q1
0
0
0
2010 Q4
0
0
0
2010 Q3
0
0
0
2010 Q2
0
0
0
2009 Q3
0
0
0
2009 Q2
0
0
0
2009 Q1
0
0
0
2008 Q4
0
0
0
2008 Q3
4,768
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
18,270
8
3
437.9
2008 Q1
18,098
16
5
884.1
2007 Q4
16,570
10
4
603.5
2007 Q3
12,468
5
1
401.0
2007 Q2
10,963
2
0
182.4
2007 Q1
11,586
3
0
258.9
2006 Q4
10,354
4
1
386.3
2006 Q3
11,285
2
0
177.2
2006 Q2
16,104
9
4
558.9
2006 Q1
16,906
3
0
177.5
2005 Q4
14,651
2
1
136.5
2005 Q3
11,960
3
1
250.8
2005 Q2
14,151
1
0
70.7
2005 Q1
14,573
2
1
137.2
2004 Q4
12,527
4
2
319.3
2004 Q3
1,207
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
7 on file
2008 · 3 incidents
August 18, 2008PA · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
In the 6th left Butt in rooms #17 to 18 200' inby #2823 spad. There was a roof fall between #17 and #18 room. Fall was 6' to 10' high, 18' wide and 30' long. Area was bolted with 6' fully grouted rods. This was in a transitioned roof area. There is some slick and slide rock in fall.
Knee was twisted when operating a Long Airdox MBC. While loading coal, the belt was shut off and employee was crawling on the low belt while backing out of a cut. Someone started the belt by accident and his knee was injured.
THE EMPLOYEE WAS REMOVING A DOOR FROM THE SIDE OF THE MINER. THE WEIGHT OF THE DOOR WAS OVERBURDEN. THE EE DROPPED THE DOOR ON HIS RT. RING FINGER, SPLITTING & BRUISING THE TIP OF HIS FINGER, REQUIRING (6) STITCHES.