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Love Branch South: 678 MSHA citations Coal

Stone, Pike County, KY  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 1519270

Love Branch South has $639K in proposed MSHA penalties and $127K outstanding across 33 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
17
Years on record
2009–2012
Latest incident
Jul 2012
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2008
678
citations
243
significant & substantial
$639,160
proposed penalties
$426,055
paid to date
67% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $213,105 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Road Fork Development Company Inc.'s full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2008
60
inspections on record
4,295
inspection hours
15.8
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.
678 citations across 4,295 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Love Branch South has $639K in proposed MSHA penalties and $127K outstanding across 33 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.
$639K
proposed penalties
$553K
current assessed
$426K
paid to date
$127K
outstanding
656 assessments are final orders; 33 contested dockets.
Of $268K in penalties contested before the Commission, $194K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2012-12-10.
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.
37.0%
significant & substantial
4.4%
high negligence or reckless
37.3%
reasonably likely or greater
23.0%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.2% none, 20.1% low, 75.3% moderate, 4.1% high, 0.3% reckless.
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.
122 citations taken to the federal commission · 18% of citations on record
  • Settled 58 · 48%
  • Stood as issued 62 · 51%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 2 · 2%
90%
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 91 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
29%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$274K proposed, $194K 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 2012-08-22.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
KENT 2012-651 Settlement McCarthy 2013 $66K → $30K
KENT 2010-577 Settlement McCarthy 2011 $62K → $44K
KENT 2011-133 Dismissal Lesnick 2012 $18K → $18K
KENT 2010-195 Dismissal Lesnick 2012 $13K → $13K
KENT 2012-901 Settlement McCarthy 2013 $13K → $7K
KENT 2010-196 Settlement McCarthy 2011 $11K → $9K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Love Branch South shows 90% of 404 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: 2012-05-24, 14 years ago
90%
within 1.5 mg/m3
404
samples
12.12
dust max (mg/m3)
177 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 227 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR234
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)43
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (RETURN SIDE)28

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2012-04-20, 14 years ago
6.6
silica avg (%)
19
samples
22.4
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR18
See US coal mines ranked by silica in their dust samples.

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.

Last sampled: 2011-12-13, 14 years ago
2%
over PEL
51
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)13
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR9
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (INTAKE SIDE)8
See US mines ranked by noise samples over the legal limit.
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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.
Year within 1.5 mg/m3 samples
2012 96% 45
2011 90% 135
2010 88% 114
2009 89% 110
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2012 7.0 2
2011 6.8 6
2010 3.6 6
2009 9.9 5
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2011 0% 26
2010 0% 13
2009 8% 12
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Love Branch South recorded 11.43 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2012.

Injury rate, 2012
ⓘ 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.
11.43
total case rate
3.81
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.74 and the all-US-mining average was 2.96 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.35 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
2012 * 11.43 3.81 0.000
2011 7.91 3.17 0.000
2010 * 10.38 0.00 0.000
2009 * 6.31 2.10 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. Road Fork Development Company Inc. 2008 to present
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)
2012 31 135,113
2011 52 343,670
2010 43 404,617
2009 42 393,787
2008 6 11,253
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Love Branch South sits in Pike County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 5.1% 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.
Pike County, Kentucky · Population 57,466
5.1%
Mining share of county employment
$42,179
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
2012 Q4 184 1 1 5434.8
2012 Q3 2,296 8 2 3484.3
2012 Q2 19,507 57 12 2922.0
2012 Q1 30,528 36 11 1179.2
2011 Q4 30,385 14 3 460.8
2011 Q3 30,651 70 25 2283.8
2011 Q2 32,317 29 19 897.4
2011 Q1 33,003 38 5 1151.4
Show 10 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2010 Q4 23,087 18 8 779.7
2010 Q3 24,652 92 27 3731.9
2010 Q2 25,774 11 4 426.8
2010 Q1 22,791 39 16 1711.2
2009 Q4 24,080 33 12 1370.4
2009 Q3 25,250 70 24 2772.3
2009 Q2 24,949 36 12 1442.9
2009 Q1 20,740 59 29 2844.7
2008 Q4 4,884 10 2 2047.5
2008 Q3 0 2 0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

17 on file

2012 · 4 incidents

April 11, 2012 KY · Coal supply man, supply worker, nipper HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Struck against stationary object

Employee was putting hydraulic oil in the scoop. He repositioned the can to better align it over the hole when his hand slipped off the can striking a hydraulic saw causing a laceration that required stitches.

April 2, 2012 KY · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Accident type, without injuries

A non-injury roof fall occurred in the Northwest Mains at break 33 of old #6 belt, 1 x-cut inby spad 2044 in the #1 entry. The fall was approximately 25'L X 19'W X 7'H in an intersection.

2011 · 5 incidents

September 21, 2011 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) STRIKING OR BUMPING
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Struck against stationary object

Employee was walking towards the rear of the roof bolter and did not see a roof strap that was damaged. Employee struck the roof strap with his shoulder and neck resulting in a laceration that required stitches to close the wound.

June 7, 2011 KY · Coal electrician, lineman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was walking across the section toward the roof bolter, he bent down to go through a line curtain and after he stepped through the curtain he twisted his ankle.

May 23, 2011 KY · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was hanging line curtain and as he turned around to leave the area, he tripped over a rock and fell landing on his knee.

February 3, 2011 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Struck by falling object

Employee was installing a man door in a previously built stopping. He placed his left hand on the bottom row of block and a block fell from the top row of block causing a laceration to his index finger.

January 8, 2011 KY · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was walking down hill going to the mantrip when he slipped and fell, causing a strain to his lower back. Hill was snow covered from heavy snow fall.

2010 · 5 incidents

October 15, 2010 KY · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was making a belt splice. After end of splice was complete, the two ends would not align, so employee was going to cut off a clip on belt when the knife slipped causing a laceration to his left palm.

October 9, 2010 KY · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator STEPPING OR KNEELING ON OBJECT
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Struck against stationary object

Employee was in the process of switching seats after dumping his loaded shuttle car when he stepped on a rock causing his knee to twist. He finished his shift and transported himself to hospital where x-rays were negative. He was given a brace and was released with no restrictions to return to work on 10/10/10.

October 9, 2010 KY · Coal electrician, lineman MACHINERY
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Contact with hot objects or substances

Employee was cutting a bolt out of the section head drive motor. He laid the cutting torch across his legs (he was sitting cross-legged). He reached up with his left hand and torch fell off his leg and landed on his hand. He was taken to ER and treated for minor burns and was released to return to work on 10/11/10.

June 2, 2010 KY · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Fall onto or against objects

Employee stepped into the scoop bucket attempting to re-hook a chain when he slipped and fell striking his left side rib cage on the corner of the scoop bucket.

April 8, 2010 KY · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator MACHINERY
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Member was bolting top in 3 right crosscut, while swinging drill boom out he placed his right hand on the canopy and the canopy struck the rib mashing his right index finger.

2009 · 3 incidents

August 11, 2009 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) ELECTRICAL
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Contact with electrical current

EE was working between shifts to install belt hangers. The power had knocked. EE sat down on the T-bar of the roof bolter and said it shocked him. He was transported outside and then to the hospital via ambulance. MSHA, State, and Company officials investigated all aspects of electrical systems at the mine site and could not determine the cause of the accident.

May 11, 2009 KY · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was using utility knife to open a box. He let knife slip, contacted his left hand, causing injury. He was taken to ER for treatment, stitches were used to close the wound.

January 21, 2009 KY · Coal electrician, lineman POWERED HAULAGE
Road Fork Development Company Inc. · Struck by falling object

Came around corner on 4-wheeler, bumped timber, timber fell onto hand causing injury. Taken to ER for treatment, stitches used on wound. Mine employee re-set timber.