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.
281 citations across 2,374 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mill Branch has $148K in proposed MSHA penalties and $8K outstanding across 12 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.
$148K
proposed penalties
$93K
current assessed
$85K
paid to date
$8K
outstanding
275 assessments are final orders; 12 contested dockets.
Of $96K in penalties contested before the Commission, $40K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2012-09-06.
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.
12citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
Settled
11 · 92%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 8%
50%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 4 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
77%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$58K proposed, $13K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2012-08-28.
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 Mill Branch shows 98% of 286 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: 2011-11-10, 14 years ago
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
286
samples
2.17
dust max (mg/m3)
152 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 134 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.
Mill Branch recorded 18.98 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2011.
Injury rate, 2011
ⓘ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.
18.98
total case rate
12.65
days-away rate
2.109
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.83 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.28 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
2011 *
18.98
12.65
2.109
2010
5.43
5.43
0.000
2009
3.68
1.84
0.000
2008
1.73
1.73
0.000
2007
0.00
0.00
0.000
2006
0.00
0.00
0.000
2005
3.10
3.10
0.000
2004
6.57
3.28
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)
2016
0
2015
0
2014
0
2013
0
2012
1
2011
33
213,285
2010
38
207,853
2009
39
351,073
2008
39
480,463
2007
41
431,339
2006
38
475,868
2005
42
501,061
2004
43
543,217
2003
48
519,558
2002
45
481,652
2001
41
541,518
2000
46
494,344
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mill 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
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2016 Q4
0
0
0
2016 Q3
0
0
0
2016 Q2
0
0
0
2016 Q1
0
0
0
2015 Q4
0
0
0
2015 Q3
0
0
0
2015 Q2
0
0
0
2015 Q1
0
0
0
Show 55 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2014 Q4
0
0
0
2014 Q3
0
0
0
2014 Q2
0
0
0
2013 Q1
0
0
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
0
1
0
2012 Q1
603
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
13,999
1
0
71.4
2011 Q3
26,777
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
25,663
4
0
155.9
2011 Q1
28,399
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
31,135
4
0
128.5
2010 Q3
27,894
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
27,753
4
0
144.1
2010 Q1
23,646
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
25,484
3
0
117.7
2009 Q3
28,530
2
0
70.1
2009 Q2
26,750
5
1
186.9
2009 Q1
27,918
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
28,313
4
0
141.3
2008 Q3
28,156
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
30,121
5
0
166.0
2008 Q1
28,789
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
29,280
8
0
273.2
2007 Q3
29,298
6
0
204.8
2007 Q2
30,238
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
33,539
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
38,507
2
0
51.9
2006 Q3
26,393
6
2
227.3
2006 Q2
35,319
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
33,873
0
0
0.0
2005 Q4
36,332
4
0
110.1
2005 Q3
30,434
1
1
32.9
2005 Q2
31,889
5
0
156.8
2005 Q1
30,254
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
30,600
11
7
359.5
2004 Q3
29,378
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
30,749
5
3
162.6
2004 Q1
31,104
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
37,324
5
0
134.0
2003 Q3
34,580
8
4
231.3
2003 Q2
36,276
8
3
220.5
2003 Q1
37,967
13
5
342.4
2002 Q4
34,631
14
8
404.3
2002 Q3
30,669
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
35,097
10
0
284.9
2002 Q1
36,492
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
34,546
7
1
202.6
2001 Q3
35,338
2
2
56.6
2001 Q2
36,744
24
10
653.2
2001 Q1
35,232
20
6
567.7
2000 Q4
34,799
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
37,914
18
9
474.8
2000 Q2
33,281
2
1
60.1
2000 Q1
32,443
0
0
0.0
Fatalities at this mine
1 recorded
November 2, 2011KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerFatality · MACHINERY
Employee was reclaiming highwall with dozer when the dozer flipped and rolled several times landing in the road. Employee was unconscious with labored breathing when they got to him.
Reportable incidents
40 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2011 · 8 incidents
October 6, 2011KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was working on road with a d-9 dozer when a rock rolled out of a berm and he backed over it jarring his lower back. Employee didn't go to doctor until 9/27/2011
August 8, 2011KY · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was putting batteries into a 993k loader when he twisted his knee the wrong way causing his knee to swell and cause pain when he bends it. He didn't go to the doctor until 08/15/2011
June 16, 2011KY · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
Employee was walking down catwalk of excavator when the catwalk slipped down about 5 inches, jarring the employees knee. Employee did not go to the doctor until 4/7/2011 when his foreman made him due to severe pain.
2010 · 3 incidents
May 5, 2010KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was riding with dayshift foreman when they stopped to look over into a hollowfill. Employee stepped onto a berm to look at the hollowfill. As the employee was stepping down the berm, he stepped onto a rock, causing him to lose his footing.
Employees was pushing spoil with a dozer. The employee went forward over the pile of dirt and when the dozer fell over the dirt the blade hit the ground, jarring the employee.
2008 · 1 incident
May 29, 2008KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerMACHINERY
Employee was changing a bogie on a D11 roller frame. Employee started to get up when the other mechanic moved the bogie, catching the employee's fingers between the bogie and the frame.
2004 · 4 incidents
April 27, 2004KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanMACHINERY
EE WAS HITTING A PIN ON HIS EXCAVATOR WHEN A PIECE OF THE PIN BROKE OFF STRIKING THE EE ABOVE THE RIGHT EYEBROW. EE RECEIVED 3 STITCHES ABOVE HIS EYEBROW.
March 26, 2004KY · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EE WAS GETTING ONTO AN EXCAVATOR WHEN HE FELT A BURNING IN HIS RIGHT LOWER ABDOMEN AREA. EE NOW HAS A KNOT ON HIS LOWER ABDOMEN. NOTE: EE WOULDN'T GO TO THE DOCTOR UNTIL 09-17-02.
EMPLOYEE WAS TAKING A HUB OFF A 777C HAULBACK WHEN THE BEARING POPPED OFF STRIKING THE EMPLOYEE IN THE ABDOMEN REGION CAUSING THE EMPLOYEE TO FALL BACKWARDS OVER THE BOOM TRUCK'S OUTRIGGER HIT TING HIS BACK.
EE INFORED EMPLOYER ON 9/29/99 THE HE ALLEGEDLY HURT HIS BACK 9/23/99 WHILE BACKING A D-8 DOZER UP A SLOPE WHILE RECLAIMING HE STATES HE HIT A ROCK WITH DOZER CAUSING DOZER TO JERK THUS INJURI NG HIS LOWER BACK
April 19, 1999KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanMACHINERY
EMPLOYEE WAS FILLING WET HOLE BAGS WITH SHOVEL WHEN HE TURNED TO PUT THE SHOVEL OF DUST INTO THEBAG. HE SAID HE HURT HIS BACK. EMPLOYEE DID NOT SEE DOCTOR. ON 03/17/99 EMPLOYEE WENT TO SEE DOC TOR FOR HIS BACK PROBLEM.
1998 · 3 incidents
July 30, 1998KY · Coalblaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkeySLIP OR FALL OF PERSON