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.
1,100 citations across 4,862 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mine #4 has $612K in proposed MSHA penalties and $508K outstanding across 23 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.
$612K
proposed penalties
$592K
current assessed
$85K
paid to date
$508K
outstanding
1,048 assessments are final orders; 23 contested dockets.
Of $116K in penalties contested before the Commission, $96K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2007-07-23.
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.
72citations taken to the federal commission · 7% of citations on record
Settled
71 · 99%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 1%
98%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 40 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
26%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$28K proposed, $20K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2005-02-09.
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 Mine #4 shows 87% of 528 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: 2007-06-13, 19 years ago
87%
within 1.5 mg/m3
528
samples
15.20
dust max (mg/m3)
296 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 232 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.
Mine #4 recorded 3.86 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2007.
Injury rate, 2007
ⓘ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.
3.86
total case rate
3.86
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 4.71 and the all-US-mining average was 3.77 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 5.12 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
2007 *
3.86
3.86
0.000
2006 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2004 *
10.54
5.27
0.000
2003 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2002 *
23.90
23.90
0.000
2001 *
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)
2008
0
2007
24
82,106
2006
24
106,241
2005
32
114,904
2004
42
220,752
2003
37
254,704
2002
38
256,853
2001
38
333,319
2000
22
93,414
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mine #4 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
2008 Q1
0
0
0
2007 Q4
0
0
0
2007 Q3
7,307
50
16
6842.8
2007 Q2
20,565
136
70
6613.2
2007 Q1
23,990
64
28
2667.8
2006 Q4
19,976
78
43
3904.7
2006 Q3
17,936
39
11
2174.4
2006 Q2
11,463
25
3
2180.9
Show 23 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2006 Q1
1,702
8
2
4700.4
2005 Q3
5,871
10
0
1703.3
2005 Q2
15,461
26
3
1681.7
2005 Q1
17,017
33
14
1939.2
2004 Q4
18,473
52
19
2814.9
2004 Q3
19,285
55
25
2852.0
2004 Q2
21,699
15
2
691.3
2004 Q1
16,456
54
27
3281.5
2003 Q4
19,556
47
13
2403.4
2003 Q3
18,219
22
6
1207.5
2003 Q2
20,619
34
12
1649.0
2003 Q1
19,463
25
8
1284.5
2002 Q4
20,824
26
6
1248.6
2002 Q3
20,728
29
5
1399.1
2002 Q2
22,031
43
12
1951.8
2002 Q1
20,111
27
9
1342.5
2001 Q4
21,047
30
15
1425.4
2001 Q3
19,580
50
15
2553.6
2001 Q2
19,722
16
2
811.3
2001 Q1
18,449
26
2
1409.3
2000 Q4
16,923
45
20
2659.1
2000 Q3
5,988
30
12
5010.0
2000 Q2
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
21 on file
2007 · 1 incident
July 20, 2007KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
A SMALL ROOF FALL WAS FOUND IN THE RETURN AND REPORTED TO MSHA OFFICE & KY STATE OFFICE. IT IS TIMBERED OFF AND DANGER SIGNS POSTED. LOCATION WAS SPAD #68. APPROX SIZE 1 BREAK LONG X 5' THICK.
2002 · 10 incidents
November 14, 2002KY · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDLING OF MATERIALS
2 ROOF FALLS WERE FOUND DURING WEEKLY EXAMINATION THE MINE STATUS FROM TEMPORARY ABANDONED WAS DONE MAY 1994 TO ACTIVE NON PRODUCING TO BEGIN REHABILITATION. THE FIRST WAS FOUND IN MAIN RETURN AIRWAY BETWEEN 1-12 XCUT 5' HIGH 40' LONG 2ND WAS FOUND IN 4 ENTRY BLEEDER 2 ENTRY BETWEEN 1-12 X CUTS APPROX. 5 FT HIGH 60 FT LONG MSHA WAS NOTIFIED.
1992 · 1 incident
April 16, 1992KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Stillhouse Mining Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
BOTLER WAS STARTING THE ROOF BOLT INTO THE HOLE, HE WAS HOLDING THE BOLT ABOUT 3 WAY UP AND USING THE HEAD OF THE DRILL TO PUSH THE BOLT UP INTO THE HOLE, AND THE BOLT BENT UPWARD AGAINST THE ROOF CATCHING THE MIDDLE FINGER BETWEEN THE BOLT AND THE ROOF. RESULTING HAVING A MASHED MIDDLE FINGER.