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.
499 citations across 8,545 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mine #5 has $97K in proposed MSHA penalties and $698 outstanding across 14 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.
$97K
proposed penalties
$93K
current assessed
$93K
paid to date
$698
outstanding
490 assessments are final orders; 14 contested dockets.
Of $20K in penalties contested before the Commission, $16K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2024-07-30.
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.
48citations taken to the federal commission · 10% of citations on record
Settled
44 · 92%
Stood as issued
4 · 8%
81%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 27 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
20%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$20K proposed, $16K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2024-06-30.
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 #5 shows 99% of 2,204 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: 2024-10-07
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
2,204
samples
2.95
dust max (mg/m3)
12
over MSHA ECV
ⓘThe excessive concentration value (ECV) is MSHA's own per-sample enforcement threshold, which builds in measurement uncertainty; a sample over its ECV can trigger a citation. The count covers only samples MSHA assigned an ECV.
332 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 1,872 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 #5 recorded 3.30 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2023.
Injury rate, 2023
ⓘ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.
3.30
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
About average. The US coal mining average was 3.17 and the all-US-mining average was 2.10 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.32 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
2023 *
3.30
0.00
0.000
2022 *
3.13
0.00
0.000
2021 *
3.07
3.07
0.000
2020 *
3.60
3.60
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
7.14
3.57
0.000
2015 *
9.06
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)
2024
15
10,971
2023
19
27,146
2022
22
49,716
2021
23
71,174
2020
26
43,759
2019
21
78,370
2018
22
58,966
2017
12
4,575
2015
12
27,308
2014
3
170
2008
0
2007
9
2,315
2006
3
281
2003
1
391
2002
5
1,488
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mine #5 sits in Knox County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 2.8% 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.
Knox County, Kentucky · Population 30,034
2.8%
Mining share of county employment
$33,153
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
The mine foreman was assisting in getting the belt drive in the pit unclogged. The belt had somehow become tangled in the drive rollers. They were trying to pull slack in the top belt when the hook failed on the chain hoist (come-a-long). The hoist struck the foreman in the shoulder and the side of the head. EE had a cut that had to have staples and perforated ear drum.
Employee was using a chain hoist to pull (align) the "low-low" belt structure when the chain hoist broke loose from the anchor point and struck EE in the side of the head.
2022 · 1 incident
May 3, 2022KY · Coalmaster mechanic, foreman, supervisorOTHER
Employee was on their knees marking centerline and when they got up to a "duck walking" position, their knee "popped" causing some pain. The knee has bothered them intermittently since, so they went to a specialist and had surgery on 9-26-2022. Employee returned to work the next day and is now on restricted work duty on the surface.
Employee (foreman) was on a personnel carrier while by self. EE said EE backed up and struck EE's head on a brow causing a sore neck. EE finished the shift and didn't want medical attention. EE didn't go to the doctor until weeks after the accident.
2020 · 1 incident
September 30, 2020KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Bolt steel got hung in top and EE tried to get it out and slipped and hit EE's chest on the drill pot. The bolt steel fell out striking EE's pinky finger.
2015 · 1 incident
May 14, 2015KY · Coalcontinuous miner operator, coal mole operatorMACHINERY
Working on foot shaft on Joy 14-9 continuous miner. Had scoop hook to change pulling it and got hit with claw in the back and rib on left side of body.
2007 · 1 incident
July 25, 2007KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)