Mining Incidents

Mine No 1: 94 MSHA citations Coal

Tennco Inc · Underground
Middlesboro, Claiborne County, TN  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4003121

Mine No 1 has $15K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
16
Years on record
1998–2001
Latest incident
Jun 2001
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
94
citations
39
significant & substantial
$15,073
proposed penalties
$15,073
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
36
inspections on record
1,393
inspection hours
6.7
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.
94 citations across 1,393 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Mine No 1 has $15K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 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.
$15K
proposed penalties
$15K
current assessed
$15K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
94 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2001-07-26.
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.
41.5%
significant & substantial
1.1%
high negligence or reckless
41.5%
reasonably likely or greater
5.3%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 5.3% low, 93.6% moderate, 1.1% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Mine No 1 shows 94% of 126 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: 2001-07-31, 25 years ago
94%
within 1.5 mg/m3
126
samples
2.81
dust max (mg/m3)
66 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 60 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR58
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)18
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (INTAKE SIDE)9

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2001-04-18, 25 years ago
4.8
silica avg (%)
6
samples
7.1
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR5

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: 2000-12-05, 25 years ago
20%
over PEL
15
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)4
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR2
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER2
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
2001 91% 47
2000 96% 79
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2001 5.3 2
2000 4.5 4
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Mine No 1 recorded 8.26 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2001.

Injury rate, 2001
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.
8.26
total case rate
8.26
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 6.94 and the all-US-mining average was 5.26 cases per 100 workers.
In Tennessee, coal mining averaged 7.01 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
2001 * 8.26 8.26 0.000
2000 * 4.62 2.31 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. Tennco Inc 1998 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)
2002 0
2001 25 264,927
2000 40 448,919
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Mine No 1 sits in Claiborne County, Tennessee, where the Census mining category is 1.0% 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.
Claiborne County, Tennessee · Population 32,221
1.0%
Mining share of county employment
$46,587
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
2002 Q1 0 0 0
2001 Q4 0 0 0
2001 Q3 10,490 3 1 286.0
2001 Q2 18,876 14 7 741.7
2001 Q1 19,077 6 3 314.5
2000 Q4 20,890 29 13 1388.2
2000 Q3 19,410 13 3 669.8
2000 Q2 23,725 19 7 800.8
Show 1 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2000 Q1 22,544 10 5 443.6
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

16 on file

2001 · 2 incidents

June 14, 2001 TN · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Tennco Inc · Struck by falling object

WAS PUSHING A BOLT IN HOLE WITH BOLTER WRENCH AND WHEN PLATE GOT AGAINST ROOF IT TURNED A PIECE OF DRAWROCK LOOSE AND STRUCK HIM ON RIGHT SIDE OF FACE.

February 9, 2001 TN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Tennco Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

STEP OFF MAC 8 AND TWISTED RIGHT KNEE.

2000 · 2 incidents

July 13, 2000 TN · Coal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Tennco Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE JUMPED OFF A TAILPIECE AND SAID HE HURT HIS BACK. HE FINISHED WORKING HIS SHIFT AND WENT TO THE DOCTOR LATER IN THE DAY.

March 24, 2000 TN · Coal beltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor rider HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Tennco Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

MAKING BELT SPLICE IN #4 BELT EE WAS LIFTING BELT AND A SHARP PAIN CAME IN RIGHT SIDE OF NECK

1999 · 9 incidents

December 14, 1999 TN · Coal beltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor rider HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Tennco Inc · Struck by falling object

SETTING A 7X9 COLLAR ON A CRIB WHEN 1 END FELL &PUT OTHER END OF 7X9 AGAINST THE TOP EE HAD HANDON COLLAR WHEN IT REACHED THE TOP

November 1, 1999 TN · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Tennco Inc · Struck by falling object

DRAW ROCK FELL WHILE BOLTING TOP AND SMASHED LEFT HAND.

September 7, 1999 TN · Coal mine manager, mine foreman, mine owner MACHINERY
Tennco Inc · Struck by flying object

MINE FOREMAN WAS STOPPING UP HOLE ON FAN HOUSE OBJECT HE WAS USING WAS SUCKED INTO FAN BLADES CAUSING BLADES TO BRAKE THRU SMALL PIECE OUT OUTHOLE HITTING HIM IN JAW

August 20, 1999 TN · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Tennco Inc · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

PULLED MUSCLE RIGHT ARM.

August 20, 1999 TN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Tennco Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WHILE PUTTING CONVEYOR CHAIN TOGETHER A PIECE OF METAL BROKE OFF AND HIT LEFT ARM.

March 29, 1999 TN · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator POWERED HAULAGE
Tennco Inc · Struck against a moving object

WHILE DRIVING SHUTTLE CAR HE RAN INTO BACK OF CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE RESULTING IN A NECK INJURY.

February 18, 1999 TN · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Tennco Inc · Struck by falling object

EE WAS BOLTING ROOF WITH TWIN HEAD BOLTER AND LOOSE PIECE OF ROOF FELL FROM TOP HITTING HIM ON SHOULDER AND LEG.

1998 · 3 incidents

December 31, 1998 TN · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator MACHINERY
Tennco Inc · Struck by falling object

DRAW ROCK FELL FROM TOP STRIKING CONT MINER OPERATOR ON BACK. THE ROCK CAUSED INJURY TO MINER IT BROKE 2 RIBS

November 3, 1998 TN · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Tennco Inc · Accident type, without injuries

ROCKFALL WAS FOUND WHILE MAKING WEEKLY EXAM IN OLD PANEL. ROCKFALL IN #5 ENTRY OF 3 LEFT PANEL. ONE BREAK INBY SPAD #140. DANGERED OFF AREA.

June 15, 1998 TN · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator POWERED HAULAGE
Tennco Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS STANDING NEAR CAR CABLE TIE OFF, WHEN CABLE STARTING TAKING UP. CABLE HIT EE ACROSS THE FRON OF THE NECK.