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.
Rate withheld: 793 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mine No 20 has $80K in proposed MSHA penalties and $379 outstanding across 22 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.
$80K
proposed penalties
$58K
current assessed
$58K
paid to date
$379
outstanding
162 assessments are final orders; 22 contested dockets.
Of $101K in penalties contested before the Commission, $73K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2003-05-20.
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.
1citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
Settled
1 · 100%
29%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$1K proposed, $900 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2003-04-30.
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 No 20 shows 94% of 218 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: 2002-12-02, 23 years ago
94%
within 1.5 mg/m3
218
samples
4.40
dust max (mg/m3)
87 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 131 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 No 20 recorded 2.39 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2002.
Injury rate, 2002
ⓘ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.
2.39
total case rate
2.39
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 6.89 and the all-US-mining average was 5.05 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 8.22 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
2002 *
2.39
2.39
0.000
2001
5.99
3.99
0.000
2000
7.78
5.84
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)
2003
8
16,500
2002
37
158,648
2001
48
225,238
2000
39
358,902
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mine No 20 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
2003 Q2
2,679
5
3
1866.4
2003 Q1
1,594
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
18,401
13
5
706.5
2002 Q3
13,781
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
20,738
9
0
434.0
2002 Q1
30,738
2
1
65.1
2001 Q4
29,420
9
6
305.9
2001 Q3
30,656
0
0
0.0
Show 6 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2001 Q2
24,210
19
6
784.8
2001 Q1
15,931
1
1
62.8
2000 Q4
22,926
22
14
959.6
2000 Q3
31,519
2
0
63.5
2000 Q2
21,530
37
17
1718.5
2000 Q1
26,816
8
5
298.3
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
14 on file
2002 · 1 incident
May 20, 2002KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
THE INJURED WAS CLOSING 6THE DOOR ON THE ROAD GRADER AND CAUGHT HIS THUMB BETWEEN THE DOOR & FRAME, CAUSING A LACERATION & FRACTURE TO THE TIP OF THE THUMB.
THE INJURED WAS CLIMBINGH DOWN OFF THE LOADER AND WHEN HE STEPPED ONTO THE GORUND, HE STEPPED ON A BLOCK OF COAL AND TURNED HIS ANKLE.
January 14, 2000KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSTEPPING OR KNEELING ON OBJECT
EMPLOYEE WAS USING CUTTING TORCH TO REMOVE BEARINGS FROM A BULLDOZER BLADE ASSEMBLY. WHILE KNEELING DOWN FOR A EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME ON HIS KNEES, WHEN GETTING UP TO A STANDING POSITION HIS RIGHT KNEE POPPED.
1999 · 4 incidents
October 30, 1999KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS PERPARING TO WORK ON A 777C CAT TRUCK AND WHILE PULLING A LONG SPREADER CHAIN FROM HIS SERVICE TRUCK HE STRAINED HIS BACK WHILE PULLING ON THE CHAIN.
September 7, 1999KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSTEPPING OR KNEELING ON OBJECT
WHILE WORKING ON A 777 CAT TRUCK, REAR SUSPENSION CYLINDER USING WRENCH TO LOOSEN A BOLT HOLDING TOP PIN OF THE CYLINDER, THE BOLT BROKE CAUSING WRENCH TO SHOVE OFF BOLT, CAUSING EE'S ELBOW TO STRIKE TRUCK TIRE.