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.
779 citations across 15,776 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
MINE NO 5 has $299K in proposed MSHA penalties and $13K outstanding across 9 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.
$299K
proposed penalties
$252K
current assessed
$239K
paid to date
$13K
outstanding
762 assessments are final orders; 9 contested dockets.
Of $73K in penalties contested before the Commission, $26K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-02-05.
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.
33citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
Settled
30 · 91%
Stood as issued
3 · 9%
96%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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%
64%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$73K proposed, $26K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2019-02-13.
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 5 shows 99% of 2,021 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: 2026-02-03
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
2,021
samples
6.07
dust max (mg/m3)
2
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.
538 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 1,483 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 5 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.08 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
2025 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2024 *
8.01
8.01
0.000
2023 *
7.78
3.89
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
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)
2026
10
11,106
2025
19
64,889
2024
19
79,674
2023
19
92,639
2022
18
76,136
2021
18
82,993
2020
18
77,454
2019
17
99,429
2018
18
89,825
2017
18
103,380
2016
16
91,671
2015
16
92,823
2014
15
98,118
2013
15
84,998
2012
17
80,586
2011
15
87,237
2010
12
61,415
2009
6
27,649
2008
12
91,572
2007
14
90,135
2006
10
25,110
2005
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
MINE NO 5 sits in Pike County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 5.1% 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.
Pike County, Kentucky · Population 57,466
5.1%
Mining share of county employment
$42,179
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
EE, WHO ORIGINALLY REPORTED EE WAS RAN OVER, IS AS OF 12/10/2024 ALLEDGING THAT EE WAS WALKING ACROSS THE SURFACE AREA OF THE MINE, AND THAT EE TRIPPED OVER THE FORKS OF THE FORKLIFT, HITTING EE'S HEAD.
EE was attempting to investigate a problem with a shuttle car. EE slipped and started to fall. Trying to stop EE's fall, EE reached out EE's hand-cutting two fingers.
August 9, 2023KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)POWERED HAULAGE
A NON-INJURY ROOF FALL ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 7:30 AM ON 04/05/2021. THE ROOF FALL OCCURRED IN THE #3 PILLAR BLOCK OF THE 001 MMU SS #14957.
2014 · 1 incident
November 5, 2014KY · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorMACHINERY
An accident on the date of 2/9/12 resulted in a continuous miner operator/helper being crushed between the miner's tail boom and the coal rib. This inflicted a fractured let femur to the victim.
2011 · 1 incident
July 18, 2011KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS