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.
475 citations across 4,580 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mine No 9 has $296K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 21 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.
$296K
proposed penalties
$239K
current assessed
$239K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
460 assessments are final orders; 21 contested dockets.
Of $111K in penalties contested before the Commission, $41K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2012-07-12.
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.
61citations taken to the federal commission · 13% of citations on record
Settled
58 · 95%
Stood as issued
1 · 2%
Vacated or withdrawn
2 · 3%
91%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 35 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
63%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$111K proposed, $41K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2013-02-05.
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 9 shows 94% of 524 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: 2012-03-12, 14 years ago
94%
within 1.5 mg/m3
524
samples
6.69
dust max (mg/m3)
228 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 296 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 9 recorded 13.60 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2011.
Injury rate, 2011
ⓘ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.
13.60
total case rate
9.07
days-away rate
4.533
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.83 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.28 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
2011 *
13.60
9.07
4.533
2009 *
3.89
3.89
0.000
2008
3.82
2.55
0.000
2007
1.58
1.58
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)
2012
17
53,562
2011
17
108,366
2010
15
32,977
2009
19
114,834
2008
58
374,818
2007
47
325,511
2006
38
86,669
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mine No 9 sits in Letcher County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.5% 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.
Letcher County, Kentucky · Population 21,146
3.5%
Mining share of county employment
$40,501
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
2012 Q2
10,060
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
10,985
22
8
2002.7
2011 Q4
10,544
36
10
3414.3
2011 Q3
10,297
10
1
971.2
2011 Q2
11,387
7
1
614.7
2011 Q1
11,891
10
3
841.0
2010 Q4
9,157
11
4
1201.3
2010 Q3
6,230
7
4
1123.6
Show 14 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2009 Q4
443
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
1,451
12
1
8270.2
2009 Q2
21,084
27
10
1280.6
2009 Q1
28,431
46
10
1618.0
2008 Q4
35,329
29
9
820.9
2008 Q3
37,462
39
7
1041.1
2008 Q2
51,153
32
6
625.6
2008 Q1
32,973
28
8
849.2
2007 Q4
31,375
21
6
669.3
2007 Q3
31,661
45
9
1421.3
2007 Q2
32,540
48
11
1475.1
2007 Q1
30,809
10
6
324.6
2006 Q4
27,987
6
1
214.4
2006 Q3
17,275
18
3
1042.0
Fatalities at this mine
1 recorded
November 7, 2011KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossFatality · POWERED HAULAGE
A crib block is believed to have got lodged behind brake pedal & on accelerator pedal, causing a 2 man non-permissible personnel carrier to jump forward, pinning employee against a coal rib, causing death.
Reportable incidents
7 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2011 · 2 incidents
July 3, 2011KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
Injured was using hydraulic jack to raise component on Joy miner. When trying to release jack, it jumped out striking left hand & chest area, knocking victim to ground.
January 20, 2011KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee was operating a continuous miner when a piece of roof rock measuring 4'x 2' 4" fell striking him on the back. He returned to work on the following shift but has continued to have problems with his back. He had a follow up Dr visit on 2/23/09 at which time he was taken away from work. He started losing time on 2/24/09.
2008 · 3 incidents
November 22, 2008KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was loading belt structure in to a transport vehicle when he slipped allowing the piece of structure to strike his right hand. This resulted in a fracture and a laceration requiring stitches to his index finger on his right hand.
May 29, 2008KY · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EE stated he was working near the section feeder, when a ramcar caught the suspended miner cable and bolter cable and tore them down. When they fell, the cables struck him in the back, knocking him down. On 3/26/08, he was diagnosed with a torn ligament of the right knee. He had surgery on 4/4/08.
2007 · 1 incident
February 16, 2007KY · Coalcontinuous miner operator, coal mole operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was assisting in replacing a hydraulic jack on the continuous miner. The jack slipped, catching the employee's left little finger between the jack and the miner frame. This resulted in laceration to the left little finger.