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: 378 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Miniard Branch Mine has $4K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 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.
$4K
proposed penalties
$3K
current assessed
$3K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
22 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $540 in penalties contested before the Commission, $380 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2014-04-07.
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 · 4% of citations on record
Settled
1 · 100%
30%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$540 proposed, $380 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2011-07-06.
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 Miniard Branch Mine shows 100% of 12 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: 2011-12-08, 14 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
12
samples
0.62
dust max (mg/m3)
7 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 5 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR6
ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (INTAKE SIDE)1
ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (RETURN SIDE)1
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.
Miniard Branch Mine recorded 6.98 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2012.
Injury rate, 2012
ⓘ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 and are withheld below 20,000 hours in a year. Employment reports reach back to 1983, but those earlier years come from MSHA's archived file format and are not used in rates.
6.98
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.74 and the all-US-mining average was 2.96 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.35 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.
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)
2014
3
2013
4
2012
14
2011
11
7,405
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly; years before 2000 come from MSHA's archived Part 50 employment files.
Miniard Branch Mine sits in Leslie County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 10.6% 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.
Leslie County, Kentucky · Population 10,261
10.6%
Mining share of county employment
$40,176
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; earlier incidents are counted but not rate-adjusted, though reported hours reach back to 1983. 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
2014 Q2
456
1
0
2193.0
2014 Q1
1,452
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
1,640
0
0
0.0
2013 Q3
1,552
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
1,520
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
3,198
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
6,250
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
7,931
0
0
0.0
Show 4 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2012 Q2
8,171
1
0
122.4
2012 Q1
6,295
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
6,654
5
3
751.4
2011 Q3
1,955
1
1
511.5
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
2 on file
2012 · 1 incident
September 13, 2012KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee went to check mine fan when his right foot slipped on step causing his ankle to twist. Employee received a hairline fracture to his right foot. Employee has returned to regular duty.
2011 · 1 incident
November 10, 2011KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Employee was drilling top with drill steel from roof bolter when drill steel kicked out striking employee in chin, employee has received 7 sutures in chin. Employee has returned to work with no restrictions.