Mullins Branch Prep Plant has $80K in proposed MSHA penalties and $5K outstanding across 6 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
3
Years on record
2009–2013
Latest incident
Apr 2013
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2008
165
citations
85
significant & substantial
$79,829
proposed penalties
$60,935
paid to date
76% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $18,894 gap.
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.
165 citations across 1,591 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Mullins Branch Prep Plant has $80K in proposed MSHA penalties and $5K outstanding across 6 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
$66K
current assessed
$61K
paid to date
$5K
outstanding
160 assessments are final orders; 6 contested dockets.
Of $48K in penalties contested before the Commission, $34K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2017-07-06.
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.
25citations taken to the federal commission · 15% of citations on record
Settled
18 · 72%
Stood as issued
7 · 28%
100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 13 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
29%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$48K proposed, $34K 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 2014-09-09.
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 Mullins Branch Prep Plant shows 100% of 73 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: 2015-02-10, 11 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
73
samples
1.20
dust max (mg/m3)
0
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.
72 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 1 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
BULLDOZER OPERATOR13
HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER13
TIPPLE OPERATOR11
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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2015
1
2014
3
2010
0
2008
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mullins Branch Prep Plant sits in Breathitt County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 2.3% 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.
Breathitt County, Kentucky · Population 13,438
2.3%
Mining share of county employment
$41,101
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
Employee was dumping a load of coarse refuge when the hoist pins on the frame broke turning the truck over. He was taken to Highland Regional Hospital to have his right arm looked at. Doctor recommends 2 days off to rest. He was wearing a seatbelt. The doctor only done x-rays.
employee stated he was using a pry bar on a chute and pry bar slipped striking ee in chin, ee received stitches medical treatment and returned to full duty on 12/17/10
2009 · 1 incident
July 13, 2009KY · Coalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee states he was using a utility knife to clean 2" pipe. The knife slipped, cutting employee's left forearm. EE received medical treatment 7/13/09 and returned to full duty capacity 7/14/09. No lost time.