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.
324 citations across 4,121 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
No 4 has $42K in proposed MSHA penalties and $16K outstanding across 0 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.
$42K
proposed penalties
$42K
current assessed
$26K
paid to date
$16K
outstanding
319 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2009-03-24.
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.
MSHA sampling at No 4 shows 97% of 579 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: 2009-01-28, 17 years ago
97%
within 1.5 mg/m3
579
samples
4.45
dust max (mg/m3)
326 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 253 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.
No 4 recorded 7.36 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2008.
Injury rate, 2008
ⓘ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.
7.36
total case rate
7.36
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 4.41 and the all-US-mining average was 3.61 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.87 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
2008 *
7.36
7.36
0.000
2007 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2001 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2000 *
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)
2009
15
10,569
2008
19
31,646
2007
19
42,594
2006
14
36,463
2005
13
17,495
2004
5
2003
21
22,432
2002
0
2001
25
93,036
2000
42
199,266
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
No 4 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
Sassy Coal Co., Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
A truck driver loaded the 1984 Ford LT9000 truck, then proceeded down the access road and then for some unknown reason, he got out or left the cab of the truck which therefore led to bodily injury and death (fatality) to himself approximately 100 feet from bottom of hill.
While EE was laying in scoop bucket using rock duster hose, scoop bucket hit hyman beam jack, beam fell but steel rope caught it. EE said it hit his back a little
2005 · 3 incidents
August 30, 2005KY · Coalutility man, errand boy, service truck operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
Scoop stuck, took tractor to pull scoop out, stoped tractor close to scoop got off between them, tractor rolled down in small hole and caught leg between it and scoop.
April 14, 2005KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
As the employee put up pressure on the bolted drill steel, a piece of draw rock fell from the mine roof hitting his left shoulder resulting in bruises and scratches. The rock was 1.5 feet long & 3 inches thick.
EE WAS A PASSENGER ON A 3-WHEELER WHEN IT HIT A BUMP IN THE ROADWAY AND CAUSED THE EE TO HIT HIS HEAD AGAINST THE MINE ROOF, HURTING HIS NECK, ACCORDING THE THE EE. BUT THIS CLAIM IS BEING PROTESTED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY BACKTRACKED (BOTH EMPLOYEES) AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING THEY HIT, AND EE HAS HAD THE SAME INJURY BEFORE.
2003 · 2 incidents
October 13, 2003KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)
EE WAS BENT OVER ON KNEES IN APPROX 40" COAL HEIGHT AREA WHILE IN PROCESS OF LIFTING AND INSTALLING PIECES OF CONVEYOR BELT STRUCTURE. EE COMPLAINED OF PAIN IN LOWER BACK REGION. NO ON SITE FI RST AID GIVEN. EE LATER NEXT DAY WENT TO DR INFORMING MINE OF THE NEED TO BE OFF DUE TO INJURY.
January 8, 1999KY · Coaldriver, jeep driver, tractor operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
Jaw Bone Coal Corp · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE WAS OPERATING A 270 S&S BATTERY MOTOR PULLING A JBL RUBBER TIRED ROCKDUSTER. ACCIDENT OCCURRED APPROX. 15 BRKS. INBY NO. 2 BELT DRIVE TRAVELING NO. 4 MEUTRAL ENTRY TOWARDS FACE (INBY). COUP LING PIN CAME LOOSE BETWEEN MOTOR & DUST, EE REACHED TO PUSH PIN BACK IN AND WHEN HERAISED UP IN DECK CONTACT WITH MINE ROOF ROLLED HIM OVER DECK OF MOTOR CAUSING HIM TO BE CAUGHT BETWEEN BAC
EE HAD COMPLETED HIS REGULAR WORK SHIFT AFTER EXITING THE PORTAL FROM THE MANTRIP CAR EE HAD TO WALK UP AND OVEN A SET OF METAL GRATE STEPS WHICH CROSS THE SURFACE COAL STACKER BELT. EE WAS CA RRING A BATTERY LIGHT AND HIS LUNCH BUCKET IN EACH HAND WHEN HE SLIPPED ON THE DOWN GRADE SIDE OF THE STEPS STRIKING BACK AGAINST METAL STEPS.
1997 · 4 incidents
December 19, 1997KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techPOWERED HAULAGE
EMPLOYEE WAS ASSISTING WITH THREE OTHERS TO UNSPOOL A CONTINOUS MINER CABLE WHICH WAS BEING LIFTED FROM THE GROUND WITH TWO 5/8 LINK METAL CHAINS WHEN;AS THE SPOOL BEGAN BEING LIFTED BY THE LO ADER THE EMPLOYEE INADVERTENTLY HAD THE LEF TINDEX FINGER OF PINCHED AS HE HELD SPUN AROUND PALM SIDE LEFT AGAINST CHAIN. THE THE AVULSION AND LACERATION OF SKIN WAS BETWEEN THE 1ST& 2 DIDGIT
December 10, 1997KY · Coaltrackman, track worker, track gangPOWERED HAULAGE
Jaw Bone Coal Corp · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE WAS TRAMMING BATTERY RAM CAR DOWN 3 ENTRY TAKING BATTERY END TO THE BATTERY CHARGING STATION WHEN HE GOT OR TURNED ON AN ANGLE PUSHING TRAILOR END TOWARD RIB LINE WHEN HE STARTED TO PULL FO RWARD THE DIRECTION LIVER HAD NOT BEEN SWITCHED CAUSING THE CAR TO STAY AN REVERSE AND MOVE BACKWARD RATHER THAN FORWARD PINCHING ARM BETWEEN CAL.
October 23, 1997KY · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorFALL OF ROOF OR BACK
EE WAS TRAMMING 270 S&S RAM CAR TO FACE IN THE LAST OPEN CROSSCUT BETWEEN #2 & #3 ENTRY WHEN PIECE OF DRAW SLATE APPROX 12" X 18" BY 1" TO 1.5" THICK. EE WAS TAKEN TO BUCHANAN GENERAL HOSPITAL , GRUNDY, VA. EE HAD 4 STITCHES IN LACERATION IN LEFT EAR.
Jaw Bone Coal Corp · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
IN PROCESS OF CHANGING HYD FILTER ON 2480 EIMCO CONTINUOUS MINER LOCATED LO X-CUT 3 HEADING, METAL COVER LID ON OPERATOR'S DECK SIDE LID WAS RAISED, LIFTED BY HAND, BEFORE PROPER BLOCKING & LO CK STICK COULD BE INSTALLED LID SMAPPED ON EE'S LEFT INDEX FINGER MASHNG & SEVERING LAST DIGIT JOINT. EE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL, WHERE SURGERY WAS PREFORMED REMAINING PART OF INJURED FINGER.