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.
218 citations across 1,954 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
No. 7 has $67K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 22 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.
$67K
proposed penalties
$61K
current assessed
$61K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
209 assessments are final orders; 22 contested dockets.
Of $38K in penalties contested before the Commission, $33K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2008-08-08.
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.
73citations taken to the federal commission · 33% of citations on record
Settled
50 · 68%
Stood as issued
23 · 32%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 37 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
14%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$39K proposed, $33K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2009-01-09.
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 No. 7 shows 88% of 248 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: 2008-07-21, 18 years ago
88%
within 1.5 mg/m3
248
samples
3.95
dust max (mg/m3)
117 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 131 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. 7 recorded 11.14 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2007.
Injury rate, 2007
ⓘ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.
11.14
total case rate
8.36
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 4.71 and the all-US-mining average was 3.77 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 5.12 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
2007 *
11.14
8.36
0.000
2006 *
24.67
18.50
0.000
2005 *
14.99
11.24
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)
2008
28
118,033
2007
29
221,722
2006
24
222,968
2005
21
188,995
2004
19
30,538
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
No. 7 sits in Martin County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 8.0% 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.
Martin County, Kentucky · Population 11,181
8.0%
Mining share of county employment
$46,185
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
2008 Q3
15,622
6
4
384.1
2008 Q2
17,039
30
17
1760.7
2008 Q1
19,241
3
0
155.9
2007 Q4
17,593
6
1
341.0
2007 Q3
18,017
14
5
777.0
2007 Q2
18,373
16
1
870.8
2007 Q1
17,826
14
6
785.4
2006 Q4
16,902
3
1
177.5
Show 8 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2006 Q3
16,980
20
8
1177.9
2006 Q2
14,634
19
5
1298.3
2006 Q1
16,333
6
2
367.4
2005 Q4
13,004
28
10
2153.2
2005 Q3
10,678
10
2
936.5
2005 Q2
15,797
26
8
1645.9
2005 Q1
13,879
11
3
792.6
2004 Q4
13,449
5
0
371.8
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
21 on file
2008 · 2 incidents
June 9, 2008KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Employee was recovering belt structure from old works. While he was stacking structure, he caught his finger between 2 pieces of structure, cutting finger. He received 4 stitches. No lost time.
2007 · 5 incidents
December 12, 2007KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
He was loading supplies in scoop when he slipped and fell hitting his tail and lower back. He did not go to Dr. until he was on vacation on 7-2-07. He didnot report that the Dr. took him off work until 7-10-07.
January 4, 2007KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
He was running shuttle car when he noticed that the cable quit taking up. He stepped out and shut the machine off and checked the cable. Reel was fouled up and he pulled on cable, when it freed up he fell down onto the ground and hurt his lower back.
August 2, 2006KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
A roof fall was discovered on the preshift examination in the belt entry 900' inby the surface. The fall measure 30' in length 17' wide and 8' thick. the fall occurred over holiday weekend. and no one was in the mine.
November 18, 2005KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Walking toward miner when he bumped his head on mine roof. He did not go to doctor until 12/6/05 and doctor took him off work. Was not reported to me until 12/20/05 1:30 PM.
August 31, 2005KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Moving miner cable out of road. Road was mudey he sliped and fell he worked til 12-14-05 went to doc. and he took him off work. Was not reported to me til 12-20-05.
March 31, 2005KY · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorPOWERED HAULAGE