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.
233 citations across 4,178 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
NO 7 has $61K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 27 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.
$61K
proposed penalties
$51K
current assessed
$51K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
231 assessments are final orders; 27 contested dockets.
Of $47K in penalties contested before the Commission, $36K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-11-24.
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.
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.
88citations taken to the federal commission · 38% of citations on record
Settled
88 · 100%
96%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 54 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
23%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$47K proposed, $36K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2016-02-02.
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 96% of 253 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: 2015-06-11, 11 years ago
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
253
samples
3.30
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.
124 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 129 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 23.28 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2015.
Injury rate, 2015
ⓘ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.
23.28
total case rate
19.95
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.76 and the all-US-mining average was 2.72 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.56 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
2015 *
23.28
19.95
0.000
2014
14.45
14.45
0.000
2013
4.74
1.58
0.000
2012 *
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)
2016
5
2015
25
115,393
2014
48
358,355
2013
50
336,061
2012
18
70,620
2011
0
2010
3
3,217
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
NO 7 sits in Lawrence County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.4% 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.
Lawrence County, Kentucky · Population 16,171
3.4%
Mining share of county employment
$45,584
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
2016 Q2
0
0
0
2016 Q1
1,661
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
5,859
1
0
170.7
2015 Q3
6,403
2
0
312.4
2015 Q2
23,117
27
14
1168.0
2015 Q1
24,758
36
4
1454.1
2014 Q4
20,101
35
6
1741.2
2014 Q3
19,757
5
0
253.1
Show 16 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2014 Q2
37,579
22
11
585.4
2014 Q1
33,285
9
1
270.4
2013 Q4
32,874
16
3
486.7
2013 Q3
33,131
8
2
241.5
2013 Q2
34,129
30
7
879.0
2013 Q1
26,517
20
2
754.2
2012 Q4
18,215
8
2
439.2
2012 Q3
8,021
5
1
623.4
2012 Q2
0
0
0
2012 Q1
0
0
0
2011 Q4
0
0
0
2011 Q3
0
0
0
2011 Q2
0
0
0
2011 Q1
0
0
0
2010 Q4
2,304
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
18 on file
2015 · 7 incidents
September 1, 2015KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was walking around a scoop to get a bag of rock dust when he tripped on a slick rock. He caught himself with his right arm and pulled a muscle in his arm and shoulder.
Employee was knocking down a half header. Down from roof top when it fell it hit him on his right hand and cut his little finger he received 4 stitches.
January 5, 2015KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
The employee was helping making a belt move using a red devil hand operated ratchet when he releasing the ratchet the handle slipped and caught his right thumb between handle and the latch. It fracture his thumb.
2014 · 8 incidents
October 23, 2014KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was walking across section doing pre shift exam when he stepped in a hole and tripped and twisted his right knee. Employee worked until 8/12/14. then went off work.
Employee was operating a continuous miner loading a shuttle car when a piece sand stone came out of the conveyor on the miner and struck him on the right side of his hard hat.
Employee was watching belt run to trim a splice and a piece of the belt line came around and hit him in the face and cut his chin. He received 10 stitches on his chin. Came back to work the next day.