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.
245 citations across 3,228 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
No. 88 has $54K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 16 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.
$54K
proposed penalties
$52K
current assessed
$52K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
240 assessments are final orders; 16 contested dockets.
Of $17K in penalties contested before the Commission, $15K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2022-03-15.
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.
32citations taken to the federal commission · 13% of citations on record
Settled
31 · 97%
Stood as issued
1 · 3%
95%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 19 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
12%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$17K proposed, $15K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2016-07-13.
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. 88 shows 98% of 389 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: 2015-11-03, 10 years ago
98%
within 1.5 mg/m3
389
samples
2.81
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.
200 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 189 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. 88 recorded 0.00 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below 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 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2014 *
11.00
6.60
0.000
2013 *
2.38
2.38
0.000
2012
6.90
3.45
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)
2023
0
2022
0
2021
0
2020
0
2019
0
2018
0
2017
0
2016
4
1,607
2015
40
211,619
2014
41
243,201
2013
42
199,206
2012
48
150,388
2011
38
91,407
2010
0
2009
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
No. 88 sits in Knott County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 2.8% 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.
Knott County, Kentucky · Population 14,046
2.8%
Mining share of county employment
$37,736
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
Had an unintentional fall starting from the mine portal highwall and extending approximately 15' inside the fan portal. The fall dimensions are approximately 20' wide by 12' long by 6' high.
Employee was using a 4 to 1 multiplier wrench and the wrench slipped and caught his left index finger between the wrench and the continuous miner. Sutures were required.
Installing a guard back on the continuous miner and caught his right thumb between guard and boss block. Cut and pinched right thumb, 4 sutures required.
May 29, 2014KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
PICI Contract employee strained his lower back while helping hang the miner cable. He was lifting cable with his left shoulder and slipped on a rock and the cable fell on him.
March 27, 2014KY · Coalscoop car/scooptram operator, load/haul/dump (lhd) operator, teletram operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was unloading timbers from a scoop bucket and strained himself in the groin area. Started missing work on 3/5/2014 due to swelling and complications that will require surgery.
2013 · 1 incident
November 5, 2013KY · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
Employee was operating shuttle car and as he was turning his coat sleeve caught the rib and it pulled his arm between car and the rib and bruised his arm in which medical personnel later put a cast on it to help protect the muscle and tendons from future damage.
2012 · 4 incidents
November 16, 2012KY · Coalcontinuous miner operator, coal mole operatorMACHINERY
A continuous miner operator was aligning the miner up on the centerline and struck himself with the miner. He was diagnosed with a non-displaced hairline fracture to the pelvis.
November 10, 2012KY · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDLING OF MATERIALS