Panther Mine #4a has $92K in proposed MSHA penalties and $43K outstanding across 17 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
20
Years on record
2007–2010
Latest incident
Jan 2010
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2006
364
citations
117
significant & substantial
$91,812
proposed penalties
$42,196
paid to date
46% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $49,616 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.
364 citations across 2,120 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Panther Mine #4a has $92K in proposed MSHA penalties and $43K outstanding across 17 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.
$92K
proposed penalties
$85K
current assessed
$42K
paid to date
$43K
outstanding
351 assessments are final orders; 17 contested dockets.
Of $41K in penalties contested before the Commission, $28K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2014-02-24.
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.
50citations taken to the federal commission · 14% of citations on record
Settled
48 · 96%
Stood as issued
2 · 4%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 27 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
33%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$41K proposed, $28K 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 2009-11-03.
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 Panther Mine #4a shows 84% of 158 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: 2009-07-17, 17 years ago
84%
within 1.5 mg/m3
158
samples
6.61
dust max (mg/m3)
88 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 70 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.
Panther Mine #4a recorded 11.80 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2009.
Injury rate, 2009
ⓘ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.
11.80
total case rate
2.95
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 4.16 and the all-US-mining average was 3.36 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 5.04 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
2009 *
11.80
2.95
0.000
2008 *
17.04
14.20
0.000
2007 *
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)
2010
3
2009
26
122,851
2008
33
192,063
2007
25
88,717
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Panther Mine #4a sits in Harlan County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 4.3% 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.
Harlan County, Kentucky · Population 26,185
4.3%
Mining share of county employment
$37,198
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
On 1/25/10 mine examiner found a roof fall in #5 entry between #1 and #2 crosscuts. This is a continuation of a previous fall. Fall approx 20' X 20' X 7'. Area timbered and dangered off. No ventilation interuption, no injuries. This is an idle section. Fall was 1 BK inby spad #730.
Roof fall found during weekly exam. The fall was on old 002 section in belt entry starting in intersection @ BK #2 and going to BK #3 inby corner. Fall 1 BK inby spad #170 to 18K outby spad #193. Area cribbed and dangered off on all sides. This is an idle section. No injuries. Ventilation still passing through area. Fall found by EE A-70-01. Fall approx 100' X 19' X 7' in size.
A roof fall was found by foreman at break #3 between the #3 and #4 entry. The roof fall is approx 20'L X 16'W X 6'T. The roof fall has been cribbed and dangered off.
During weekly exam, the mine examiner found a roof fall on old 2 belt. (Not working section). Fall was in #3 entry on roadway @ 34 cc in intersection. Fall approx 20' x 20' x 4' thick. Fall is cribbed off and dangered off. A-1312-78
June 23, 2009KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossPOWERED HAULAGE
On 5/22/09, during his weekly exam, Employee found a roof fall in #2 entry between 41cc and 42cc on abandoned section. Fall was approx. 60' long x 20' wide x 4 1/2' thick. This fall did not interfere with ventilation to working section.
May 6, 2009KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Was drilling a hole for a roof bolt when steel stopped up. He hit steel with a drill wrench trying to unstop it. Wrench ricocheted back striking him in the right cheek.
Mine superintendent found a roof fall during is weekly examinations. Fall was at Bk 68 in # 1 entry. Fall was approx. 18' - 20' wide x 45' - 50' long x 5'to 6' high. Area was timbered and dangered off. Fall was on old inactive section.
Employee was roof bolting the No 12 entry lt. brk. when a small piece of draw rock fell out hitting the employee on the nose and lip, requiring (6) stitches.
A roof fall was found by a employee while he was making his weekly, at break 65 in between the #2 and #3 entry in the return. The roof fall is approx. 30'long x 19' wide x 7' thick. The roof fall is not on the active section and is timbered and danger off.
Employee found the roof fall on 11/26/2008. The fall is in the #2 entry between break #62 and 63. The roof fall is not on the active section. Roof fall is approx 40' long x 18' wide x 5'-6' thick. Roof faall has been timbered and dangered off.
Foreman was traveling airways and found roof fall on 11/18/2008. Fall in #6 entry at break #32 from the surface portal. Roof fall is outby the section. Roof fall is 30; long x 20; wide x 6' to 7' thick. Area cribbed and dangered off.
November 14, 2008KY · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was attempting to travel from one side of belt conveyor to opposite side. Employee walked across belt crossover & while climbing down or stepping down employee fell, landing on a belt turn buckle and his self-rescuer
Employee was installing roof bolts in the #5 entry face on mmun9003 section. When the left rib rolled off hitting the EE from behind, the rib injured the lower part of the EE's legs.
August 4, 2008KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was bent down looking at miner to see if grease was coming out of grease jack fitting when the grease plug shot out under pressure and cut employee's face.
March 26, 2008KY · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee alleges he was unloading rails on the travelway from off of the back of his scoop when he slipped in mud and strained lower back. *After further investigation, it has been determined that this alleged incident could have occurred at the above referenced mine and therefore needs to be reported.