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.
429 citations across 3,037 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Pathfork #1 has $58K in proposed MSHA penalties and $11K 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.
$58K
proposed penalties
$60K
current assessed
$49K
paid to date
$11K
outstanding
415 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2008-03-24.
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 Pathfork #1 shows 87% of 401 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: 2006-09-12, 20 years ago
87%
within 1.5 mg/m3
401
samples
7.69
dust max (mg/m3)
232 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 169 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.
Pathfork #1 recorded 7.55 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2005.
Injury rate, 2005
ⓘ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.
7.55
total case rate
7.55
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 5.11 and the all-US-mining average was 4.21 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 5.46 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
2005 *
7.55
7.55
0.000
2004 *
4.03
4.03
0.000
2001 *
13.55
13.55
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
2
2007
1
2006
18
3,461
2005
23
81,848
2004
27
156,969
2003
0
2002
18
80,129
2001
23
98,856
2000
4
12,593
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Pathfork #1 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
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2008 Q2
1,220
0
0
0.0
2008 Q1
960
2
0
2083.3
2007 Q4
0
1
1
2007 Q3
960
3
2
3125.0
2007 Q2
1,272
7
3
5503.1
2007 Q1
0
6
2
2006 Q4
1,440
1
0
694.4
2006 Q3
13,360
56
27
4191.6
Show 24 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2006 Q1
176
62
39
352272.7
2005 Q4
11,365
7
4
615.9
2005 Q3
14,564
27
20
1853.9
2005 Q2
15,101
30
23
1986.6
2005 Q1
11,961
21
10
1755.7
2004 Q4
12,149
15
8
1234.7
2004 Q3
15,703
18
6
1146.3
2004 Q2
14,759
15
4
1016.3
2004 Q1
6,956
2
0
287.5
2003 Q4
0
0
0
2003 Q3
0
1
0
2003 Q2
0
0
0
2003 Q1
0
0
0
2002 Q4
0
0
0
2002 Q2
16,937
3
2
177.1
2002 Q1
13,837
23
12
1662.2
2001 Q4
13,531
25
11
1847.6
2001 Q3
14,397
6
1
416.8
2001 Q2
10,829
13
2
1200.5
2001 Q1
5,511
18
10
3266.2
2000 Q4
2,897
7
3
2416.3
2000 Q3
219
1
0
4566.2
2000 Q2
0
0
0
2000 Q1
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
18 on file
2006 · 4 incidents
July 20, 2006KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was operating roof bolting machine loading supplies onto machine and hurt his back. Said his back had been hurting him for two or three weeks.
2005 · 4 incidents
May 31, 2005KY · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
TOP OF MNE BEGAN TO FALL OVER A PERIOD OF 9 DAYS.STARTING ON 11/11/04 THRU 11/23/04. RIB BEGAN TO PRESS OUT & 4 FT BOLTS WERE USED IN THE AREA WHERE A RIDER SEAM WAS FOUND TO BE APPROX 5 FT. THE FALL OCCURED 6 BREAKS INBY #4 BELT DRIVE
EE HAD GOTTEN SOME ROCKS OFF MINER AND WAS REHOOKING HIS REMOTE BOX TO THE MINER. WHEN HE TURNED HE SLIPPED ON A ROCK AND FELL.
January 21, 2002KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Maggard Mining · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects
THE MEN WERE LOADING BELT ON A FLAT CAR AND THEYWER4E USING A BAR TO LAP THE BELT. WHEN HE PULLED BACK ON THE BAR, HE FELT A STINGING IN THE SMALL OF HIS BACK
2001 · 3 incidents
October 8, 2001KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE WAS SHOVELING THE BELT WITH A DIRT SHOVEL. HE STARTED TO PICK UP THE SHOVEL AND THROW THE MUCK TO HIS SIDE KIND OF OVER HIS SHOULCER. WHEN HE PICKED UP THE SHOVEL FELT PAIN IN HIS BACK.
August 9, 2001KY · Coalscoop car/scooptram operator, load/haul/dump (lhd) operator, teletram operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON