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Pettys Fork Mine #1: 1 recorded fatality Coal

Dorton, Pike County, KY  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 1517742

Pettys Fork Mine #1 has $6K in proposed MSHA penalties and $165 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
11
Years on record
1997–2001
Latest incident
Jun 2001
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
90
citations
21
significant & substantial
$6,158
proposed penalties
$5,993
paid to date
97% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $165 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See AEP Kentucky Coal, L.L.C.'s full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
29
inspections on record
559
inspection hours
n/a
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.
Rate withheld: 559 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Pettys Fork Mine #1 has $6K in proposed MSHA penalties and $165 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.
$6K
proposed penalties
$6K
current assessed
$6K
paid to date
$165
outstanding
89 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2004-07-26.
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.
23.3%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
23.3%
reasonably likely or greater
3.3%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 3.3% low, 96.7% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Pettys Fork Mine #1 shows 96% of 76 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: 2003-08-18, 23 years ago
96%
within 1.5 mg/m3
76
samples
4.42
dust max (mg/m3)
22 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 54 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR35
  • BLASTER/SHOOTER/SHOTFIRER14
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE10

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2003-03-14, 23 years ago
10.4
silica avg (%)
10
samples
30.0
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR5
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE3
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR2
See US coal mines ranked by silica in their dust samples.

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.

Last sampled: 2002-12-31, 23 years ago
0%
over PEL
11
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER4
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR2
  • AUGER OPERATOR1
See US mines ranked by noise samples over the legal limit.
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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.
Year within 1.5 mg/m3 samples
2003 50% 2
2002 96% 47
2001 100% 27
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2003 29.5 1
2002 8.7 4
2001 7.9 5
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2002 0% 2
2001 0% 9
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Pettys Fork Mine #1 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2002.

Injury rate, 2002
ⓘ 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 6.89 and the all-US-mining average was 5.05 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 8.22 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
2002 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2001 * 6.75 6.75 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.
Ownership history
  1. Branham & Baker Coal Company Inc 1996 to 2001
  2. AEP Kentucky Coal, L.L.C. 2001 to present
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)
2004 1 4,735
2003 1
2002 12 75,633
2001 12 101,448
2000 1 100
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Pettys Fork Mine #1 sits in Pike County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 5.1% 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.
Pike County, Kentucky · Population 57,466
5.1%
Mining share of county employment
$42,179
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
2004 Q4 0 0 0
2004 Q3 0 1 0
2004 Q2 150 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 742 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 759 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 894 1 0 1118.6
2003 Q2 693 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 856 1 0 1168.2
Show 12 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2002 Q4 5,557 8 2 1439.6
2002 Q3 8,601 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 11,285 12 2 1063.4
2002 Q1 13,174 2 1 151.8
2001 Q4 9,636 19 2 1971.8
2001 Q3 11,395 6 2 526.5
2001 Q2 8,511 10 3 1175.0
2001 Q1 74 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 0 6 1
2000 Q3 466 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 0 0 0
2000 Q1 466 0 0 0.0

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded

Reportable incidents

10 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2001 · 1 incident

1999 · 1 incident

January 17, 1999 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Branham & Baker Coal Company Inc · Fall from ladders

EMPLOYEE WAS REPLACING STARTED ON 777A TRUCK WHEN HE SLIPPED AND FELL OFF OF LADDER AND HIT HIS LEFT SIDE.

1998 · 2 incidents

December 31, 1998 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Branham & Baker Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS PUTTING CHAINS ON GRADER, CHAINS SLIPPED AND PULLED ARM BACKWARDS CAUSING INJURY TO R ELBOW AND SHOULDER.

August 6, 1998 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Branham & Baker Coal Company Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EE WAS ADJUSTING SEAT IN HIS FRONT END LOADER. WHILE ADJUSTING SEAT THE SPRING IN THE SEAT RELEASED, CATCHING HIS FINGER UNDER THE FRONT OF THE SEAT.

1997 · 6 incidents

December 29, 1997 KY · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer OTHER
Branham & Baker Coal Company Inc · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS MAKING PRESHIFT INSPECTION OF THE EQUIPMENT HE WAS GOING TO OPERATE. THE LOSE CONSCIOUNESS AND WAS GIVEN CPR BY DEAN CONLEY, MET. HE WAS TAKEN TO PIKEVILLE METHODIST HOSPITAL WHERE HE DIED.

June 25, 1997 KY · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Branham & Baker Coal Company Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS CUTTING TIMBER, CHAINSAW KICKED BACK CUTTING EMPLOYEE BELOW RIGHT KNEE.

May 14, 1997 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Branham & Baker Coal Company Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EMPLOYEE WAS LIFTING DRILL STUB FROM UNDER TRAILER CAUSING DAMAGE TO BLOOD VESSELS IN RECTUM. DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION UNTL 5-20-97. FIRST DAY OFF FROM WORK 5-21-97.

March 7, 1997 KY · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Branham & Baker Coal Company Inc · Struck against a moving object

EE WAS DRIVING ROCK TRUCK. LOADER OPERATOR DROPPED A LARGE ROCK IN BED OF TRUCK CAUSING EE TO BE JARRED IN CAB OF TRUCK. THIS JARRING MOTION CAUSED BACK STRAIN.

February 9, 1997 KY · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer POWERED HAULAGE
Branham & Baker Coal Company Inc · Struck against a moving object

EMP WAS DRIVING ROCK TRUCK. TRUCK WAS BEING LOADED AND LOADER MAN DROPPED LARGE ROCK INTO BED OFTRUCK. EMP HIT ELBOW ON DOOR OF TRUCK CAUSING FRACTURE TO LEFT ELBOW. EMP DID NOT SEEK MED ATTEN TION UNTIL 2-10-97. FIRST DAY OFF 2-15-97.