Pine Mountain Prep Plant has $179K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K outstanding across 17 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
14
Years on record
1987–2010
Latest incident
Sep 2010
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
240
citations
43
significant & substantial
$178,967
proposed penalties
$159,612
paid to date
89% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $19,355 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.
240 citations across 2,362 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Pine Mountain Prep Plant has $179K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K 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.
$179K
proposed penalties
$161K
current assessed
$160K
paid to date
$2K
outstanding
213 assessments are final orders; 17 contested dockets.
Of $81K in penalties contested before the Commission, $61K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2020-11-24.
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.
61citations taken to the federal commission · 25% of citations on record
Settled
57 · 93%
Stood as issued
2 · 3%
Vacated or withdrawn
2 · 3%
88%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 17 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
25%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$81K proposed, $61K 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 2016-08-16.
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 Pine Mountain Prep Plant shows 100% of 42 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: 2009-10-22, 16 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
42
samples
1.44
dust max (mg/m3)
28 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 14 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
BULLDOZER OPERATOR25
WASHER OPERATOR4
MECHANIC2
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.
Pine Mountain Prep Plant recorded 3.37 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.
3.37
total case rate
3.37
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below 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 *
3.37
3.37
0.000
2001 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2000 *
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
Year
Employees
2024
3
2023
4
2022
2
2021
1
2020
1
2019
1
2018
0
2017
0
2016
0
2015
2
2014
3
2013
0
2012
0
2011
0
2010
0
2009
19
2008
2
2007
0
2006
0
2005
0
2004
0
2003
0
2002
4
2001
11
2000
11
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Pine Mountain Prep Plant sits in Leslie County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 10.6% 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.
Leslie County, Kentucky · Population 10,261
10.6%
Mining share of county employment
$40,176
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
While preparing to take down a material stacking conveyor on impoundment, located on K7 2009 belonging to Infinity Coal Co, EE was standing on tail end of stacker cutting holes in sideboards for chain hook points. A backhoe operator was removing material from around support legs and turned conveyor over, causing cuts on 3 fingers on right hand of inured EE, requiring stitches.
2009 · 1 incident
February 27, 2009KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EE was loading his tools in the bed of a pick up truck. As he was exiting the bed, he slipped and fell of the truck, landing on a fork of a fork lift that was sitting beside the truck.
1999 · 1 incident
March 6, 1999KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
BREAKING A LARGE SLAB OF DRAWROCK THAT WAS LODGED ON ROM BELT WITH A SLEDGE PIECE OF ROCK BROKE AND FLEW 25' STRIKING HIM IN THE MOUTH CAUSING BOTTOM FRONT TOOTH TO COMME OUT AND LOOSENED ANO THER SMALL CUT ON BOTTOM LIP.
January 14, 1992KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerMACHINERY
WHILE HACKING D7 TRACTOR INJURED WS TWISTED AROUND INT EH SEAT LOOKING BACK. WHILE USING FUELFIED WITH RIGHT LEG-TWISTED HIS KNEE-KEPT WORKING THRU TILL 1-20-92. FIRST DAY OFF 1-21-92.
1991 · 1 incident
August 15, 1991KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSTEPPING OR KNEELING ON OBJECT
EMPLOYEE HAD JUST COMPLETED FITTING A SECTION OF NEW PIPE IN ABOVE CLEAN UP SUMP HE CAME BACK DOWN LADDER WHEN HE STEPPED ON 1- 1/2IN DIA WATER HOSE THAT WAS USED TO FILL WATER TRUCK & WASH OU T CLEAN UP SUMP WHEN HE STEPPED ON HOSE HE ROLLED HIS FOOT OVER SPRAINING HIS LEFT ANKLE
1989 · 1 incident
January 11, 1989KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE LIFTED A CHAIN (3/8INX15FT) ONTO A D9-L CATERPILLAR TRACTOR & THEN PLACED THE CHAIN WHERE IT COULD BE REACHED FROM INSIDE THE CAB HE GOT INTO THE CAB TWISTED AROUND & REACHED OUTSIDE TO GET THE CHAIN & FELT A SHARP PAIN IN H IS LOWER BACK
1987 · 4 incidents
April 16, 1987KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WORKIN1 WITH CREW BACKFILLING OPERATING A TAMPER TAMPER WEIGHT 200 BECAME STUCK IN MUD STONE. EMPLOYEE AND TWO OTHER TRIED TO LIFT TAMPER OUT WHEN EMPLOYEE FELT PAIN IN LOWER BACK EMP OYEE TREATED FO9 BACK STRAIN W/BED REST.
April 13, 1987KY · Coalcrane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, riggerMACHINERY
EMPLOYEE WAS EX3TING THE CAB OF THE GROVE CRANE LOST FOOTING AND FELL AGAINST THE FRAME OF THE CAB STRUCK LEFT SIDE OF CHEST CONTISON OF LEFT CHEST POSSIBLE FRACTURED RIBS.
April 8, 1987KY · Coallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS LI0TING TURNING AND HANDING CONCRETE FORMS TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE ON THIS TURN HIS K NEE POPPED AND BEGAN TO GIVE PAIN. EMPLOYEE HAS TORN MENISCUS AND PARTIAL TRUMATIC DISLOCATION OF PATELLA. 3
UPON EXITING TO2L TRAILER EMPLOYEE FELL OFF STEPS APPROX. 4 FT EMPLOYEE FRACTURED LEFT WRIST. EMPLOYEE DOES NOT KNOW WHY HE FELL. DR INDICATER 2 TO 4 MONTHS FOR HEALING AND RECUPERATION.
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