Poplar Grove Mine has $62K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
11
Years on record
2018–2020
Latest incident
Jun 2020
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2017
207
citations
56
significant & substantial
$61,506
proposed penalties
$61,383
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $123 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.
207 citations across 4,804 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Poplar Grove Mine has $62K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 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.
$62K
proposed penalties
$61K
current assessed
$61K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
202 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $123 in penalties contested before the Commission, $0 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2020-07-21.
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.
1citations taken to the federal commission · 0% of citations on record
Stood as issued
1 · 100%
100%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$123 proposed, $0 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2020-06-09.
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 Poplar Grove Mine shows 99% of 903 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: 2020-06-17, 6 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
903
samples
2.94
dust max (mg/m3)
5
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.
140 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 763 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.
Poplar Grove Mine recorded 22.43 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2020.
Injury rate, 2020
ⓘ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.
22.43
total case rate
7.48
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 2.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 3.67 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
2020 *
22.43
7.48
0.000
2019
1.87
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)
2020
56
260,370
2019
93
355,868
2018
8
2017
2
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Poplar Grove Mine sits in McLean County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 0.6% 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.
McLean County, Kentucky · Population 9,127
0.6%
Mining share of county employment
$70,549
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
2020 Q4
2,148
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
13,370
2
0
149.6
2020 Q2
18,550
20
4
1078.2
2020 Q1
19,424
55
15
2831.5
2019 Q4
87,180
45
11
516.2
2019 Q3
71,124
26
6
365.6
2019 Q2
40,152
32
12
797.0
2019 Q1
15,896
2
1
125.8
Show 7 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2018 Q4
5,130
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
3,690
1
0
271.0
2018 Q2
2,782
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
3,466
2
0
577.0
2017 Q4
2,074
1
0
482.2
2017 Q3
0
0
0
2017 Q2
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
11 on file
2020 · 7 incidents
June 4, 2020KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
EE already engaged the rotation before the boom touched the top starting to drill the inside pin on the fourth row when a 3"X6" rock broke loose and came back hitting the right side of EE's nose causing EE to need 4 stitches.
May 12, 2020KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was lifting a battery lid up with right hand and while doing so the lid slipped out of employee's hand coming down on right pinky finger. The pinky was X-rayed showing negative for fractures and employee received one stitch in the treatment of right pinky finger.
April 21, 2020KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
There were two rocks that were lodged in the chute at the top of the slope. EE was trying to dislodge the rocks when one rolled back un-expectantly on top of EE's hand causing a fracture of the tip of the middle finger on the right hand. EE also received five stitches on the same finger.
April 10, 2020KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Hartshorne Mining LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Employee was holding a pinner board to brace in-between front of the man-trip and the face of a metal panel. The board kicked out and caused two places on employee's left index finger to need a total of 5 stitches.
Was notified by the face boss on unit #2 1st Panel West of a roof fall located in #2 entry, XC-29 (21+20). This was inby the feeder on the working section.
Miner was walking to the inby charger to check a battery in the battery shack. Miner was walking over some gob when they twisted their left ankle causing them to fall. When they caught themselves with their arms they heard a pop in the left shoulder.
January 16, 2020KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EE was walking backwards and tripped on the mine floor. As EE was falling backwards EE stuck EE's hands out to catch self. Resulting in a fracture of EE's wrist of the pisiform bone.
2019 · 2 incidents
September 10, 2019KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Hartshorne Mining LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Employee was spotting a pin in a low area. EE could not get bottom steel in the pot and connected together. EE started using the pot to scrap at the bottom while holding the steel with right hand. The canopy struck EE's right hand and pinched it between the canopy and steel resulting in a laceration.
May 16, 2019KY · Coalutility man, errand boy, service truck operatorMACHINERY
Hartshorne Mining LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Bolter operator was using the boom/pot to make room in the mine bottom to be able to attach the second steel. The starter steel was in the roof being held by bolter operator's left hand. The canopy struck the left hand pinching the area between the thumb and index finger between the canopy and steel. The bolter operator had no fractures and received three stitches.
2018 · 2 incidents
December 24, 2018KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossMACHINERY
Hartshorne Mining LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Employee was attempting to remove bit off jumbo drill, EE was holding a metal plate against face, while jumbo drill was putting pressure against plate. EE got finger pinched between metal and bumper on drill boom.
October 25, 2018KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Employee was placing pressure on a pin on the long arm to get the pin past the notch to position it on the chuck. The pin slipped off the long arm and snapped back striking employee's right hand. Employee was taken for examination and returned to work next shift and worked until a recheck of the hand on 11-18-2019, at which time employee was placed off.