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.
206 citations across 2,536 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘA Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
4
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2014-08-26.
On record since 2010.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
S-10 has $630K in proposed MSHA penalties and $75K outstanding across 25 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.
$630K
proposed penalties
$294K
current assessed
$219K
paid to date
$75K
outstanding
195 assessments are final orders; 25 contested dockets.
Of $588K in penalties contested before the Commission, $252K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-05-06.
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.
77citations taken to the federal commission · 37% of citations on record
Settled
73 · 95%
Stood as issued
4 · 5%
98%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 53 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
57%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$595K proposed, $256K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2016-03-15.
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 S-10 shows 100% of 139 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: 2016-01-21, 10 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
139
samples
1.49
dust max (mg/m3)
0
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.
92 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 47 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.
S-10 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2014.
Injury rate, 2014
ⓘ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 3.96 and the all-US-mining average was 2.93 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.63 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
2014 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2013 *
2.39
2.39
0.000
2012 *
4.03
0.00
0.000
2011 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2010 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2009 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2008 *
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)
2016
2
2015
3
2014
25
291,571
2013
29
399,069
2012
30
229,384
2011
23
166,714
2010
14
114,807
2009
18
204,347
2008
23
280,612
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
S-10 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
2016 Q2
0
0
0
2016 Q1
456
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
1,232
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
1,848
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
1,957
15
8
7664.8
2015 Q1
1,995
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
12,251
30
9
2448.8
2014 Q3
20,861
7
3
335.6
Show 26 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2014 Q2
22,782
11
8
482.8
2014 Q1
17,869
22
12
1231.2
2013 Q4
13,731
3
3
218.5
2013 Q3
21,756
3
3
137.9
2013 Q2
22,781
1
0
43.9
2013 Q1
25,388
5
2
196.9
2012 Q4
26,160
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
7,802
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
2,782
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
12,865
1
1
77.7
2011 Q4
16,538
8
6
483.7
2011 Q3
18,446
5
1
271.1
2011 Q2
12,818
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
8,237
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
8,068
3
3
371.8
2010 Q3
7,548
2
2
265.0
2010 Q2
8,814
14
7
1588.4
2010 Q1
8,884
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
10,535
2
0
189.8
2009 Q3
9,314
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
12,745
4
2
313.8
2009 Q1
12,508
2
1
159.9
2008 Q4
14,932
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
12,292
3
1
244.1
2008 Q2
13,890
0
0
0.0
2008 Q1
8,890
5
1
562.4
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
8 on file
2016 · 1 incident
January 11, 2016KY · Coalblaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkeySLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
A fire occurred on a vehicle operated by Austin Powder Appalachia while off-loading its cargo of ammonium nitrate. Efforts to extinguish the fire began immediately. There were no injuries as a result of the fire. The fire did not involve the cargo and there was no release of cargo.
Driver was attempting to drive his truck down a hill, and although it had just been graded the truck lost its traction and starting turning until it turned over.
2013 · 1 incident
February 25, 2013KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Volvo truck was hauling coal down mine pit road. EE stated to his wife and brother that he knocked truck out of gear. Truck was in a curve and the emergency brake was applied. Truck turned over in roadway an injured ee. He was unconscious when extracted from truck, transported to hospital by ambulance and helicopter.