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.
198 citations across 2,246 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
S-12 Calhoun has $239K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 11 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.
$239K
proposed penalties
$192K
current assessed
$191K
paid to date
$1K
outstanding
195 assessments are final orders; 11 contested dockets.
Of $203K in penalties contested before the Commission, $156K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2017-01-03.
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.
41citations taken to the federal commission · 21% of citations on record
Settled
41 · 100%
100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 22 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
23%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$202K proposed, $156K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2016-04-28.
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-12 Calhoun shows 99% of 165 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: 2017-03-01, 9 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
165
samples
1.99
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.
128 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 37 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-12 Calhoun recorded 8.04 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.
8.04
total case rate
5.36
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above 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 *
8.04
5.36
0.000
2013 *
3.00
3.00
0.000
2009 *
3.30
3.30
0.000
2008
1.61
1.61
0.000
2007 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2006
7.87
7.87
1.968
2005 *
4.21
4.21
0.000
2004
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)
2017
3
2016
4
2015
0
2014
35
210,566
2013
23
141,582
2012
10
17,086
2011
0
2010
0
2009
20
91,108
2008
60
435,601
2007
42
511,306
2006
37
456,930
2005
37
436,047
2004
40
517,813
2003
53
617,162
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
S-12 Calhoun sits in Breathitt County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 2.3% 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.
Breathitt County, Kentucky · Population 13,438
2.3%
Mining share of county employment
$41,101
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
Miller Bros Coal LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING A WATER TRUCK WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE TRUCK AND OVERTURNED. THE ACCIDENT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. THE VICTIM WAS TRAPPED UNDER THE TRUCK. THE VICTIM WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. THE BODY WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE BREATHITT COUNTY CORONER & THEN TO FRANKFORT FOR AUTOPSY.
Reportable incidents
18 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2014 · 4 incidents
August 19, 2014KY · Coaloutside foreman, leadmanMACHINERY
while employee was welding, welding helmet was changing dark due to night fall, he changed to safety glasses to finish. A piece of hot slag hit glasses, dripped onto right eyelid, burning lid and eye
April 2, 2014KY · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorEXPLODING VESSELS UNDER PRESSURE
Pulling nose cone off D9T tractor, lift jack came out of ball on blade, struck right knee and pinned right leg against the back of the blade - resulting in a knee contusion.
January 22, 2014KY · Coalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was assembling highwall miner-using sledgehammer & slate bar. Was prying with slate bar to align bolt holes on structure of 2nd deck, bar slipped & he fell on deck onto his behind.
Took break from loading holes to go and relieve himself. Started to go over the hill from bench where work was being done, slipped on rock & went down over hill landing on a rock then rolling on down to catch bench.
Cut bearing from pin bore and was moving out of the way. The bearing had excessive amounts of grease causing it to slip out of mechanic's hand striking him in the left lower leg.