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.
216 citations across 2,303 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Samuel Mine has $31K in proposed MSHA penalties and $16K outstanding across 4 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.
$31K
proposed penalties
$30K
current assessed
$14K
paid to date
$16K
outstanding
207 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $10K in penalties contested before the Commission, $9K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2018-05-11.
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.
51citations taken to the federal commission · 24% of citations on record
Settled
51 · 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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 24 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
12%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$10K proposed, $9K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2015-03-17.
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 Samuel Mine shows 93% of 80 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: 2014-09-12, 11 years ago
93%
within 1.5 mg/m3
80
samples
2.66
dust max (mg/m3)
1
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.
39 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 41 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.
Samuel Mine recorded 9.92 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.
9.92
total case rate
9.92
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.
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)
2022
0
2021
0
2020
1
2019
1
2018
1
2017
1
2016
18
2014
19
68,634
2013
27
53,140
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Samuel Mine sits in Knott County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 2.8% 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.
Knott County, Kentucky · Population 14,046
2.8%
Mining share of county employment
$37,736
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
2022 Q1
0
0
0
2021 Q4
0
0
0
2021 Q3
0
0
0
2021 Q2
0
0
0
2021 Q1
0
0
0
2020 Q4
2,352
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
0
0
0
2020 Q2
0
0
0
Show 20 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2020 Q1
0
0
0
2019 Q3
0
0
0
2019 Q1
24
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
24
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
24
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
24
1
0
41666.7
2018 Q1
24
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
24
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
24
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
24
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
24
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
2,397
4
1
1668.8
2016 Q2
16,170
4
1
247.4
2014 Q4
7,860
59
20
7506.4
2014 Q3
15,356
25
6
1628.0
2014 Q2
13,638
22
3
1613.1
2014 Q1
3,450
14
3
4058.0
2013 Q4
20,017
28
8
1398.8
2013 Q3
10,636
39
15
3666.8
2013 Q2
1,484
5
1
3369.3
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
7 on file
2014 · 2 incidents
November 5, 2014KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Bolting machine operator had set machine up to install last roof bolt. Was crawling up to install last bolt and a piece of draw rock fell and hit him in the back and blackened his eye.
September 30, 2014KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
EE was backing out of the #3 heading with a load of coal. He crossed under the roof bolter cable with the back of the scoop and then he turned his head to be certain the front would go under the cable then he ran over a lump of coal and it pushed him against top.
October 12, 2013KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
The operator of the #3 roof bolter was attempting to put another cable bolt up (after having hung one) he started a hole adjacent to the previous hole when a piece of draw rock became dislodged from the top and struck him on his left wrist.
October 10, 2013KY · Coalbull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift bossHANDLING OF MATERIALS
The accident occurred when the victim was attempting to back out of the battery charging station on his permissible buggy and while looking over his shoulder he backed into a cable bole plate and it cut above his eye.
October 1, 2013KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Bee B & B LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
The victim was attempting to pick a rock of the drag chain when the off-side rock picker attempted to bust the same rock with a sledge hammer. When the sledge hammer came in contact with the rock the victims left hand was still there and his pinky finger was smashed.
September 17, 2013KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Bee B & B LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
The #3 roof bolter operator was attempting to connect two pieces of drill steel together when he hit the rotation lever & the connector on the steel broke and swung around and struck the operator on his left wrist.