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.
378 citations across 4,027 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Slones Branch has $73K in proposed MSHA penalties and $969 outstanding across 3 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.
$73K
proposed penalties
$72K
current assessed
$71K
paid to date
$969
outstanding
371 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $4K in penalties contested before the Commission, $3K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2013-04-08.
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.
6citations taken to the federal commission · 2% of citations on record
Settled
6 · 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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 6 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
27%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$4K proposed, $3K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2012-10-31.
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 Slones Branch shows 95% of 419 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: 2012-06-20, 14 years ago
95%
within 1.5 mg/m3
419
samples
5.63
dust max (mg/m3)
182 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 237 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.
Slones Branch recorded 2.90 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2012.
Injury rate, 2012
ⓘ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.
2.90
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.74 and the all-US-mining average was 2.96 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.35 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
2012 *
2.90
0.00
0.000
2011
4.24
2.12
0.000
2010
6.90
3.45
0.000
2009
4.76
3.17
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)
2013
0
2012
26
92,133
2011
71
273,520
2010
61
300,400
2009
53
237,841
2008
16
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Slones Branch 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
KNOTT COUNTY COAL LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Employee was adjusting the forks on a skidsteer unit to be able to pick up scrap. As he reached between the backing plate and the mast to unlock pin holding forks in place the operator tilted the forks back pinning his arm between backing plate and the mast. Employee ended up with a slight fracture and some minor muscle damage on left forearm.
Roof strap was broke hanging down, principal was bending strap back and forth trying to break it off when he hit his right arm on the other end of the strap causing a laceration requiring 8 sutures.
2011 · 4 incidents
December 14, 2011KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)NONPOWERED HAULAGE
KNOTT COUNTY COAL LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Principal was unhooking utility trailer when the hitch came up with his right hand on top of the hitch hitting the mine roof cutting index finger, he had 5 sutures in his index finger.
While driving a mine buggy the wheel of the buggy caught a rock, thus spinning the steering wheel which caught employee's left hand. This resulted in a laceration to his left hand requiring stitches.
EE was walking around the head of the continuous miner when he hit his hard hat on a torque tension roof bolt, thus knocking his hard hat off of his head. He replaced the hard hat on his head and went back to work. He continued to work up until his doctor took him off work on 07/29/2011.
2010 · 6 incidents
September 28, 2010KY · Coalutility man, errand boy, service truck operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Taking a metal bar out of the center of a 1000 roll of belt, as the bar was being let down the bar fell on his middle finger on his left hand. This resulted in a fracture of the end of that finger.
September 10, 2010KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
KNOTT COUNTY COAL LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Had loaded a continuous miner on the lowboy, while taking the block off the stand, EE tripped the stand release and the stand came up and caught another ee left hand between frame and stand.
EE was loading conveyor belt on a belt car and was using clamp (rope dog) to pull on the belt. The clamp slipped off the belt, causing an injury to his left shoulder. Possible rotary cup damage to shoulder. He started missing work from this incident 09/07/2010.
Employee kneeled down and hit his right knee on a rock, which twisted his knee. He said he felt something pop in his knee and pain in the left side of his right knee. He continued to work the rest of the shift. He has continued to work up till 7/29/10 and was taken off work after the MRI showed a torn meniscus in his right knee.
June 4, 2010KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
KNOTT COUNTY COAL LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Drill steel got stuck in top while drilling hole, trying to spin the drill steel down, when the head went up and caught hand between steel and the top. Had five stitches in right thumb.
January 13, 2010KY · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
In #5 entry at spad #839 EE was pulling a loose piece of rock off the right corner. The rock come down and pulled the hung miner cable down onto his head, causing pain in lower back.
A non-injury roof fall was found on the right return of the 002-MMU at survey spad # 507 at the #8 right crosscut and extending to the #4 entry to survey spad #504 above the anchorage of the 5 foot fully grouted resin rods used for primary sopport.
Pressure on roof and floor was causing the roof to sag and bottom to hoove up in the area. Dangered off the area and allowed an intentional roof fall to occur to relieve the pressure off the adjacent entries and crosscuts. The intentional roof fall was 80' inby spad 455 and was approx 120' long and 19.5' wide.
July 22, 2009KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
While moving from the first bolt to the second bolt in the #1 heading, Injury twisted his right knee he complained of pain but continued to work the rest of the shift. Did not start missing work till 8/12/2009 Having knee surgery.