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Spring Branch No 1: 141 MSHA citations Coal

Cook & Sons Mining Inc · Underground
Premium, Letcher County, KY  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 1518238

Spring Branch No 1 has $19K in proposed MSHA penalties and $6K outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
18
Years on record
2000–2001
Latest incident
Dec 2001
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
141
citations
80
significant & substantial
$19,186
proposed penalties
$11,988
paid to date
62% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $7,198 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Cook & Sons Mining Inc's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
42
inspections on record
1,080
inspection hours
13.1
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.
141 citations across 1,080 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Spring Branch No 1 has $19K in proposed MSHA penalties and $6K 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.
$19K
proposed penalties
$18K
current assessed
$12K
paid to date
$6K
outstanding
136 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $5K in penalties contested before the Commission, $4K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2002-01-18.
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.
58.4%
significant & substantial
5.1%
high negligence or reckless
58.4%
reasonably likely or greater
11.7%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 0.7% low, 94.2% moderate, 5.1% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
KENT20010202 Settlement Hodgdon 2001 $3K → $2K
KENT20010103 Settlement Hodgdon 2001 $2K → $2K
KENT20020023 Default Barbour 2002 $244 → $244
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Spring Branch No 1 shows 89% of 105 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: 2002-01-25, 24 years ago
89%
within 1.5 mg/m3
105
samples
5.06
dust max (mg/m3)
45 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 60 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR51
  • TRACTOR OPERATOR/MOTORMAN8
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)6

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2002-01-23, 24 years ago
6.5
silica avg (%)
9
samples
12.7
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR4
  • CUTTING MACHINE OPERATOR1
See US coal mines ranked by silica in their dust samples.
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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.
Year within 1.5 mg/m3 samples
2002 100% 8
2001 96% 48
2000 80% 49
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2002 3.3 1
2001 6.3 2
2000 7.1 6
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
  1. Gentec Processing Inc 2000 to 2001
  2. Cook & Sons Mining Inc 2001 to present
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)
2002 22 6,215
2001 23 56,519
2000 41 154,952
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Spring Branch No 1 sits in Letcher County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.5% 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.
Letcher County, Kentucky · Population 21,146
3.5%
Mining share of county employment
$40,501
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
2002 Q1 4,270 2 0 468.4
2001 Q4 13,407 18 4 1342.6
2001 Q3 14,166 12 7 847.1
2001 Q2 11,786 15 8 1272.7
2000 Q4 24,084 32 24 1328.7
2000 Q3 27,740 26 15 937.3
2000 Q2 15,091 29 18 1921.7
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

18 on file

2001 · 7 incidents

December 7, 2001 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Cook & Sons Mining Inc · Struck by powered moving object

EMPLOYEE SLIPPED AND FELL BOTH FEET WENT UNDER TIRE OF ROOF BOLTER AS IT WAS MOVING, BRUISED BOTH FEET.

October 18, 2001 KY · Coal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Cook & Sons Mining Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

HE TRIED TO MOVE BULL GEAR FOR A HEAD DRIVE OUT OF SCOOP BUCKET.

October 6, 2001 KY · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Cook & Sons Mining Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

THE EMPLOYEE GOT HURT ON 10/6/01 BUT DID NOT GO TO THE DR UNTIL 10/26/01. HE WAS HELPING WORK ON A FEEDER LIFTING A TAIL SHAFT ASSEMBLY WHEN HE FELT PAIN IN LOWER BACK.

August 31, 2001 KY · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Cook & Sons Mining Inc · Accident type, without injuries

CONTINUATION OF ROOF FALL REPORTED ON 8/6/01 FALL CONTINUED FROM THE NO 2 ENTRY OVER TO THE #1 ENTRY THE NEW AREA THAT FELL IS 90'LONG 8'THICK AND 18'WIDE. THE AREA HAS BEEN TIMBERED AND CRIBE D OFF.

August 6, 2001 KY · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Cook & Sons Mining Inc · Accident type, without injuries

ROOF FALL LAST OPEN CROSS CUT IN THE NO.2 ENTRY ON ACTIVE SECTION ONE CROSS CUT INBY SPAD 51 FALL 18' WIDE, 6'-7' THICK, 20'LONG. THE AREA HAS BEEN DANGERED OFF TIMBERS SET AND CRIBS BUILT.

July 18, 2001 KY · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Cook & Sons Mining Inc · Accident type, without injuries

ROOF FALL ON 003-0 SECTION FIRST LEFT PANEL OFF OF ACTIVE MAINS FALL IN #5 ENTRY 3 X CUTS OUTBY FACE FALL 25'L X 18'W X 6' THICK AREA TIMBERED AND CRIBS BUILT AND DANGERED OFF.

May 29, 2001 KY · Coal driller operator MACHINERY
Cook & Sons Mining Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

INJURED ROOF DRILL OPERATOR WAS ASSISTING THE OFFSIDE DRILLER IN STRAIGHTENING A BEND ROOF BOLT WHEN THE INJURED'S LEFT WRIST WAS STRUCK BY THE ROOF BOLT SPINNING.

2000 · 11 incidents

November 16, 2000 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Gentec Processing Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

BOLTING TOP AND PUSHED HIS THUMB OUT OF SOCKET.

October 31, 2000 KY · Coal electrician, lineman POWERED HAULAGE
Gentec Processing Inc · Struck against stationary object

EE GOT HIS FOOT ON THE TRAM PEDAL OF A MAC 8 ANDIT PULLED HIM INTO THE TOP AND RIB OF THE MINE.

September 20, 2000 KY · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Gentec Processing Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

ROPE SNAPPED AND BROKE EMPLOYEE'S THUMB, HE WAS PULLING ON A CABLE.

September 5, 2000 KY · Coal scoop car/scooptram operator, load/haul/dump (lhd) operator, teletram operator POWERED HAULAGE
Gentec Processing Inc · Struck against a moving object

EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING A SCOOP. SCOOP RAN OVER A ROCK AND EMPLOYEE HIT HIS HEAD ON TOP.

August 31, 2000 KY · Coal scoop car/scooptram operator, load/haul/dump (lhd) operator, teletram operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Gentec Processing Inc · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

EMPLOYEE WAS PULLING ON A CABLE AND STRAINED HIS BACK.

August 30, 2000 KY · Coal scoop car/scooptram operator, load/haul/dump (lhd) operator, teletram operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Gentec Processing Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

HOLDING DRILL STEEL AND MASHED HAND. CAUGHT HIS HAND BETWEEN THE DRILL STEEL AND CANOPY.

June 10, 2000 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Gentec Processing Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS BENDING A ROOF BOLT AND HURT HIS BACK.

June 5, 2000 KY · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator POWERED HAULAGE
Gentec Processing Inc · Struck against a moving object

WHILE OPERATING RAM CAR, HE HIT A BUMP AND HIS HEAD HIT THE CANOPY, BREAKING HIS TOOTH.

June 1, 2000 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Gentec Processing Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS ROOF BOLTING AND A PLATE HIT HIS ARM.

May 25, 2000 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Gentec Processing Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

ROOF BOLTING THE TOP, HE CAUGHT HIS LEFT KNEE BETWEEN THE BOOM AND THE RIB OF THE MIND.