Sturgeon Mining Co., Inc. · Accident type, without injuries
At approximately 5:20PM on 06/26/23 night watchman notified shift foreman that truck was on fire and foreman came back and extinguished fire.
Sturgeon Freeman Fork: 558 MSHA citations Coal
Sturgeon Freeman Fork has $230K in proposed MSHA penalties and $6K outstanding across 39 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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- Fatalities
- 0
- Total incidents
- 4
- Years on record
- 2008–2023
- Latest incident
- Jun 2023
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2006
558
citations
161
significant & substantial
$230,320
proposed penalties
$152,980
paid to date
66% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $77,340 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2006
78
inspections on record
4,350
inspection hours
12.8
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.558 citations across 4,350 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.2
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2010-10-19.
On record since 2010.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Sturgeon Freeman Fork has $230K in proposed MSHA penalties and $6K outstanding across 39 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.$230K
proposed penalties
$159K
current assessed
$153K
paid to date
$6K
outstanding
539 assessments are final orders; 39 contested dockets.
Of $172K in penalties contested before the Commission, $101K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-07-20.
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.29.5%
significant & substantial
1.1%
high negligence or reckless
29.7%
reasonably likely or greater
10.5%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 4.4% low, 94.5% moderate, 1.1% high, 0.0% reckless.
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.
201
citations taken to the federal commission · 36% of citations on record
- Settled 176 · 88%
- Stood as issued 24 · 12%
- Vacated or withdrawn 1 · 0%
84%
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 99 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
41%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$172K proposed, $101K 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 2024-01-09.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KENT 2012-200 | Settlement | Paez | 2013 | $51K → $9K |
| KENT 2011-386 | Settlement | Andrews | 2012 | $19K → $12K |
| KENT 2010-1189 | Settlement | Paez | 2013 | $14K → $11K |
| KENT 2012-701 | Prevail | Simonton | 2014 | $10K → $12K |
| KENT 2024-0040 | Settlement | Bulluck | 2024 | $9K → $7K |
| KENT 2011-1181 | Settlement | Tureck | 2012 | $6K → $2K |
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at Sturgeon Freeman Fork shows 99% of 380 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: 2026-08-11
ⓘ
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.99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
380
samples
4.66
dust max (mg/m3)
3
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.230 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 150 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR171
- HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR110
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER29
Silica (quartz)
Last sampled: 2026-03-039.8
silica avg (%)
39
samples
46.6
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR23
- HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR16
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.
Last sampled: 2026-08-11
ⓘ
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.4%
over PEL
197
samples
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR73
- HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR32
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER30
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 100% | 9 |
| 2025 | 100% | 15 |
| 2023 | 94% | 35 |
| 2022 | 100% | 35 |
| 2021 | 100% | 19 |
| 2020 | 100% | 15 |
| 2019 | 100% | 29 |
| 2018 | 100% | 12 |
| 2017 | 100% | 18 |
| 2016 | 100% | 29 |
| 2015 | 100% | 44 |
| 2014 | 100% | 28 |
| 2013 | 100% | 17 |
| 2012 | 100% | 11 |
| 2011 | 100% | 12 |
| 2010 | 100% | 13 |
| 2009 | 100% | 9 |
| 2008 | 100% | 16 |
| 2007 | 100% | 5 |
| 2006 | 100% | 9 |
Silica (quartz) by year
| Year | silica avg (%) | samples |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7.6 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6.0 | 4 |
| 2023 | 11.4 | 6 |
| 2022 | 6.9 | 11 |
| 2020 | 8.1 | 3 |
| 2019 | 8.9 | 5 |
| 2018 | 9.8 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3.1 | 1 |
| 2015 | 19.8 | 4 |
| 2014 | 10.0 | 1 |
| 2012 | 6.9 | 1 |
| 2010 | 28.3 | 1 |
Noise by year
| Year | over PEL | samples |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0% | 5 |
| 2025 | 0% | 9 |
| 2023 | 0% | 8 |
| 2022 | 7% | 15 |
| 2021 | 0% | 5 |
| 2019 | 0% | 13 |
| 2018 | 0% | 5 |
| 2017 | 0% | 11 |
| 2016 | 0% | 11 |
| 2015 | 4% | 23 |
| 2014 | 6% | 18 |
| 2013 | 10% | 10 |
| 2012 | 0% | 9 |
| 2011 | 8% | 12 |
| 2010 | 0% | 10 |
| 2009 | 10% | 10 |
| 2008 | 10% | 10 |
| 2007 | 0% | 4 |
| 2006 | 11% | 9 |
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Sturgeon Freeman Fork recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2022.
Injury rate, 2022
ⓘ
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 3.26 and the all-US-mining average was 2.12 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.58 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 * | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 2016 * | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 2011 * | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 2010 * | 7.61 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 2008 * | 9.33 | 9.33 | 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.
Ownership history
- Sturgeon Mining Co., Inc. 2006 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 3,539 |
| 2025 | 1 | 5,741 |
| 2024 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 37,298 |
| 2022 | 10 | 54,202 |
| 2021 | 4 | 19,087 |
| 2020 | 3 | 4,922 |
| 2019 | 5 | 27,358 |
| 2018 | 4 | 39,236 |
| 2017 | 3 | 26,221 |
| 2016 | 10 | 78,897 |
| 2015 | 5 | 45,485 |
| 2014 | 6 | 84,731 |
| 2013 | 5 | 28,759 |
| 2012 | 5 | 14,410 |
| 2011 | 12 | 66,734 |
| 2010 | 12 | 84,119 |
| 2009 | 6 | 26,425 |
| 2008 | 8 | 81,465 |
| 2007 | 8 | 96,944 |
| 2006 | 5 | 44,592 |
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Sturgeon Freeman Fork 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
| Quarter | Hours worked | Citations | S&S | Per 1M hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Q2 | 1,196 | 1 | 1 | 836.1 |
| 2026 Q1 | 845 | 1 | 1 | 1183.4 |
| 2025 Q4 | 749 | 1 | 0 | 1335.1 |
| 2025 Q3 | 624 | 20 | 6 | 32051.3 |
| 2025 Q2 | 277 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2025 Q1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 Q4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 Q3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Show 73 earlier quarters Hide earlier quarters
| Quarter | Hours worked | Citations | S&S | Per 1M hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Q2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 Q1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 Q4 | 1,296 | 6 | 5 | 4629.6 |
| 2023 Q3 | 1,831 | 3 | 0 | 1638.4 |
| 2023 Q2 | 2,237 | 13 | 2 | 5811.4 |
| 2023 Q1 | 6,663 | 4 | 2 | 600.3 |
| 2022 Q4 | 6,614 | 4 | 1 | 604.8 |
| 2022 Q3 | 7,571 | 5 | 0 | 660.4 |
| 2022 Q2 | 6,688 | 18 | 3 | 2691.4 |
| 2022 Q1 | 5,476 | 1 | 1 | 182.6 |
| 2021 Q4 | 5,422 | 8 | 1 | 1475.5 |
| 2021 Q3 | 2,351 | 7 | 1 | 2977.5 |
| 2021 Q2 | 2,433 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2021 Q1 | 309 | 5 | 0 | 16181.2 |
| 2020 Q4 | 1,070 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2020 Q3 | 1,341 | 1 | 0 | 745.7 |
| 2020 Q2 | 2,270 | 13 | 3 | 5726.9 |
| 2019 Q4 | 4,931 | 8 | 1 | 1622.4 |
| 2019 Q3 | 3,947 | 1 | 0 | 253.4 |
| 2019 Q2 | 3,443 | 8 | 1 | 2323.6 |
| 2019 Q1 | 3,453 | 10 | 2 | 2896.0 |
| 2018 Q4 | 2,983 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2018 Q3 | 2,320 | 6 | 1 | 2586.2 |
| 2018 Q2 | 1,973 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2018 Q1 | 1,691 | 4 | 0 | 2365.5 |
| 2017 Q4 | 2,056 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2017 Q3 | 1,650 | 4 | 0 | 2424.2 |
| 2017 Q2 | 2,092 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2017 Q1 | 2,061 | 1 | 0 | 485.2 |
| 2016 Q4 | 4,542 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2016 Q3 | 5,598 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2016 Q2 | 6,140 | 3 | 1 | 488.6 |
| 2016 Q1 | 4,119 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2015 Q4 | 4,546 | 9 | 1 | 1979.8 |
| 2015 Q3 | 1,046 | 1 | 0 | 956.0 |
| 2015 Q2 | 1,655 | 30 | 12 | 18126.9 |
| 2015 Q1 | 640 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2014 Q4 | 3,374 | 21 | 3 | 6224.1 |
| 2014 Q3 | 3,923 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2014 Q2 | 3,868 | 27 | 2 | 6980.4 |
| 2014 Q1 | 1,924 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2013 Q4 | 4,105 | 26 | 2 | 6333.7 |
| 2013 Q3 | 3,506 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2013 Q2 | 1,280 | 13 | 1 | 10156.2 |
| 2013 Q1 | 181 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2012 Q4 | 3,900 | 12 | 3 | 3076.9 |
| 2012 Q3 | 3,873 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2012 Q2 | 3,981 | 2 | 1 | 502.4 |
| 2012 Q1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2011 Q4 | 5,679 | 46 | 16 | 8100.0 |
| 2011 Q3 | 8,114 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2011 Q2 | 7,020 | 6 | 2 | 854.7 |
| 2011 Q1 | 7,389 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2010 Q4 | 7,696 | 25 | 11 | 3248.4 |
| 2010 Q3 | 8,778 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2010 Q2 | 7,728 | 28 | 12 | 3623.2 |
| 2010 Q1 | 2,071 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2009 Q4 | 1,920 | 4 | 0 | 2083.3 |
| 2009 Q3 | 1,256 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2009 Q2 | 129 | 7 | 4 | 54263.6 |
| 2009 Q1 | 6,791 | 1 | 1 | 147.3 |
| 2008 Q4 | 4,865 | 14 | 6 | 2877.7 |
| 2008 Q3 | 5,147 | 23 | 9 | 4468.6 |
| 2008 Q2 | 5,717 | 3 | 1 | 524.8 |
| 2008 Q1 | 5,707 | 21 | 4 | 3679.7 |
| 2007 Q4 | 7,507 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2007 Q3 | 3,617 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2007 Q2 | 3,614 | 18 | 12 | 4980.6 |
| 2007 Q1 | 3,520 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2006 Q4 | 1,768 | 17 | 9 | 9615.4 |
| 2006 Q3 | 3,108 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2006 Q2 | 1,570 | 10 | 6 | 6369.4 |
| 2006 Q1 | 3,900 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
4 on file2023 · 1 incident
2014 · 1 incident
September 17, 2014
KY · Coal
greaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oiler
SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Sturgeon Mining Co., Inc. · Fall to the walkway or working surface
Employee greasing fitting, stepped back. Foot hit ladder on truck. Dropped to ground. Bruised left leg.
2010 · 1 incident
March 29, 2010
KY · Coal
maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech
OTHER
Sturgeon Mining Co., Inc. · Bodily reaction, (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EE was replacing valve body in D-10 dozer. Twisted body. Strained lower pelvic area.
2008 · 1 incident
Sturgeon Mining Co., Inc. · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Man pinned between back bumper of the blasting truck and front bumper. The driver of pickup stated his foot slipped off of the brake and hit the accelator causing the truck to pin the victim between the bumpers.