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Taloka Creek Mine: 70 MSHA citations Coal

Controlled by William J Cooper
Stigler, Haskell County, OK  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 3402108

Taloka Creek Mine has $40K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
9
Years on record
2011–2015
Latest incident
Mar 2015
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2010
70
citations
28
significant & substantial
$39,714
proposed penalties
$26,114
paid to date
66% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $13,600 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Farrell-Cooper Mining Company's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2010
35
inspections on record
1,228
inspection hours
5.7
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.
70 citations across 1,228 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.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2012-01-19.
On record since 2012.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

Taloka Creek Mine has $40K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 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.
$40K
proposed penalties
$26K
current assessed
$26K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
68 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $27K in penalties contested before the Commission, $13K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2016-09-12.
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.
41.2%
significant & substantial
5.9%
high negligence or reckless
41.2%
reasonably likely or greater
36.8%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 30.9% low, 63.2% moderate, 5.9% 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.
3 citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
  • Settled 3 · 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 3 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
51%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$27K proposed, $13K 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 2015-05-12.
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
CENT 2015-0399 Settlement Manning 2015 $27K → $13K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Taloka Creek Mine shows 99% of 93 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: 2017-02-17, 9 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
93
samples
1.82
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.
66 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 27 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR30
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER23
  • OILER/GREASER11

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2012-01-03, 14 years ago
6.1
silica avg (%)
2
samples
6.1
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR2
See US coal mines ranked by silica in their dust samples.

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: 2015-03-27, 11 years ago
12%
over PEL
57
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR17
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER14
  • OILER/GREASER5
See US mines ranked by noise samples over the legal limit.
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
2017 100% 1
2016 100% 4
2015 100% 9
2014 100% 4
2013 100% 30
2012 95% 20
2011 100% 17
2010 100% 8
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2015 0% 5
2014 0% 5
2013 14% 22
2012 20% 15
2011 10% 10
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Taloka Creek Mine recorded 0.00 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.96 and the all-US-mining average was 2.93 cases per 100 workers.
In Oklahoma, coal mining averaged 2.05 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 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2013 * 11.65 11.65 0.000
2012 * 2.60 2.60 0.000
2011 * 2.45 2.45 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
  1. Farrell-Cooper Mining Company 2010 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)
2018 0
2017 1
2016 2
2015 6 22,351
2014 18 64,504
2013 25 170,646
2012 30 219,046
2011 30 203,607
2010 9 11,435
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Taloka Creek Mine sits in Haskell County, Oklahoma, where the Census mining category is 5.3% 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.
Haskell County, Oklahoma · Population 11,667
5.3%
Mining share of county employment
$49,930
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
2018 Q1 0 0 0
2017 Q4 634 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 670 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 667 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 520 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 1,186 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 1,161 2 0 1722.7
2016 Q2 1,173 0 0 0.0
Show 23 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2016 Q1 1,169 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 2,066 1 0 484.0
2015 Q3 3,203 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 4,322 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 3,267 6 3 1836.5
2014 Q4 5,819 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 6,627 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 12,375 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 19,846 6 1 302.3
2013 Q4 21,591 4 0 185.3
2013 Q3 18,366 6 2 326.7
2013 Q2 10,067 4 2 397.3
2013 Q1 18,654 8 3 428.9
2012 Q4 19,950 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 19,500 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 18,423 9 5 488.5
2012 Q1 19,059 7 4 367.3
2011 Q4 20,062 4 1 199.4
2011 Q3 22,614 5 1 221.1
2011 Q2 19,893 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 18,936 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 9,784 3 2 306.6
2010 Q3 0 0 0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

9 on file

2015 · 1 incident

March 12, 2015 OK · Coal outside foreman, leadman MACHINERY
Farrell-Cooper Mining Company · Struck against a moving object

Injured was running D9L dozer, when he tracked over large rock causing him to be jarred around. No doctor visit or lost time until March 18th 2015

2013 · 4 incidents

December 3, 2013 OK · Coal greaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oiler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Farrell-Cooper Mining Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

While repositioning the dragline cable out of the way to walk, the injured caught his thumb in a strap severing the top of the thumb.

September 10, 2013 OK · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Farrell-Cooper Mining Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Walking on un-level ground and twisted left ankle and hip

April 22, 2013 OK · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Farrell-Cooper Mining Company · Fall from machine

While exiting the cab, reached up to release door, lost balance falling and injured right knee.

2012 · 3 incidents

May 17, 2012 OK · Coal crane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, rigger HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Farrell-Cooper Mining Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects

While bending over to pick up dragline power cable, the injured strained his back.

April 18, 2012 OK · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Farrell-Cooper Mining Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Had been breaking down a D10 final drive with hammer and chisel. Later as he stepped to get a tool his back and leg gave way and he felt a sharp pain in his back and leg.

March 23, 2012 OK · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Farrell-Cooper Mining Company · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Unhooking hose under tank and lost footing in mud causing employee to fall. When employee fell, he extended both arms to break the fall causing strain in neck and both shoulders.

2011 · 1 incident

May 24, 2011 OK · Coal greaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oiler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Farrell-Cooper Mining Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While bending over to pick something up from the ground the EE strained his lower back.