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.
199 citations across 1,511 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Tip Top Mine has $78K in proposed MSHA penalties and $6K 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.
$78K
proposed penalties
$66K
current assessed
$60K
paid to date
$6K
outstanding
198 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $26K in penalties contested before the Commission, $14K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2011-05-11.
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.
6citations taken to the federal commission · 3% 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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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%
46%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$26K proposed, $14K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2007-07-31.
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 Tip Top Mine shows 99% of 95 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: 2010-10-25, 15 years ago
99%
within 1.5 mg/m3
95
samples
1.74
dust max (mg/m3)
75 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 20 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.
Tip Top Mine recorded 2.46 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2010.
Injury rate, 2010
ⓘ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.
2.46
total case rate
2.46
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 3.96 and the all-US-mining average was 3.20 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.85 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
2010 *
2.46
2.46
0.000
2009
1.53
1.53
0.000
2008 *
3.39
3.39
0.000
2007 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2006
0.00
0.00
0.000
2005 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2004 *
0.00
0.00
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)
2014
2
4,410
2011
1
2010
37
264,221
2009
49
440,000
2008
22
186,632
2007
25
267,020
2006
36
480,434
2005
39
371,138
2004
25
529,401
2003
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Tip Top Mine sits in Perry County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 3.3% 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.
Perry County, Kentucky · Population 27,847
3.3%
Mining share of county employment
$45,261
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
2014 Q3
0
0
0
2014 Q2
2,075
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
0
0
0
2011 Q2
0
5
0
2011 Q1
1,263
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
10,877
5
0
459.7
2010 Q3
27,499
12
5
436.4
2010 Q2
25,646
0
0
0.0
Show 26 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2010 Q1
17,289
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
32,418
18
5
555.2
2009 Q3
33,950
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
37,272
19
6
509.8
2009 Q1
26,765
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
20,500
3
2
146.3
2008 Q3
19,671
2
0
101.7
2008 Q2
18,446
1
1
54.2
2008 Q1
306
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
4,827
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
20,189
3
1
148.6
2007 Q2
25,264
6
6
237.5
2007 Q1
24,914
12
8
481.7
2006 Q4
21,736
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
23,466
11
11
468.8
2006 Q2
28,713
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
33,920
0
0
0.0
2005 Q4
29,038
6
5
206.6
2005 Q3
24,061
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
22,953
6
3
261.4
2005 Q1
11,866
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
17,670
2
2
113.2
2004 Q3
19,855
5
4
251.8
2004 Q2
17,286
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
8,535
9
5
1054.5
2003 Q1
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
4 on file
2010 · 1 incident
January 18, 2010KY · Coalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerMACHINERY
On 01/18/10 EE's wife reported that the EE had injured himself while operating his dozer on 01/14/10 and not reported the injury. Now on 01/18/10 he was in pain and needed to go to the Dr. This accident is under investigation because it was not reported before leaving mine property and pending results of the investigation, this accident report may be requested to be withdrawn.
While repairing chains on a 992G loader tire employee was holding a bar that was being hit with a hammer and a piece of metal from the hammer or bar chipped off and struck him in the arm.
2008 · 1 incident
May 9, 2008KY · Coalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS