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Triumph Mine: 430 MSHA citations Coal

Coalgood Energy Co · Underground
Harlan, Harlan County, KY  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 1519308

Triumph Mine has $992K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 30 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
6
Years on record
2008–2010
Latest incident
Aug 2010
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2008
430
citations
141
significant & substantial
$991,923
proposed penalties
$728,729
paid to date
73% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $263,194 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Coalgood Energy Co's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2008
33
inspections on record
2,226
inspection hours
19.3
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.
430 citations across 2,226 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Triumph Mine has $992K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 30 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.
$992K
proposed penalties
$729K
current assessed
$729K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
410 assessments are final orders; 30 contested dockets.
Of $925K in penalties contested before the Commission, $662K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2010-12-20.
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.
34.4%
significant & substantial
9.8%
high negligence or reckless
34.4%
reasonably likely or greater
18.5%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 1.7% low, 88.5% moderate, 9.5% high, 0.2% 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.
197 citations taken to the federal commission · 46% of citations on record
  • Settled 181 · 92%
  • Stood as issued 16 · 8%
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 112 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
28%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$925K proposed, $662K 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 2011-09-28.
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 2011-602 Settlement Bulluck 2011 $180K → $99K
KENT 2011-8 Settlement Miller 2011 $160K → $96K
KENT 2010-205 Settlement Bulluck 2011 $118K → $70K
KENT 2011-196 Settlement Miller 2011 $100K → $50K
KENT 2010-1575 Settlement Miller 2011 $76K → $76K
KENT 2009-1288 Settlement Weisberger 2011 $50K → $35K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Triumph Mine shows 89% of 189 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: 2010-09-21, 15 years ago
89%
within 1.5 mg/m3
189
samples
9.99
dust max (mg/m3)
104 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 85 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR85
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (RETURN SIDE)15
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)15

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2010-08-25, 16 years ago
7.8
silica avg (%)
20
samples
16.1
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR12
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: 2010-08-16, 16 years ago
10%
over PEL
39
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR9
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)9
  • ROOF BOLTER (TWIN HEAD) (INTAKE SIDE)7
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
2010 92% 122
2009 85% 67
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2010 7.5 17
2009 9.6 3
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2010 8% 25
2009 14% 14
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Triumph Mine recorded 11.28 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.
11.28
total case rate
8.46
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above 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 * 11.28 8.46 0.000
2009 * 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.
Ownership history
  1. Coalgood Energy Co 2008 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)
2011 3
2010 27 68,000
2009 26 59,860
2008 9
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Triumph Mine sits in Harlan County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 4.3% 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.
Harlan County, Kentucky · Population 26,185
4.3%
Mining share of county employment
$37,198
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
2011 Q1 1,541 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 8,504 26 12 3057.4
2010 Q3 21,432 101 32 4712.6
2010 Q2 21,072 98 41 4650.7
2010 Q1 19,910 44 11 2209.9
2009 Q4 14,902 41 11 2751.3
2009 Q3 3,164 18 5 5689.0
2009 Q2 13,534 57 15 4211.6
Show 2 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2009 Q1 21,075 40 12 1898.0
2008 Q4 5,492 3 0 546.2
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

6 on file

2010 · 5 incidents

August 25, 2010 KY · Coal supply man, supply worker, nipper HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Coalgood Energy Co · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was cutting a yellow hanger in order to free up a pump when his hand slipped and he cut himself.

May 26, 2010 KY · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler STRIKING OR BUMPING
Coalgood Energy Co · Struck against stationary object

EE said (the next day, after working the whole shift without any mention of the event) he hit his head on the mine roof. *Please note that this alleged accident is still under investigation.

April 17, 2010 KY · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss MACHINERY
Coalgood Energy Co · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE states that while rock dusting with a 2" hose, he turned and felt a sting in his lower back.

January 24, 2010 KY · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Coalgood Energy Co · Accident type, without injuries

Freeze/thaw and heavy rainfall caused surface rock to fall on and just inby canopy on #1 portal (intake) entry. Ventilation is affected.

2008 · 1 incident

December 13, 2008 KY · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Coalgood Energy Co · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The employment was helping to remove ventilation tubing (galvanized, corrugated pipe) when a section of the tubing spun around cutting through his glove and into the area between his thumb and forefinger of his left hand, requiring 6 stitches.