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.
826 citations across 5,426 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
UZ No. 2 has $490K in proposed MSHA penalties and $614 outstanding across 37 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.
$490K
proposed penalties
$380K
current assessed
$379K
paid to date
$614
outstanding
815 assessments are final orders; 37 contested dockets.
Of $340K in penalties contested before the Commission, $230K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2013-09-24.
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.
175citations taken to the federal commission · 21% of citations on record
Settled
171 · 98%
Stood as issued
4 · 2%
95%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 143 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
32%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$340K proposed, $230K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2013-12-17.
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 UZ No. 2 shows 90% of 341 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: 2012-01-13, 14 years ago
90%
within 1.5 mg/m3
341
samples
17.12
dust max (mg/m3)
180 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 161 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.
UZ No. 2 recorded 8.18 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.
8.18
total case rate
2.05
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.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2010
8.18
2.05
0.000
2009
9.75
1.95
0.000
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)
2013
1
2012
8
5,541
2011
66
283,649
2010
76
421,662
2009
48
247,444
2008
4
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
UZ No. 2 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
2013 Q3
1,178
2
0
1697.8
2013 Q2
0
6
0
2013 Q1
0
5
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
0
0
0
2012 Q2
5,153
4
0
776.2
2012 Q1
8,321
20
7
2403.6
2011 Q3
42,718
55
11
1287.5
Show 12 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2011 Q2
47,152
59
9
1251.3
2011 Q1
44,997
71
18
1577.9
2010 Q4
30,540
71
16
2324.8
2010 Q3
63,830
69
14
1081.0
2010 Q2
54,415
84
30
1543.7
2010 Q1
46,721
78
35
1669.5
2009 Q4
46,421
35
10
754.0
2009 Q3
42,992
66
18
1535.2
2009 Q2
7,576
26
10
3431.9
2009 Q1
5,622
14
2
2490.2
2008 Q4
2,677
3
1
1120.7
2008 Q3
1,473
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
21 on file
2011 · 6 incidents
July 11, 2011KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Sapphire Coal Company · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
He was working on underground seals. He was loading the machine with seal tec with safety glasses some of the seal tec got under his safety glasses. He went to eye doctor & they flushed his ey e, he has to go back again and get it checked.
July 11, 2011KY · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
He was working on underground deals, he was loading the machine with seal tex with safety glasses some of the seal tee got under his safety glasses. He went to eye doctor and they flushed his eye, he has to got back again and go it checked.
June 17, 2011KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was changing blower motor on roof bolter and tripped and fell, straining his lower back. He continued to work until 7-14-11, at which time he was taken off work by Dr.
Employee stated that he was putting rub rail on the miner with scoop. He put a slate bar between the rub rail and the scoop and the scoop backed off and caused pressure on the bar that knocked the bar out of his hand. The bar caused a cut on his hand that required 8 stitches.
May 9, 2011KY · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was moving a car cable and strained left shoulder. He has had previous problems with the shoulder for years prior to becoming an employee. Dr. placed employee on restricted duty. Company believes this is not an occupational injury but is reporting this out of caution.
March 2, 2011KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
A ROCK FALL WAS FOUND IN THE NUMBER FOUR (4) ENTRY OF THE 3-WEST SUB-MAINS ON 8-9-2010, THE APPROXIMATE SIZE OF THE FALL WAS 20' WIDE, 20' LONG AND 10' HIGH. THE ROOF WAS A LAMINATED STACK ROCK, AND HAD BEEN SUPPORTED WITH 6' TORQUE TENSION AND 10' ROPE BOLTS.
July 31, 2010KY · Coaldiscontinued 1/31/2014. several other codes cover scoop car operatorHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
EMPLOYEE STATED THAT HE WAS PUTTING OIL IN THE SCOOP AND WAS GOING TO KNOCK A HOLE IN THE TOP OF A FIVE (5) GALLON CAN WITH A PICK HAMMER AND STRUCK HIS LEFT HAND WITH THE HAMMER.
May 5, 2010KY · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Victim was cutting a piece of conveyor belt with a utility knife when the knife slipped resulting in a laceration on index finger on left hand. 4 sutures were needed to close the wound.
April 30, 2009KY · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorELECTRICAL