United Minerals Company LLC · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects
On 7/9/2018 employee was pulling on a suction hose and hose was caught on something in the water resulting in a low back strain. First day missed was 7/16/2018.
West 61: 229 MSHA citations Coal
United Minerals Company LLC
· Surface
Controlled by
Peabody Energy Corporation
LYNNVILLE,
Warrick County,
IN
·
Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 1202407
West 61 has $192K in proposed MSHA penalties and $400 outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at West 61.
- Fatalities
- 0
- Total incidents
- 12
- Years on record
- 2010–2018
- Latest incident
- Jul 2018
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2008
229
citations
49
significant & substantial
$192,156
proposed penalties
$153,465
paid to date
80% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $38,691 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2008
37
inspections on record
2,140
inspection hours
10.7
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.229 citations across 2,140 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
West 61 has $192K in proposed MSHA penalties and $400 outstanding across 3 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.$192K
proposed penalties
$154K
current assessed
$153K
paid to date
$400
outstanding
226 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $65K in penalties contested before the Commission, $26K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2016-08-10.
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.21.7%
significant & substantial
1.3%
high negligence or reckless
22.1%
reasonably likely or greater
9.7%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 12.8% low, 85.8% moderate, 1.3% 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.
10
citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
- Settled 10 · 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%
59%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$65K proposed, $26K 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 2015-07-08.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAKE 2015-0570 | Settlement | Lewis | 2017 | $52K → $14K |
| LAKE 2013-595 | Settlement | Lesnick | 2014 | $11K → $11K |
| LAKE 2015-0571 | Settlement | Lewis | 2016 | $1K → $1K |
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at West 61 shows 100% of 157 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: 2018-09-11, 7 years ago
ⓘ
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.100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
157
samples
1.18
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.129 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 28 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR42
- HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR36
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER21
Silica (quartz)
Last sampled: 2018-01-30, 8 years ago6.5
silica avg (%)
12
samples
11.7
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR7
- HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR5
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: 2018-09-11, 7 years ago
ⓘ
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.10%
over PEL
69
samples
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR21
- HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER10
- REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE10
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 100% | 20 |
| 2017 | 100% | 7 |
| 2016 | 100% | 14 |
| 2015 | 100% | 30 |
| 2014 | 100% | 18 |
| 2013 | 100% | 12 |
| 2012 | 100% | 10 |
| 2011 | 100% | 12 |
| 2010 | 100% | 14 |
| 2009 | 100% | 20 |
Silica (quartz) by year
| Year | silica avg (%) | samples |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 7.3 | 2 |
| 2016 | 3.7 | 1 |
| 2015 | 6.1 | 6 |
| 2010 | 4.7 | 1 |
| 2009 | 9.4 | 2 |
Noise by year
| Year | over PEL | samples |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0% | 5 |
| 2016 | 0% | 10 |
| 2015 | 19% | 16 |
| 2014 | 20% | 5 |
| 2013 | 43% | 7 |
| 2012 | 0% | 6 |
| 2011 | 0% | 7 |
| 2009 | 0% | 13 |
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
West 61 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2017.
Injury rate, 2017
ⓘ
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 3.79 and the all-US-mining average was 2.48 cases per 100 workers.
In Indiana, coal mining averaged 3.07 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 * | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 2016 * | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 2015 | 1.02 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 2014 | 2.08 | 1.39 | 0.000 |
| 2013 | 0.72 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 2012 | 1.71 | 0.86 | 0.000 |
| 2011 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.000 |
| 2010 | 2.25 | 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
- United Minerals Company LLC 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 26 | 184,096 |
| 2017 | 17 | 79,793 |
| 2016 | 16 | 31,694 |
| 2015 | 72 | 710,492 |
| 2014 | 97 | 1,345,630 |
| 2013 | 92 | 1,524,285 |
| 2012 | 78 | 1,470,783 |
| 2011 | 72 | 1,203,184 |
| 2010 | 61 | 1,683,719 |
| 2009 | 45 | 1,297,528 |
| 2008 | 10 | 92,596 |
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
West 61 sits in Warrick County, Indiana, where the Census mining category is 0.3% 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.Warrick County, Indiana · Population 64,650
0.3%
Mining share of county employment
$95,027
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 Q3 | 19,085 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2018 Q2 | 20,621 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2018 Q1 | 20,993 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2017 Q4 | 21,215 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2017 Q3 | 14,075 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2017 Q2 | 11,308 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2017 Q1 | 12,417 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2016 Q4 | 10,204 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
Show 32 earlier quarters Hide earlier quarters
| Quarter | Hours worked | Citations | S&S | Per 1M hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Q3 | 11,874 | 1 | 0 | 84.2 |
| 2016 Q2 | 11,878 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2016 Q1 | 16,953 | 2 | 0 | 118.0 |
| 2015 Q4 | 29,760 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2015 Q3 | 47,675 | 1 | 0 | 21.0 |
| 2015 Q2 | 57,645 | 35 | 9 | 607.2 |
| 2015 Q1 | 60,361 | 7 | 3 | 116.0 |
| 2014 Q4 | 78,538 | 9 | 3 | 114.6 |
| 2014 Q3 | 65,012 | 19 | 4 | 292.3 |
| 2014 Q2 | 78,625 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2014 Q1 | 66,609 | 7 | 0 | 105.1 |
| 2013 Q4 | 75,845 | 6 | 4 | 79.1 |
| 2013 Q3 | 64,830 | 27 | 4 | 416.5 |
| 2013 Q2 | 74,496 | 8 | 4 | 107.4 |
| 2013 Q1 | 61,954 | 5 | 2 | 80.7 |
| 2012 Q4 | 72,363 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2012 Q3 | 59,948 | 28 | 3 | 467.1 |
| 2012 Q2 | 52,536 | 1 | 0 | 19.0 |
| 2012 Q1 | 48,929 | 13 | 2 | 265.7 |
| 2011 Q4 | 55,888 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2011 Q3 | 46,461 | 3 | 1 | 64.6 |
| 2011 Q2 | 46,903 | 7 | 1 | 149.2 |
| 2011 Q1 | 47,700 | 11 | 3 | 230.6 |
| 2010 Q4 | 48,094 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2010 Q3 | 42,088 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2010 Q2 | 47,663 | 6 | 0 | 125.9 |
| 2010 Q1 | 40,071 | 2 | 0 | 49.9 |
| 2009 Q4 | 39,201 | 8 | 3 | 204.1 |
| 2009 Q3 | 35,182 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2009 Q2 | 24,004 | 4 | 1 | 166.6 |
| 2009 Q1 | 21,994 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2008 Q4 | 7,876 | 5 | 0 | 634.8 |
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
12 on file2018 · 2 incidents
May 23, 2018
IN · Coal
maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech
HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Minerals Company LLC · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects
Employee strained shoulder while tightening hose on brake valve.
2015 · 2 incidents
December 1, 2015
IN · Coal
bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer
SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
United Minerals Company LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Miner was exiting dozer using three points of contact. When stepping onto track, his knee "popped" causing knee injury.
August 27, 2015
IN · Coal
bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer
HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Minerals Company LLC · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
Employee was removing a section of piping on a chemical delivery system to repair a leak. As employee made an incision into the pipe, material sprayed from the piping onto the employee's face, neck and right shoulder. The piping was not relieved of pressure or drained prior to cutting
2014 · 3 incidents
December 31, 2014
IN · Coal
warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator
POWERED HAULAGE
United Minerals Company LLC · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects
Miner was inspecting beltline when coal build up was noticed on a roller. Using a wrench to free the roller from debris his glove and finger were caught into roller and belt.
November 24, 2014
IN · Coal
maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech
FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS
United Minerals Company LLC · Struck by falling object
While performing maintenance on truck, the truck fell from hydraulic jack onto the miner.
November 21, 2014
IN · Coal
bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer
HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Minerals Company LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)
While mounting a dozer the miner's knee collapsed.
2013 · 1 incident
United Minerals Company LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
While lifting track frame with overhead crane, the miner's finger was pinched by a roller on the track frame.
2012 · 2 incidents
May 14, 2012
IN · Coal
maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech
HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
United Minerals Company LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
While driving a pin into equalizer bar with a hammer, a fragment of pin entered into right leg of miner.
March 12, 2012
IN · Coal
haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver
ELECTRICAL
United Minerals Company LLC · Struck by flying object
The miner raised the bed of the truck he was operating under high voltage electric line creating an electrical arc from the line to the truck. The operator dismounted truck, while on the ground two right rear tires blew out send a projectile into right leg.
2010 · 2 incidents
July 27, 2010
IN · Coal
maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech
HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
United Minerals Company LLC · Struck by flying object
EE was striking track roller on D-11 dozer with a hammer when a fragment of steel splintered off and lodged in his left arm.
February 15, 2010
IN · Coal
haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver
POWERED HAULAGE
United Minerals Company LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Victim reached to remove gloves from heater when his hand came in contact with fan blades resulting in laceration of right ring finger.