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White Oak South: 36 MSHA citations Coal

Inez, Martin County, KY  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 1519472

White Oak South has $9K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
5
Years on record
2010–2014
Latest incident
Aug 2014
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2010
36
citations
23
significant & substantial
$9,028
proposed penalties
$7,862
paid to date
87% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,166 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Martin County Coal Corp's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2010
16
inspections on record
947
inspection hours
n/a
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.
Rate withheld: 947 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

White Oak South has $9K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 2 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.
$9K
proposed penalties
$9K
current assessed
$8K
paid to date
$1K
outstanding
36 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $2K in penalties contested before the Commission, $2K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2013-11-18.
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.
63.9%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
63.9%
reasonably likely or greater
38.9%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 11.1% low, 88.9% moderate, 0.0% 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.
5 citations taken to the federal commission · 14% of citations on record
  • Stood as issued 5 · 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 5 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$2K proposed, $2K 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 2011-01-06.
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 2010-1564 Dismissal Lesnick 2012 $1K → $1K
KENT 2011-457 Dismissal Lesnick 2012 $499 → $499
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at White Oak South shows 100% of 30 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: 2013-11-18, 12 years ago
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
30
samples
0.36
dust max (mg/m3)
30 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 0 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER7
  • REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER/BACKFILL TRUCK DRIVE7
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR6

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: 2013-12-02, 12 years ago
11%
over PEL
19
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR6
  • HIGHLIFT OPERATOR/FRONT END LOADER3
  • HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR2
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
2013 100% 4
2012 100% 6
2011 100% 11
2010 100% 9
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2013 25% 4
2011 0% 5
2010 10% 10
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

White Oak South recorded 7.20 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2013.

Injury rate, 2013
ⓘ 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.
7.20
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.94 and the all-US-mining average was 2.99 cases per 100 workers.
In Kentucky, coal mining averaged 4.63 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
2013 * 7.20 0.00 0.000
2012 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2011 * 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. Martin County Coal Corp 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)
2014 0
2013 14
2012 40 73,947
2011 49 250,654
2010 24 172,950
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

White Oak South sits in Martin County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 8.0% 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.
Martin County, Kentucky · Population 11,181
8.0%
Mining share of county employment
$46,185
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 Q1 0 0 0
2013 Q4 5,339 3 2 561.9
2013 Q3 5,070 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 6,153 1 0 162.5
2013 Q1 11,204 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 16,677 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 24,908 1 1 40.1
2012 Q2 13,026 2 0 153.5
Show 8 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2012 Q1 13,270 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 11,250 1 0 88.9
2011 Q3 9,206 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 25,135 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 32,213 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 28,326 1 1 35.3
2010 Q3 12,310 2 1 162.5
2010 Q2 0 4 3
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

5 on file

2014 · 2 incidents

August 27, 2014 KY · Coal outside foreman, leadman DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Martin County Coal Corp · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Claim filed for pneumoconiosis. Termination date of 9/7/12. X-ray read date of 8/27/14.

February 7, 2014 KY · Coal crane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, rigger DUST DISEASE OF LUNGS
Martin County Coal Corp · Inhalation of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Claim for pneumoconiosis. Date of x-ray 2/7/2014.

2013 · 1 incident

January 17, 2013 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
Martin County Coal Corp · Struck by flying object

While cutting a bearing out of a hub on a rock truck, he got a small piece of metal in his eye.

2010 · 2 incidents

October 1, 2010 KY · Coal outside foreman, leadman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Martin County Coal Corp · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee had completed shift and was crossing parking lot to get to his vehicle; this was his last day on the job. He fell and injured his left shoulder. On the way home employee stopped at ER. Examination indicated a dislocated left shoulder.

September 23, 2010 KY · Coal outside foreman, leadman MACHINERY
Martin County Coal Corp · Struck by flying object

While pulling beams out of hole, a pin that connects beams together caught on blade, top of pin broke off, striking Member in chest and chin causing a laceration. Member was transported to area hospital where he recieved stitches to his chin.