- S&S
- Significant and substantial. MSHA marks a violation S&S when it is reasonably likely to cause a serious injury or illness.
- Citations and orders
- A citation records a violation an inspector found. An order is stronger, for example an order to withdraw miners from an area.
- Assessed
- The penalty MSHA has set for a citation, as it stands today.
- Not yet assessed
- MSHA has not set a penalty for this citation yet.
- First proposed
- The penalty MSHA first proposed, before any change from a contest or settlement.
- Contested
- The operator formally disputed the citation or its penalty. The amount can still change.
- Printed
- MSHA has mailed the penalty bill (proposed assessment) to the operator. It is not paid or final yet.
- Received
- MSHA has recorded that the operator received the penalty bill. It is not paid or final yet.
- Billed
- The date MSHA printed the penalty bill. The operator has 30 days from receiving it to contest the penalty.
- Controller
- The person or company that controls the mine operator, often a parent company.