For example at the West Ridge Mine, 34 different types of violations were repeated at least once during the year — and one, for excess coal dust, was repeated 22 times. The Horizon mine had 30 different types of violations repeated. The Deer Creek Mine had 28. The Bear Canyon No. 4 mine had 27.

And on at least 30 occasions in the past year, inspectors have cited Utah coal mines for serious negligence through what are called Section 104(d) violations, given when an operator has engaged in "aggravated conduct constituting more than ordinary negligence."

The $118,000 fine at Murray's West Ridge Mine for dangerous coal dust accumulation was one such citation. Fines have yet to be proposed, or at least reported online, for most of the other Section 104(d) violations cited in the past year.

The Bear Canyon No. 4 Mine had the most such violations in the past year — 10. The Aberdeen, Horizon and West Ridge mines had six each. And the Emery and Deer Creek mines had one each.

Stickler said such violations are coming at a time that coal prices are high, and mine operators should be more able to afford improved safety.

"They can have an inspection program where they find unsafe conditions before MSHA gets there. That's the way it should be," he said, noting MSHA inspectors are at mines only about 5 percent of the time.

He adds that if miners point out problems, MSHA has found that "a lot of mine operators don't want to hear anything from their employees. As a matter of fact, if anyone says anything, they are liable to get fired. That's a culture that needs to change in the industry. The tools I have is what Congress gives me, and basically a big part of that is enforcement of the law. "

Stickler said MSHA has intentionally been tougher with fines to try to improve safety.

Proposed fines in Utah mines during the past year total just under $1.2 million, but fines have yet to be proposed for nearly 400 of the violations cited. In comparison, Utah mines as a group averaged about $835,000 a year in fines during the previous four years (and more mines were operating in those years than last year).

MSHA data also show that some Utah mine operators are among leaders in overall violations received by their mines nationally.

Consol Energy, which operates the Emery Mine in Utah, is No. 2 nationally with 2,515 violations between Oct. 1 and March 31. Robert Murray (the Crandall Canyon operator who also controls the active West Ridge and Pinnacle Mines and the idled Aberdeen and South Crandall mines) was No. 7 with 1,543.

At No. 18 with 583 violations was Arch Coal (which controls the Sufco, Skyline No. 3 and Dugout Canyon mines in Utah). At No. 78 with 122 violations was PacifiCorp, controller of Utah's Deer Creek Mine. Just behind at No. 79 with 117 violations is Cecil Ann Walker, controller of Utah's Horizon Mine.