Mining Incidents

WARD #1, BIG HILL #1, & #2 Metal/Non-Metal

Wister, Le Flore County, OK  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 3401856

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
26
Years on record
2012–2017
Latest incident
Oct 2017
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
174
citations
57
significant & substantial
$97,656
proposed penalties
$82,588
paid to date
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Quarterly safety rates
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2025 Q4 1,000 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 1,200 1 0 833.3
2025 Q2 1,200 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 1,600 1 0 625.0
2024 Q4 1,200 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 1,200 0 0 0.0
2024 Q2 1,800 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 1,920 0 0 0.0
Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

26 on file

2017 · 3 incidents

October 3, 2017 OK · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Struck by falling object

WORKER DROPPED A CHOPPED PIECE OF ROCK ON RIGHT FOOT. THE ROCK MADE CONTACT WITH THE FOOT JUST ABOVE THE STEEL TOE PROTECTED AREA RESULTING IN A CLOSED FRACTURE OF MEDIAL PHALANX OF THE RIGHT LESSER TOE.

May 3, 2017 OK · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Rock-It Natural Stone · Fall to the walkway or working surface

WORKER WAS STEPPING BACKWARDS WHEN EE CAUGHT THE EDGE OF A SKID WITH SHOE. EE LOST BALANCE AND FELL BACKWARDS ONTO THE CONCRETE FLOOR. EE STRUCK THE BACK OF HEAD ON THE FLOOR RESULTING IN A MILD CONCUSSION.

March 1, 2017 OK · Metal/Non-Metal stone finishing and sizing personnel, stone/rock cut/polish/saw operator, splitter, cutter, trimmer MACHINERY
Rock-It Natural Stone · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Worker was moving a rock on chopper table into chopping position. But the operator did not make sure it was clear before engaging the chopper action. This resulted in the loss of a finger tip on the right hand.

2016 · 10 incidents

December 22, 2016 OK · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS MOVING A PALLET AND TWISTED LEFT KNEE.

November 16, 2016 OK · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Struck by falling object

A rock was accidentally dropped on subjects' pinky finger by another worker. A smashed finger resulted.

November 8, 2016 OK · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

WORKER WAS CLEANING UP CHOPPER TABLE WHEN THUMB WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE DUMPSTER AND CHOPPER TABLE RESULTING IN LACERATION ON THUMB.

September 7, 2016 OK · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Rock-It Natural Stone · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING A NAIL INTO A PALLET WHEN EE ACCIDENTALLY STRUCK LEFT THUMB WITH THE HAMMER.

August 23, 2016 OK · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Rock-It Natural Stone · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Worker was cleaning the waste material out of the chopper. When ee accidentally stepped on the operating lever. The workers hand and wrist was caught between the chopper teeth.

June 3, 2016 OK · Metal/Non-Metal miner, prospector, nec HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING AND BECAME OVERHEATED AND BEGAN VOMITING. EE TOLD SUPERVISOR AT HAND AND WAS TOLD TO GO TO VEHICLE AND COOL OFF. EE SAID THE SEVERE VOMITING CAUSED INJURY TO RIGHT EYE AND SOUGHT MEDICAL CARE. HOWEVER, THE EMPLOYER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS POSSIBLE INJURY UNTIL 6/23/2016.

February 11, 2016 OK · Metal/Non-Metal stone finishing and sizing personnel, stone/rock cut/polish/saw operator, splitter, cutter, trimmer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Rock-It Natural Stone · Fall onto or against objects

Veneer saw blade cover was being reinstalled after routine blade change. When the cover snapped into place the worker was caught off guard by the sound. EE fell back onto the non-operational conveyor system of said machine and suffered back strain and contusions as a result.

January 26, 2016 OK · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) POWERED HAULAGE
Rock-It Natural Stone · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Load of excess metal was being moved by a fork truck. As the load began to rise, it shifted and came into contact with employee's lower back. This caused EE to fall forward into the shop wall where EE cut two of EE's fingers on a piece of metal as EE tried to regain EE's balance.

2015 · 4 incidents

October 21, 2015 OK · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Worker was stacking a piece of chopped rock onto a pallet when his finger was caught between another piece of rock as he was setting the rock down. This resulted in a smashed and broken pinky finger on the left hand.

May 28, 2015 OK · Metal/Non-Metal stone finishing and sizing personnel, stone/rock cut/polish/saw operator, splitter, cutter, trimmer MACHINERY
Rock-It Natural Stone · Struck by falling object

Worker was chopping rock at the chopper when the rock being chopped broke at a seam and fell off the chopper table. It struck the floor and then came to rest up against the workers right ankle resulting in a sprained ankle.

March 19, 2015 OK · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

A rock was being moved by another worker on the chopper table when the subject's middle finger of his left hand was caught between two rocks and his finger was broken as a result. His ring finger suffered only a minor contusion.

February 20, 2015 OK · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Struck by falling object

Worker was removing rock from the chopper and stacking it on a pallet when the pinkie finger on his right hand got caught between two rocks. This resulted in a mashed finger tip on his right hand pinkie finger.

2014 · 4 incidents

November 18, 2014 OK · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Worker was removing chopped rock from conveyor when the middle finger of his right hand got jammed between two rocks he was removing from the conveyor in order to stack on pallet. Injury resulted in a broken finger just below the first joint.

November 11, 2014 OK · Metal/Non-Metal stone finishing and sizing personnel, stone/rock cut/polish/saw operator, splitter, cutter, trimmer MACHINERY
Rock-It Natural Stone · Struck by falling object

Worker was chopping a rock on the chopper when the rock shattered into several pieces failing to make a clean cut. One of the pieces fell from the chopper table striking the worker on the right leg as it fell. He was checked over by the ER doctor in Poteau and told to put no weight on the bruised and swollen leg for seven (7) days.

July 28, 2014 OK · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator MACHINERY
Rock-It Natural Stone · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

CHOPPED ROCK FELL ON THE MIDDLE FINGER OF THE RIGHT HAND. THIS RESULTED IN A CRACKED BONE ON THE TIP AND LOSS OF THE FINGERNAIL.

June 20, 2014 OK · Metal/Non-Metal stone finishing and sizing personnel, stone/rock cut/polish/saw operator, splitter, cutter, trimmer HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Caught in, under or between two or more moving objects

Worker was stacking rock onto a pallet at the chopper shop. When he started to place another rock onto the pallet the load of rock shifted. This caused the middle finger of his left hand to be caught in between two moving rocks and this resulted in a fractured finger.

2013 · 3 incidents

November 21, 2013 OK · Metal/Non-Metal stone finishing and sizing personnel, stone/rock cut/polish/saw operator, splitter, cutter, trimmer HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Struck by falling object

Worker was removing stacked rock from a pallet when the load shifted and a sharp rock fell on the index finger of his left hand. It resulted in a broken and cut finger at the knuckle.

July 16, 2013 OK · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Rock-It Natural Stone · Fall onto or against objects

HE WAS IN OUR SALVAGE AREA LOOKING FOR A PIECE OF SCRAP METAL TO DO A REPAIR WITH. HE TRIPPED AND FELL OVER A PIECE OF ROCK AND LANDED ON A SHARP PIECE OF METAL WITH HIS LEFT HAND. THE FALL RESULTED IN A CUT ON HIS LEFT HAND REQUIRING NINETEEN (19) STITCHES.

June 5, 2013 OK · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator POWERED HAULAGE
Rock-It Natural Stone · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Employee was removing rock from behind the conveyor belt when power was turned on. His right arm was caught by the belt and broken.

2012 · 2 incidents

June 16, 2012 OK · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Rock-It Natural Stone · Struck by falling object

Replacing starting motor on D6T Bulldozer and removing the failed component. He placed the starter on the equalizer frame of the tractor to better position himself to take the starter off of the machine. The starter fell and struck his left hand ringer finger causing a fracture.

May 3, 2012 OK · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech POWERED HAULAGE
Rock-It Natural Stone · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

The vehicle was left in gear and the clutch was not fully depressed when the ignition was applied and the truck jerked forward pinning employee between the rear wheel and the creeper he was on. The rear wheel did not pass over him. He was pinched in between the wheel and the creeper resulting in a broken pelvis.