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: 973 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Arvin Pit has $13K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 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.
$13K
proposed penalties
$12K
current assessed
$12K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
96 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $1K in penalties contested before the Commission, $426 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2020-05-14.
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.
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.
1citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
Settled
1 · 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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 1 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
70%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$1K proposed, $426 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2010-06-22.
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.
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.
Metal and nonmetal contaminants (personal samples)
ⓘMany samples are screening measurements of substances with no applicable exposure limit; they are counted as samples but excluded from every over-limit figure. Over-limit shares use only limit-tested samples.
Last sampled: 2020-05-14, 6 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
11
samples
7
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz7
Respirable dust, <.1mg4
Show the individual readings (11)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2020-05-14
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Cleanup Man
2020-05-14
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2013-07-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.24
0.92
0.26
Crusher Oper/Worker
2013-07-09
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2007-06-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.55
1.12
0.49
Laborer, Bullgang
2007-06-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.87
0.99
0.88
Oiler, Greaser
2003-04-30
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.14
1.41
0.10
Laborer, Bullgang
2003-04-30
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.37
0.63
0.59
Welder, etc.
2003-04-30
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.2
0.57
0.35
Front-end Loader Operator
2002-04-03
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2002-04-03
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.18
0.55
0.33
Crusher Oper/Worker
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly. Metal/nonmetal contaminant figures come from MSHA's Personal Health Samples and Area Samples files (public record), updated weekly.
Arvin Pit recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2019.
Injury rate, 2019
ⓘ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 metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.94 and the all-US-mining average was 2.32 cases per 100 workers.
In California, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.67 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
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2017 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2016 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2015 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2014 *
5.57
0.00
0.000
2013 *
7.86
0.00
0.000
2012 *
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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2020
15
2019
11
2018
15
2017
15
2016
18
2015
19
2014
19
2013
14
2012
15
2011
14
2010
14
2009
13
2008
23
2007
30
2006
37
2005
22
2004
17
2003
22
2002
17
2001
23
2000
34
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Arvin Pit sits in Kern County, California, where the Census mining category is 2.3% 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.
Kern County, California · Population 910,433
2.3%
Mining share of county employment
$67,660
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
2020 Q3
3,670
0
0
0.0
2020 Q2
7,451
1
0
134.2
2020 Q1
11,350
0
0
0.0
2019 Q4
3,256
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
6,426
0
0
0.0
2019 Q2
5,568
1
0
179.6
2019 Q1
6,214
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
6,452
0
0
0.0
Show 75 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2018 Q3
7,115
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
8,612
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
6,433
1
1
155.4
2017 Q4
7,711
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
7,370
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
5,941
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
7,887
0
0
0.0
2016 Q4
6,931
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
8,906
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
8,977
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
8,781
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
6,948
1
0
143.9
2015 Q3
8,447
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
9,549
1
0
104.7
2015 Q1
11,250
1
0
88.9
2014 Q4
8,489
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
8,758
1
1
114.2
2014 Q2
9,543
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
9,149
4
1
437.2
2013 Q4
6,930
0
0
0.0
2013 Q3
3,245
1
0
308.2
2013 Q2
8,816
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
6,456
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
7,493
2
0
266.9
2012 Q3
8,841
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
7,420
1
0
134.8
2012 Q1
4,304
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
7,199
1
1
138.9
2011 Q3
7,824
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
8,078
3
0
371.4
2011 Q1
4,076
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
3,948
3
1
759.9
2010 Q3
10,200
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
7,468
3
1
401.7
2010 Q1
4,542
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
3,919
3
2
765.5
2009 Q3
6,671
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
5,471
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
7,646
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
8,870
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
14,878
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
9,018
0
0
0.0
2008 Q1
8,942
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
7,246
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
7,637
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
13,919
7
0
502.9
2007 Q1
8,479
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
11,632
5
0
429.8
2006 Q3
15,548
7
0
450.2
2006 Q2
12,577
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
11,074
0
0
0.0
2005 Q4
8,219
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
8,981
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
6,652
2
0
300.7
2005 Q1
5,221
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
600
3
0
5000.0
2004 Q3
6,136
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
6,504
5
0
768.8
2004 Q1
5,562
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
5,375
4
1
744.2
2003 Q3
5,827
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
4,470
3
2
671.1
2003 Q1
5,266
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
5,750
5
1
869.6
2002 Q3
5,693
3
0
527.0
2002 Q2
4,705
8
1
1700.3
2002 Q1
5,133
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
5,267
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
5,775
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
4,647
4
0
860.8
2001 Q1
4,981
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
7,165
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
7,352
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
6,541
9
3
1375.9
2000 Q1
5,823
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
16 on file
2014 · 1 incident
July 18, 2014CA · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
Equipment operator was moving large boulders with a loader and the boulder rolled out of the bucket causing the machine to buck and the operator cut his head on a plastic tab that was located directly above his head in the loader.
EE attempted to track a belt back under a wiper using a short metal pry bar while the belt was still running, the bar snagged on the belt and hit the employees right hand against a metal support lacerating his pinky finger requiring 8 sutures. All guards were in place at the time of the incident and the ee used a step ladder to elevate himself and reach over the belt guarding.
2007 · 1 incident
April 21, 2007CA · Metal/Non-Metalcoal/ore shovel operator, shoveler, power shovelerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee left his flashlight in his truck. When walking to his equipment he tripped and fell. He was laid off, due to workforce reduction. After layoff the clinic put him on restricted duty on 6-22-07. This was after three prior visits stating regular work.
2006 · 1 incident
November 2, 2006CA · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSTRIKING OR BUMPING
EE was walking back to his truck after shutting off the lights. He was looking down while walking and struck his face on a lock out, tag out box. He wasn't using his provided flash light.
2005 · 1 incident
November 2, 2005CA · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee had to shovel some excessive sand under tail pulley and later experienced pain in his lower back.
2003 · 1 incident
December 31, 2003CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
WHILE OPERATING A ROCK HAMMER AT ROCK CRUSHER A PIECE OF A ROCK CAME OUT OF CRUSHER JAW AND STRUCK EMPLOYEE ON RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF HEAD. EMPLOYEE WAS EXAMINED BY A DR AND RELEASED FOR MODIFIE D WORK. EMPLOYEE'S CONDITION CHANGED 1-5-96 AND WAS TAKEN OFF WORK.
1993 · 1 incident
April 26, 1993CA · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerMACHINERY
DUST GENERATED AT ROCK PLANT DURING OPERATION.S EE CAME TO OTHER ON 8-23-91 STATING THAT HE EXPERIENCED IRRITATION IN HIS LEFT EYE ON 8-20-91 THE EE THEN WENT TO THE DR WHERE THERE WAS REMOVED A SMALL PARTICLE THE EE EXPERIENCED NO CONTINUING IRRIATUTION.
EMPLOYEE SUFFERED FLASHBURN AS A RESULT OF NOT LOOKING AWAY AS OTHER WELDER STRUCK ARC.
1988 · 2 incidents
September 26, 1988CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
THE VICTIM CUT SOME OF THE WELDED SUPPORTS WHILE REMOVING TEMPORARY WING WALLS FROM THE FEEDER ON A JAW CRUSHER PRIOR TO ATTACHING A CRANE. THEN WHILE MOVING IN A LOADER TO SUPPORT THE WING WA LL THE REMAINING WELDS BROKE ON THE WALL, AND FELL AND STRUCK THE VICTIM.
February 20, 1984CA · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON