Mining Incidents

Belzer Pit: 1 recorded fatality Metal/Non-Metal

Fossum Ready Mix · Surface
Glasgow, Valley County, MT  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 2400420

Belzer Pit has $25K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 6 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
2
Years on record
1994–2014
Latest incident
Aug 2014
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
74
citations
22
significant & substantial
$25,089
proposed penalties
$19,735
paid to date
79% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $5,354 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
29
inspections on record
523
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: 523 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Belzer Pit has $25K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 6 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.
$25K
proposed penalties
$20K
current assessed
$20K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
73 assessments are final orders; 6 contested dockets.
Of $21K in penalties contested before the Commission, $16K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2016-06-14.
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.
30.1%
significant & substantial
6.8%
high negligence or reckless
30.1%
reasonably likely or greater
23.3%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 19.2% low, 74.0% moderate, 6.8% 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.
35 citations taken to the federal commission · 47% of citations on record
  • Settled 32 · 91%
  • Stood as issued 3 · 9%
76%
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 17 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
25%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$21K proposed, $15K 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 2015-08-20.
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
WEST 2015-0610 Settlement Manning 2016 $12K → $9K
WEST 2015-0092 Settlement Miller 2015 $5K → $4K
WEST 2015-0170 Settlement Miller 2015 $2K → $2K
WEST 2015-0091 Settlement Miller 2015 $1K → $1K
WEST20020167M Settlement Cetti 2002 $619 → $495
WEST 2015-0859 Dismissal Lesnick 2016 $300 → $300
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
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: 2016-06-15, 10 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
12
samples
6
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg6
  • Arsenic fumes3
  • Beryllium fumes3
  • Cadmium oxide fumes3
Show the individual readings (48)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2016-06-15 Zinc oxide fumes 0.11 5 0.02 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Lead fumes 0 150 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Magnesium oxide fumes 0 10 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Manganese fumes 0.01 5 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Molybdenum fumes 0 10 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Nickel fumes 0 1 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Vanadium fumes 0 50 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Arsenic fumes 0 1500 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Beryllium fumes 0 6 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Cadmium oxide fumes 0 100 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Chromium, insoluble 0 3 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Cobalt fumes 0 300 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Copper fumes 0 300 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Iron oxide fumes 0.38 20 0.02 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Lead fumes 6.43 450 0.01 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Magnesium oxide fumes 0 20 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Manganese fumes 0.09 5 0.02 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Molybdenum fumes 0 20 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Nickel fumes 0 3 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Vanadium fumes 0 50 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Zinc oxide fumes 0.02 10 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Arsenic fumes 0 1500 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Beryllium fumes 0 6 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Cadmium oxide fumes 0 100 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Chromium, insoluble 0 3 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Cobalt fumes 0 300 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Copper fumes 0 300 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Iron oxide fumes 0.55 20 0.03 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Lead fumes 0 450 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Magnesium oxide fumes 0 20 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Manganese fumes 0.12 5 0.02 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Molybdenum fumes 0 20 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Nickel fumes 0 3 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Vanadium fumes 0 50 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Zinc oxide fumes 0 10 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Arsenic fumes 0 500 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Beryllium fumes 0 2 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Cadmium oxide fumes 0 100 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Chromium, insoluble 0 1 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Cobalt fumes 0 100 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Copper fumes 0 100 0.00 Welder, etc.
2016-06-15 Iron oxide fumes 0.06 10 0.01 Welder, etc.
2016-06-14 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2016-06-14 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2009-07-09 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2009-07-09 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2002-07-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2002-07-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Washer Operator
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.
Ownership history
  1. Fossum Ready Mix 1950 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0
2016 1
2015 2
2014 2
2013 2
2012 2
2011 2
2010 2
2009 3
2008 3
2007 3
2006 2
2005 3
2004 3
2003 3
2002 2
2001 3
2000 3
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Belzer Pit sits in Valley County, Montana, where the Census mining category is 1.2% 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.
Valley County, Montana · Population 7,540
1.2%
Mining share of county employment
$64,515
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
2019 Q3 0 0 0
2019 Q2 0 0 0
2019 Q1 0 0 0
2018 Q4 0 0 0
2018 Q3 0 0 0
2018 Q2 0 0 0
2018 Q1 0 0 0
2017 Q4 0 0 0
Show 71 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2017 Q3 0 0 0
2017 Q2 0 0 0
2017 Q1 0 0 0
2016 Q4 0 0 0
2016 Q3 508 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 404 8 2 19802.0
2016 Q1 0 0 0
2015 Q4 57 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 819 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 934 4 1 4282.7
2015 Q1 157 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 55 4 0 72727.3
2014 Q3 766 33 12 43080.9
2014 Q2 611 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 0 0 0
2013 Q4 273 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 1,072 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 682 3 1 4398.8
2013 Q1 0 0 0
2012 Q4 183 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 1,334 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 1,078 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 0 0 0
2011 Q4 55 2 1 36363.6
2011 Q3 887 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 662 5 2 7552.9
2011 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 116 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 1,037 1 1 964.3
2010 Q2 912 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 317 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 933 3 1 3215.4
2009 Q2 775 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 397 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 1,199 2 0 1668.1
2008 Q2 360 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2007 Q4 381 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 1,068 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 856 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 2 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 1,054 1 0 948.8
2006 Q2 964 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 226 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 1,150 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 966 1 0 1035.2
2005 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 179 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 1,315 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 313 1 0 3194.9
2004 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 376 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 541 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 1,224 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 211 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 855 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 2 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 217 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 1,137 3 0 2638.5
2001 Q2 669 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 2 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 218 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 1,139 3 1 2633.9
2000 Q2 725 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 1 0 0 0.0

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
August 2, 2014 MT · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman Fatality · FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS
Fossum Ready Mix · Struck by falling object

Miner was apparently adding oil to hoist of truck. Box was loaded with rock and not properly blocked. The weight of the loaded box split block and the box came down unexpectedly crushing miner between the truck frame and dump box. Although no damage was done to equipment, miner was killed.

Reportable incidents

1 on file (excluding fatalities above)

1994 · 1 incident

November 4, 1994 MT · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Fossum Ready Mix · Fall from machine

HE WAS ON A STAND TIGHTENING A LARGE BELT WHEN HE SLIPPED AND FELL TO THE GROUND ABOUT 3 FEET.