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Blair East: 133 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Blair, Trempealeau County, WI  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 4703599

Blair East has $27K in proposed MSHA penalties and $300 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
21
Years on record
2012–2026
Latest incident
Jul 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2011
133
citations
17
significant & substantial
$27,058
proposed penalties
$25,315
paid to date
94% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,743 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Source Energy Services Proppants, LP's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2011
43
inspections on record
1,303
inspection hours
10.2
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.
133 citations across 1,303 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Blair East has $27K in proposed MSHA penalties and $300 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.
$27K
proposed penalties
$26K
current assessed
$25K
paid to date
$300
outstanding
133 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $5K in penalties contested before the Commission, $4K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-03-31.
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.
12.8%
significant & substantial
1.5%
high negligence or reckless
12.8%
reasonably likely or greater
51.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 45.1% low, 53.4% moderate, 1.5% 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.
6 citations taken to the federal commission · 5% of citations on record
  • Settled 6 · 100%
28%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$5K proposed, $4K 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 2014-04-22.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
LAKE 2014-0385 Settlement Bulluck 2014 $5K → $4K
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: 2026-02-18
17%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
46
samples
23
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz244 over
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg18
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz4
Show the individual readings (46)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2026-02-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.58 0.52 1.12 Utility Man
2024-06-04 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.59 0.52 1.13 Utility Man
2024-02-21 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.81 1.16 1.56 Utility Man
2020-06-10 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.35 0.58 2.33 Kiln/Dryer Operator
2026-02-18 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Complete Load-Haul-Dump
2026-02-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.63 0.64 0.98 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2025-01-15 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.18 0.6 0.30 Utility Man
2025-01-15 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.54 0.66 0.82 Building Repair/Maint.
2025-01-15 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.72 0.85 0.85 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2024-02-21 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.16 1.28 0.91 Mechanic
2024-02-21 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.95 0.96 0.99 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2023-01-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.84 1.12 0.75 Kiln/Dryer Operator
2020-11-08 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Washer Operator
2020-11-08 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.34 Pipe Fitter/Millright/Plumber
2020-09-16 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.2 0.35 0.57 Kiln/Dryer Operator
2020-06-10 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.74 0.81 0.91 Lab Technician
2018-11-20 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Supervisor, Co. Official
2018-11-20 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.17 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2018-11-20 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.25 0.68 0.37 Lab Technician
2018-01-03 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Lab Technician
2018-01-03 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2018-01-03 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.13 0.45 0.29 Supervisor, Co. Official
2017-01-04 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2017-01-04 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2017-01-04 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2017-01-04 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2015-12-29 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2015-12-29 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.14 0.58 0.24 Supervisor, Co. Official
2015-12-29 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Sampler, Dust
2015-12-29 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Hand Loader
2014-03-05 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.38 0.66 0.58 Utility Man
2014-03-05 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.22 0.47 0.47 Laborer, Bullgang
2014-03-05 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.12 0.51 0.24 Kiln/Dryer Operator
2013-07-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2013-07-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.46 0.71 0.65 Truck Driver
2013-07-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2013-07-24 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.2 Truck Driver
2013-07-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2012-09-12 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Backhoe Operator
2012-09-12 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.12 Backhoe Operator
2012-09-12 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.2 Truck Driver
2012-09-12 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.3 0.9 0.33 Lab Technician
2011-11-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.12 1.03 0.12 Truck Driver
2011-11-30 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Bulldozer Operator
2011-08-10 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Washer Operator
2011-08-10 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.5 0.76 0.66 Screen/Scalper 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.

Blair East recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.

Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ 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 1.65 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Wisconsin, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.80 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2025 0.00 0.00 0.000
2024 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2023 1.89 0.00 0.000
2022 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2021 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2020 * 2.00 0.00 0.000
2019 0.00 0.00 0.000
2018 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.
Ownership history
  1. Winn Bay Sand LP 2010 to 2011
  2. Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC 2011 to 2015
  3. Preferred Proppants LLC. 2015 to 2017
  4. Source Energy Services Proppants, LP 2017 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 69
2025 66
2024 62
2023 58
2022 47
2021 47
2020 67
2019 66
2018 73
2017 70
2016 69
2015 81
2014 86
2013 90
2012 57
2011 66
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Blair East sits in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, where the Census mining category is 0.7% 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.
Trempealeau County, Wisconsin · Population 30,786
0.7%
Mining share of county employment
$71,295
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
2026 Q2 32,670 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 29,735 9 1 302.7
2025 Q4 28,391 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 30,872 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 30,017 2 0 66.6
2025 Q1 28,994 4 1 138.0
2024 Q4 28,310 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 27,514 0 0 0.0
Show 54 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 27,739 5 0 180.3
2024 Q1 9,822 3 1 305.4
2023 Q4 27,308 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 27,473 5 1 182.0
2023 Q2 25,044 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 26,076 6 1 230.1
2022 Q4 23,757 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 24,097 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 23,182 4 0 172.5
2022 Q1 26,693 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 24,320 4 0 164.5
2021 Q3 23,434 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 23,686 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 22,714 2 1 88.1
2020 Q4 19,952 3 0 150.4
2020 Q3 17,842 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 29,535 4 0 135.4
2020 Q1 32,626 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 31,144 8 2 256.9
2019 Q3 34,586 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 37,116 2 0 53.9
2019 Q1 34,894 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 39,997 2 0 50.0
2018 Q3 42,975 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 38,079 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 34,468 2 0 58.0
2017 Q4 19,475 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 39,174 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 12,844 4 0 311.4
2017 Q1 35,432 2 0 56.4
2016 Q4 33,477 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 36,938 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 37,238 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 37,015 1 0 27.0
2015 Q4 36,271 10 0 275.7
2015 Q3 42,411 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 46,935 1 0 21.3
2015 Q1 47,637 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 48,677 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 49,173 1 0 20.3
2014 Q2 49,696 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 46,476 9 0 193.6
2013 Q4 51,288 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 56,897 1 0 17.6
2013 Q2 52,467 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 43,503 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 38,374 3 1 78.2
2012 Q3 34,854 16 4 459.1
2012 Q2 31,485 2 0 63.5
2012 Q1 21,672 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 24,083 4 2 166.1
2011 Q3 37,597 3 0 79.8
2011 Q2 66,608 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 12,672 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

21 on file

2026 · 1 incident

July 31, 2026 WI · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Source Energy Services Proppants, LP · Struck by falling object

Employee closing a hatch on the top of a rail had the hatch strike their right knee causing a laceration that required 6 stitches.

2023 · 1 incident

January 15, 2023 WI · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman NONPOWERED HAULAGE
Source Energy Services Proppants, LP · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

IP works a rail load out operator. IP stated while walking EE's SRL stopped EE causing pain in EE's right shoulder.

2020 · 1 incident

June 27, 2020 WI · Metal/Non-Metal dry screening plant operator, screen house operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Source Energy Services Proppants, LP · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was helping other employees place portable conveyor onto rail track to unload railcar. Employee's finger was caught between portable conveyor and rail track causing injury.

2017 · 2 incidents

August 23, 2017 WI · Metal/Non-Metal dryer operator, kiln operator, dry plant operator, fluid operator, bed dryer operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Preferred Proppants LLC. · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Employee was moving a garbage can and as ee was pulling/sliding it right knee popped. Garbage can was full and the employee stated it was sore and hard to walk on. The supervisor then contacted management and was told to take ee into the ER. They put ee on restricted duty.

February 15, 2017 WI · Metal/Non-Metal dryer operator, kiln operator, dry plant operator, fluid operator, bed dryer operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Preferred Proppants LLC. · Over-exertion in lifting objects

They unbolted the rotex and changed the bottom 6 screens on both sides of the rotex. Employee then bolted up the rotex and then came down to the control room. When employee got out of the chair they could feel a sharp pain. Employee thought it was nothing at the time and would go away. When employee woke up on 2/16/17 they had more pain.

2016 · 1 incident

October 17, 2016 WI · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Preferred Proppants LLC. · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee had pain in lower back after completing a screen change in the dry plant Rotex screeners. Employee was diagnosed with a slipped disc.

2014 · 5 incidents

December 22, 2014 WI · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Miner smashed right middle finger while changing tail pulley on belt Conveyor.

July 30, 2014 WI · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee grinding weld using 4.5" grinder, he stated it kicked-back he stopped to inspect disc, noticed a small "nick" & stated he thought he should change it but he decided to try to finish the 1" of weld left to grind. Restarted it & it kicked out again & he lost control of the tool. Cut to R-arm that required several stitches.

June 9, 2014 WI · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

After getting out of loader, operator turned and twisted right knee.

2013 · 2 incidents

August 15, 2013 WI · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

While placing a pipe onto a pump, the pipe rolled and pinched left middle finger between two flanges, broken finger

May 21, 2013 WI · Metal/Non-Metal quality control technician, laboratory technician, laboratory assistant HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was shoveling Sand off of a concrete Pad turned wrong and pulled a muscle in their lateral side of back.

2012 · 8 incidents

September 13, 2012 WI · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE and another employee were trying to flip the undercarriage, when it slipped and fell on his arm. Employee cut wrist, needed sutures.

August 27, 2012 WI · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator POWERED HAULAGE
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee bypassed guard on belt conveyor to clear sand built up around the tail pulley. Employee failed to de-energize equipment and perform Lockout/Tagout procedures. The shovel made contact with the belt, it pulled the shovel into the tail pulley. When the shovel was pulled into the tail pulley it began to spin striking the employees left arm with the shovel handle.

June 19, 2012 WI · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

The employee was removing rocks from the rock crusher. One of the rocks shifted and smashed his finger.

June 18, 2012 WI · Metal/Non-Metal IMPOUNDMENT
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Accident type, without injuries

Over a two day period the mine received a significant amount of rain creating erosion around a temporary impoundment.

March 21, 2012 WI · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The employee was breaking up rocks with a pry bar when the pry bar got stuck. As the employee removed the pry bar with the assistance of a supervisor, the bar flew up and struck the employee in the mouth, chipping his tooth.

February 28, 2012 WI · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The operator was climbing the ladder into a haul truck when he bumped his knee on one of the steps. He decided to work through the injury, but his knee started swelling up. He reported the incident to his supervisor on 3/1, and went to the clinic on 3/3, where he had his knee drained.

February 27, 2012 WI · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
Preferred Sands of Wisconsin LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was adjusting the guard on an angle grinder and finger was cut by spinning blade.