Mining Incidents

Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc.: 102 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Ronnie G Kirkpatrick Jr
Princeton, Johnston County, NC  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 3102191

Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc. has $23K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
6
Years on record
2007–2025
Latest incident
Nov 2025
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2003
102
citations
33
significant & substantial
$22,605
proposed penalties
$17,380
paid to date
77% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $5,225 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2003
84
inspections on record
831
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: 831 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc. has $23K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K outstanding across 2 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.
$23K
proposed penalties
$20K
current assessed
$17K
paid to date
$2K
outstanding
100 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $4K in penalties contested before the Commission, $1K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-07-17.
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.
33.0%
significant & substantial
28.0%
high negligence or reckless
33.0%
reasonably likely or greater
58.0%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 2.0% low, 70.0% moderate, 28.0% 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.
3 citations taken to the federal commission · 3% of citations on record
  • Settled 3 · 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%
71%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$4K proposed, $1K 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 2017-12-07.
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
SE 2010-424M Settlement Moran 2012 $4K → $1K
SE 2018-0055 Settlement Gill 2019 $116 → $116
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: 2023-06-01, 3 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
27
samples
4
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg21
  • Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz3
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz2
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (27)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2023-06-01 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2023-06-01 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2023-06-01 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Backhoe Operator
2023-06-01 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-03-22 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.13 10 0.01 Utility Man
2022-03-22 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Backhoe Operator
2022-03-22 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.15 10 0.02 Screen/Scalper Operator
2021-01-07 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Backhoe Operator
2021-01-07 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2021-01-07 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.26 Washer Operator
2021-01-07 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2021-01-07 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2020-07-29 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2020-07-29 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2020-07-29 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.17 0.4 0.43 Front-end Loader Operator
2020-07-29 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2020-07-29 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.21 10 0.02 Backhoe Operator
2015-03-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2015-03-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2010-07-20 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dredge/Barge Operator
2010-07-20 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2009-06-10 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dredge/Barge Operator
2009-06-10 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2007-07-31 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dredge/Barge Operator
2007-07-31 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.17 Front-end Loader Operator
2005-02-16 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2005-02-16 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader 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.

Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc. recorded 9.91 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.
9.91
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above 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 North Carolina, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.14 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.
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. Mill Creek Mining Co., Inc. 2003 to 2006
  2. Mar Mac Aggregates, LLC 2006 to 2014
  3. Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc. 2014 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 8
2025 7
2024 5
2023 6
2022 6
2021 6
2020 7
2019 7
2018 8
2017 5
2016 6
2015 5
2014 6
2011 0
2010 2
2009 2
2008 3
2007 4
2006 2
2005 2
2004 2
2003 1
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc. sits in Johnston County, North Carolina, where the Census mining category is 0.2% 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.
Johnston County, North Carolina · Population 226,623
0.2%
Mining share of county employment
$79,838
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 5,896 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 5,202 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 5,006 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 5,686 1 0 175.9
2025 Q2 5,043 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 4,451 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 3,969 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 2,988 0 0 0.0
Show 73 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 2,407 4 0 1661.8
2024 Q1 2,690 9 5 3345.7
2023 Q4 2,887 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 3,614 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 4,492 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 4,486 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 4,889 1 0 204.5
2022 Q3 4,787 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 4,058 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 3,940 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 3,704 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 4,027 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 4,025 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 3,480 1 0 287.4
2020 Q4 3,801 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 4,204 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 4,356 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 4,315 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 4,855 1 1 206.0
2019 Q3 4,443 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 4,170 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 4,242 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 4,124 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 4,803 2 0 416.4
2018 Q1 3,377 1 0 296.1
2017 Q4 3,165 1 0 316.0
2017 Q3 4,078 1 0 245.2
2017 Q2 3,692 2 1 541.7
2017 Q1 3,049 1 0 328.0
2016 Q4 2,789 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 5,596 4 3 714.8
2016 Q2 3,314 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 2,152 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 2,248 7 5 3113.9
2015 Q3 2,410 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 2,143 1 1 466.6
2015 Q1 1,949 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 2,457 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 2,016 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 256 1 0 3906.2
2011 Q1 0 0 0
2010 Q4 0 0 0
2010 Q3 610 4 0 6557.4
2010 Q2 1,022 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 1,035 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 938 5 1 5330.5
2009 Q3 1,086 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 971 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 988 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 1,100 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 1,261 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 1,177 5 0 4248.1
2008 Q1 2,409 3 1 1245.3
2007 Q4 2,171 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 2,565 11 2 4288.5
2007 Q2 1,345 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 1,841 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 651 4 2 6144.4
2006 Q3 634 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 400 1 0 2500.0
2006 Q1 672 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 715 2 0 2797.2
2005 Q3 978 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 1,000 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 953 2 1 2098.6
2004 Q4 1,200 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 320 4 2 12500.0
2004 Q2 360 1 0 2777.8
2004 Q1 200 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 80 4 1 50000.0
2003 Q3 200 1 0 5000.0
2003 Q2 480 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 480 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

6 on file

2025 · 1 incident

November 6, 2025 NC · Metal/Non-Metal dry screening plant operator, screen house operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc. · Contact with hot objects or substances

Miner shut down the Astec Wash Plant for maintenance, after approximately 30 minutes the miner removed the radiator cap when anti-freeze splashed out and on the miners hand, arm and face.

2024 · 2 incidents

November 7, 2024 NC · Metal/Non-Metal rotary bucket excavator operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc. · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was getting off the Volvo Excavator EC350 after putting in DEF. EE miss stepped resulting in left ankle sprain.

February 26, 2024 NC · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech OTHER
Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc. · Struck by flying object

Wind blew foreign body into right eye while working around plant. Eye was flushed and embedded particle was removed. No restricted duty or impairment

2020 · 1 incident

June 5, 2020 NC · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc. · Fall from machine

Employee had got a grease gun from the tool box on the excavator, EE set the grease gun on the tracks to climb down, EE's foot slipped and EE fell sustaining injury to the left wrist.

2018 · 1 incident

February 5, 2018 NC · Metal/Non-Metal dry screening plant operator, screen house operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Blue Water Sand & Gravel, Inc. · Struck by rolling or sliding object

Employee was preparing to perform maintenance on plant. Employee was pulling pin to access screen deck for screen repair, tray shifted and injured arm.

2007 · 1 incident

August 31, 2007 NC · Metal/Non-Metal barge/boat/dredge/towbarge/towboat/leach operator, riverman, deck hand HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Mar Mac Aggregates, LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Miner was pouring hydraulic fluid from a 5 gallon pail into the bulk tank on a piece of equipment, when a muscle pulled in his lower back. Miner has a pulled lower back muscle.