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CHEROKEE QUARRY: 59 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Vulcan Materials Company
Hightower, Cherokee County, GA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 0901112

CHEROKEE QUARRY has $12K in proposed MSHA penalties and $151 outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
11
Years on record
1998–2020
Latest incident
Aug 2020
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
59
citations
9
significant & substantial
$11,759
proposed penalties
$8,203
paid to date
70% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $3,556 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
65
inspections on record
1,228
inspection hours
4.8
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.
59 citations across 1,228 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

CHEROKEE QUARRY has $12K in proposed MSHA penalties and $151 outstanding across 5 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.
$12K
proposed penalties
$8K
current assessed
$8K
paid to date
$151
outstanding
58 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $4K in penalties contested before the Commission, $1K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-02-09.
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.
15.3%
significant & substantial
6.8%
high negligence or reckless
15.3%
reasonably likely or greater
54.2%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 16.9% low, 76.3% 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.
7 citations taken to the federal commission · 12% of citations on record
  • Settled 2 · 29%
  • Stood as issued 4 · 57%
  • Still open 1 · 14%
0%
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%
76%
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 2026-01-29.
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 2009-26M Settlement Lesnick 2011 $3K → $100
SE 2008-403M Dismissal Lesnick 2009 $687 → $687
SE 2008-404M Dismissal Lesnick 2009 $200 → $200
SE 2008-910M Dismissal Lesnick 2009 $200 → $100
SE 2026-0047 Decision pending
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: 2026-07-09
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
19
samples
7
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg11
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz6
  • Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz1
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (19)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2026-07-09 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2026-07-09 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2026-07-09 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.13 0.66 0.20 Mechanic
2026-07-09 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2024-10-29 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.21 0.86 0.24 Crusher Oper/Worker
2024-10-29 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.45 0.78 0.58 Building Repair/Maint.
2024-10-29 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.19 0.65 0.29 Lab Technician
2024-10-29 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.22 10 0.02 Truck Driver
2018-06-13 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2018-06-13 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2018-06-13 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2009-10-20 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.14 Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-10-20 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-10-20 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2007-11-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.23 1.01 0.23 Utility Man
2007-11-07 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-06-16 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-06-16 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2001-02-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.25 1.13 0.22 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.

CHEROKEE QUARRY 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 Georgia, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.20 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
2025 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2024 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2023 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2022 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2021 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2020 * 5.52 5.52 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. Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC 1997 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 25
2025 22
2024 21
2023 21
2022 20
2021 18
2020 17
2019 18
2018 17
2017 15
2016 14
2015 14
2014 10
2013 7
2012 7
2011 7
2010 5
2009 21
2008 25
2007 27
2006 27
2005 27
2004 23
2003 19
2002 17
2001 15
2000 14
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

CHEROKEE QUARRY sits in Cherokee County, Georgia, where the Census mining category is 0.1% 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.
Cherokee County, Georgia · Population 274,539
0.1%
Mining share of county employment
$105,442
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 13,918 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 12,825 1 0 78.0
2025 Q4 12,004 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 12,840 1 0 77.9
2025 Q2 11,824 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 10,401 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 10,159 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 10,603 0 0 0.0
Show 98 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 10,917 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 10,479 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 10,979 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 12,065 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 12,152 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 11,525 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 10,899 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 12,290 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 11,594 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 10,791 1 0 92.7
2021 Q4 9,454 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 9,660 1 0 103.5
2021 Q2 10,045 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 9,061 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 8,588 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 9,199 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 9,191 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 9,233 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 8,755 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 9,133 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 9,382 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 8,478 1 0 118.0
2018 Q4 8,320 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 9,230 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 9,471 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 8,316 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 7,591 2 0 263.5
2017 Q3 8,707 1 0 114.9
2017 Q2 9,557 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 9,542 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 9,284 2 0 215.4
2016 Q3 9,438 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 7,824 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 8,544 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 8,789 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 3,756 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 8,204 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 10,522 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 10,295 3 1 291.4
2014 Q3 4,335 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 8,925 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 4,007 1 0 249.6
2013 Q4 4,044 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 3,425 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 6,090 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 4,412 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 3,463 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 3,182 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 3,503 1 1 285.5
2012 Q1 3,990 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 3,340 5 0 1497.0
2011 Q3 3,718 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 3,193 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 4,388 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 3,098 1 0 322.8
2010 Q3 3,281 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 3,490 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 4,260 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 2,611 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 6,216 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 7,685 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 5,683 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 8,662 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 10,527 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 15,431 2 0 129.6
2008 Q1 13,363 0 0 0.0
2007 Q4 13,508 3 0 222.1
2007 Q3 17,432 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 18,991 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 17,910 6 0 335.0
2006 Q4 15,265 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 18,129 1 0 55.2
2006 Q2 17,640 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 17,004 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 17,067 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 17,699 1 0 56.5
2005 Q2 15,869 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 14,473 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 15,699 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 15,694 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 14,961 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 13,805 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 13,582 2 0 147.3
2003 Q3 13,301 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 12,356 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 10,844 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 10,441 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 11,429 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 11,037 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 9,362 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 9,259 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 11,796 1 0 84.8
2001 Q2 11,082 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 10,574 1 0 94.6
2000 Q4 6,449 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 6,457 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 7,151 7 1 978.9
2000 Q1 6,630 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

11 on file

2020 · 1 incident

August 26, 2020 GA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee twisted EE's ankle on a rock and struck EE's knee. After a follow up the employee was diagnosed with a torn meniscus and had surgery on 12/7/2020

2011 · 1 incident

September 30, 2011 GA · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor OTHER
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee had a periodic screening chest x-ray read by two B-readers using the ILO procedures. The x-ray was characterized as consistent with pneumoconiosis with readings of 2/1 and 1/1. Damage or impairment cannot be determined solely by reading chest x-ray films. This report is being submitted to satisfy MSHA program policy letter P92-III-2.

2008 · 1 incident

January 30, 2008 GA · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee's left thumb was caught between slide gate and slide plate.

2007 · 1 incident

June 6, 2007 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was unclogging a chute at head pulley of conveyor #1. The prybar which employee was using slipped & pinched finger against chute lip.

2006 · 1 incident

March 28, 2006 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Fall from machine

EMPLOYEE WAS SERVICING (FUELING) THE WA-700 LOADER. HE LOST HIS BALANCE AND FELL TO THE GROUND (BROKEN HEEL - RIGHT FOOT).

2005 · 1 incident

August 8, 2005 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Fall from machine

STEPPED OFF BACKHOE AND LEFT FOOT SUNK IN THE MUD. THE MOMENTUM MOVED THE EMPLOYEE FORWARD TWISTING HIS KNEE AS HE FELL.

2004 · 1 incident

March 9, 2004 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck by falling object

Poor communications, dislodged rock from back stop at primary crusher, fell to ground below striking EE.

2002 · 1 incident

2001 · 1 incident

May 29, 2001 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS LIFTING A SADDLE FOR JAW CRUSHER TOGGLE WHEN HE GOT OFF BALANCE HURTING HIS LOW BACK.

1998 · 2 incidents

September 2, 1998 GA · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck by falling object

EE WAS REMOVING CABLE FROM A SPOOL WITCH WAS ON A SPOOL STAND. SPOOL BECAME OFF BALANCE AND FELL ON EE'S RIGHT FOOT.

July 20, 1998 GA · Metal/Non-Metal quality control technician, laboratory technician, laboratory assistant HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS REMOVING SLEEVE FROM METAL BAR. BAR SLIPPED & FELL ONTO EE'S RIGHT FOOT.