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: 420 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Chippewa Sand has $9K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K 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.
$9K
proposed penalties
$8K
current assessed
$7K
paid to date
$2K
outstanding
43 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $1K in penalties contested before the Commission, $162 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2018-07-17.
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.
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 · 2% 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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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%
88%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$1K proposed, $162 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2013-03-04.
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: 2017-05-23, 9 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
15
samples
3
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg7
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz5
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz3
Show the individual readings (15)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2017-05-23
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.12
Truck Driver
2017-05-23
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2017-05-23
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Machinist
2015-05-13
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Bulldozer Operator
2015-05-13
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Drill Operator, Rotary
2015-05-13
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Backhoe Operator
2014-04-23
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.25
0.91
0.27
Lab Technician
2014-04-23
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.4
Laborer, Bullgang
2014-04-23
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.13
Laborer, Bullgang
2013-07-30
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.23
1.92
0.12
Flotation/Concentrator Oper.
2013-07-30
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.18
Laborer, Bullgang
2013-07-30
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.14
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2013-07-30
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Laborer, Bullgang
2012-07-17
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.14
0.46
0.30
Bobcat Operator
2011-08-23
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.
Chippewa Sand recorded 4.71 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2018.
Injury rate, 2018
ⓘ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.
4.71
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.95 and the all-US-mining average was 2.33 cases per 100 workers.
In Wisconsin, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.60 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
2018 *
4.71
0.00
0.000
2017 *
8.53
2.13
0.000
2015 *
10.10
2.53
0.000
2014
7.68
0.00
0.000
2013
3.38
0.00
0.000
2012
5.90
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
2019
3
2018
36
2017
34
2015
33
2014
48
2013
50
2012
43
2011
18
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Chippewa Sand sits in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, where the Census mining category is 0.3% 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.
Chippewa County, Wisconsin · Population 66,558
0.3%
Mining share of county employment
$74,009
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
944
0
0
0.0
2019 Q2
724
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
1,222
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
9,733
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
30,391
3
1
98.7
2018 Q2
31,240
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
13,534
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
17,066
0
0
0.0
Show 22 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2017 Q3
31,597
1
1
31.6
2017 Q2
34,241
3
0
87.6
2017 Q1
10,924
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
1,235
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
12,057
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
45,621
4
0
87.7
2015 Q1
20,280
5
0
246.5
2014 Q4
34,306
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
46,239
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
39,383
1
0
25.4
2014 Q1
10,260
2
0
194.9
2013 Q4
24,191
2
1
82.7
2013 Q3
38,619
6
3
155.4
2013 Q2
36,171
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
19,514
1
0
51.2
2012 Q4
25,942
1
1
38.5
2012 Q3
30,264
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
29,772
2
1
67.2
2012 Q1
15,635
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
22,291
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
11,523
3
0
260.3
2011 Q2
2,369
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
22 on file
2018 · 3 incidents
October 7, 2018WI · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Technician was installing a rear A-frame for a 745C Cat haul truck, utilizing their service truck hoist and synthetic slings. While maneuvering the A-frame with the hoist, the A-frame shifted, pinching the technicians finger between the haul truck frame, and the A-frame being moved.
July 4, 2018WI · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee was troubleshooting a flow problem on the belt press. When EE pulled a hose off, the fluid sprayed EE in the face. Employee states EE knocked safety glasses off when the fluid startled EE.
June 26, 2017WI · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
Driving haul truck with arm resting on arm rest. Truck bounced, jarred shoulder.
June 24, 2017WI · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
The employee was working on the belt press checking a water line, when he inadvertently pulled the line loose causing water to splash in his eye. No injury, antibiotic was prescribed as preventive care.
March 26, 2015WI · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
The employee stated his eye started hurting following his shift at work. Went to the doctor who indicated it is possible he got sand under his contact lense.
The employee was exiting haul truck, her ankle gave out causing her to fall. Employee sought medical treatment after she was laid off and documentation to the extent of treatment was provided to the employer on January 20, 2015.
November 8, 2014WI · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanOTHER
The employee was shoveling sand and struck his elbow on a steel beam. Injury was on 10-3-14 and physical therapy was prescribed on 10-13-14 making it reportable.
March 25, 2014WI · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
The employee finished fueling a piece of equipment and was walking beside it to get back in it when he stepped on a rock which caused him to roll his right ankle.
2012 · 3 incidents
November 23, 2012WI · Metal/Non-Metalcoal/ore shovel operator, shoveler, power shovelerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
The employee was shoveling and experienced groin pain. It was initially diagnosed as a personal health condition. A medical specialist later determined that the condition may have been caused by heavy lifting or straining.
Related mines
Other mines operated by Superior Silica Sands, LLC