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: 826 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Columbia Quarry has $24K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 8 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.
$24K
proposed penalties
$16K
current assessed
$16K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
80 assessments are final orders; 8 contested dockets.
Of $17K in penalties contested before the Commission, $9K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2024-04-16.
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.
28citations taken to the federal commission · 33% of citations on record
Settled
25 · 89%
Stood as issued
1 · 4%
Vacated or withdrawn
2 · 7%
62%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 13 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
48%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$17K proposed, $9K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2018-03-06.
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: 2023-08-01, 3 years ago
5%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
27
samples
20
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Chromium, insoluble11 over
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz8
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz6
Respirable dust, <.1mg5
Show the individual readings (41)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2001-06-19
Chromium, insoluble
11.9
1
11.90
Welder, etc.
2023-08-01
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.44
1.54
0.29
Utility Man
2023-08-01
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.54
1.33
0.41
Utility Man
2023-08-01
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.14
10
0.01
Crusher Oper/Worker
2023-08-01
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.4
1.59
0.25
Utility Man
2020-05-19
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.17
Mechanic
2020-05-19
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.2
Utility Man
2017-06-14
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2017-06-14
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Bulldozer Operator
2017-06-14
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.25
10
0.03
Crusher Oper/Worker
2013-02-05
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2013-02-05
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.21
10
0.02
Crusher Oper/Worker
2010-03-24
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2008-09-09
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
0.64
10
0.06
Jackhammer Operator
2008-09-09
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
7.68
10
0.77
Drill Operator, Rotary
2008-09-09
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
0.45
10
0.05
Front-end Loader Operator
2008-09-09
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
0.94
10
0.09
Belt Crew
2005-03-15
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.53
2.6
0.20
Truck Driver
2005-03-15
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.19
10
0.02
Front-end Loader Operator
2005-03-15
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.12
10
0.01
Crusher Oper/Worker
2005-03-15
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.18
10
0.02
Truck Driver
2004-09-22
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-09-22
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.52
2.31
0.23
Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-09-22
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.34
10
0.03
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-09-22
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.08
1.89
0.57
Truck Driver
2004-09-22
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.12
10
0.01
Truck Driver
2001-06-19
Aluminum oxide fumes
0
10
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Zinc oxide fumes
0
5
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Vanadium fumes
0
50
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Titanium dioxide fumes
0.01
10
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Nickel fumes
0.01
1
0.01
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Molybdenum fumes
0
10
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Manganese fumes
0.39
5
0.08
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Magnesium oxide fumes
0
10
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Lead fumes
0
150
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Iron oxide fumes
0.26
10
0.03
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Copper fumes
0
100
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Cobalt fumes
0
100
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Cadmium oxide fumes
0
100
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Beryllium fumes
0
2
0.00
Welder, etc.
2001-06-19
Arsenic fumes
0
500
0.00
Welder, etc.
Area samples (mill and shop air)
Last sampled: 2016-07-28, 10 years ago
1
samples
Show the individual readings (1)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Area sampled
2016-07-28
Noise, SLM
79.6
PLANT AREA
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.
Columbia 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
No reportable injury cases in any year shown. Employee-hours were reported in each of those years, so these are true zeros rather than missing data. Citations, listed in the compliance record above, are inspector-found violations and are counted separately from worker injuries.
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 Tennessee, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.25 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 *
0.00
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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2026
11
2025
10
2024
13
2023
16
2022
15
2021
11
2020
11
2019
12
2018
10
2017
12
2016
13
2015
11
2014
8
2013
11
2012
10
2011
8
2010
8
2009
6
2008
10
2007
10
2006
10
2005
13
2004
12
2003
10
2002
8
2001
8
2000
13
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Columbia Quarry sits in Maury County, Tennessee, where the Census mining category is 0.0% 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.
Maury County, Tennessee · Population 104,855
0.0%
Mining share of county employment
$74,162
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
THE VICTIM WAS BACKING UP HIS TRUCK TO DUMP AT PRIMARY CRUSHER. THE TRUCK WENT THROUGH THE BUMPER BLOCK INTO THE HOPPER, TURNED ON IT'S SIDE AND FELL APPROX. 20 FT TO GROUND LEVEL. EMPLOYEES A RRIVING AT THE SCENE FOUND THE VICTIM LYING ON THE GROUND BESIDE THE LEFT FRONT TIRE.
Reportable incidents
13 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2010 · 1 incident
July 9, 2010TN · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanPOWERED HAULAGE
Employee driving haul truck told fellow employee seat was hurting his back but did not report to foreman. Fellow employee told forman at end of shift. A new seat was put in haul truck. When employee returned to work on 7/12 he told foreman his back was hurting due to the seat in haul truck. Employee was taken for medical exam.
EE WAS ATTEMPTING TO CLEAR A CLOD FROM FEED HOPPER IN PUG MILL TUNNEL. BELT WAS AT STOP & THE TRIP CABLE WAS PULLED LOCKING BELT OUT. THE EE WASHITTING SIDE OF CHUTE WITH SLEDGE HAMMER. AS HE SWUNG THE HAMMER THE LONG HANDLE HUNG ON AN I-BEAM CAUSING HIM TO MISS AND HIT THE ADJUSTING RODHANDLE WITH HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER.
EMPLOYEE WAS INSTALLING ELECT VOLTAGE METER ON A GENERATION THAT THAT POWERS THE PEP SCREEN. THE BOX WAS BEING INSTALLED ON A PIECE OF CONVEYER BELT TO HELP STOP VIBRATION, WHILE CUTTING THE E XCESS RUBBER OFF, THE KNIFE SLIPPED CAUSING APPROX 1" CUT ON THE LEFT FOREARM.
1999 · 1 incident
June 16, 1999TN · Metal/Non-Metaldrill operatorMACHINERY
WHILE CLEANING OUT BIN A CLOD WHICH HAD BUILT UP CAME LOOSE AND ROLLED DOWN HITTING HANDLE OF PICK AND THEN THE HANDLE HIT EE IN LEG, FRACTURING HIS LEFT LEG.
1993 · 1 incident
February 10, 1993TN · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EMPLOYEE STEPPED ON ROCK AND IT ROLLED OUT FROM UNDER HIM MAKING HIM FALL AND BREAKING HIS RIGHT FOOT.
1991 · 2 incidents
March 20, 1991TN · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
THE FIRE STARTED IN THE CONTROL ROOM. WE BELIEVE THE FIRE STARTED FROM A FLOOR HEATER. ALL OF THE CONTROLS AND THE CONTROL TRAILLER BURNT TO THE GROUND. BUILDING CONTAINED UP TO 480 VOLTS ON I TS CIRCUIT.
1988 · 1 incident
January 14, 1988TN · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverHANDLING OF MATERIALS