Cottonwood Plant 1204 has $7K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
Watch this mine
Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Cottonwood Plant 1204.
Fatalities
1
Total incidents
20
Years on record
2007–2026
Latest incident
Jan 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2006
58
citations
4
significant & substantial
$6,806
proposed penalties
$6,806
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
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.
58 citations across 1,083 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Cottonwood Plant 1204 has $7K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 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.
$7K
proposed penalties
$7K
current assessed
$7K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
55 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $500 in penalties contested before the Commission, $500 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-11-06.
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.
5citations taken to the federal commission · 9% of citations on record
Settled
5 · 100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 5 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$500 proposed, $500 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 2011-01-24.
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: 2025-09-17
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
18
samples
1
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg17
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (18)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2025-09-17
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Cleanup Man
2025-09-17
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Bulldozer Operator
2025-09-17
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Rotary Bucket Ex. Operator
2025-09-17
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2024-06-25
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.22
10
0.02
Truck Driver
2024-06-25
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Backhoe Operator
2024-06-25
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2024-06-25
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Bulldozer Operator
2022-08-04
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2022-08-04
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2022-08-04
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2014-03-26
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Laborer, Bullgang
2014-03-26
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2014-03-26
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2014-03-26
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2010-06-22
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2010-06-22
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Cleanup Man
2010-06-22
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
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.
Cottonwood Plant 1204 recorded 2.70 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.
2.70
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 Texas, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.17 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 *
2.70
0.00
0.000
2024 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2023 *
4.92
0.00
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
2.82
0.00
0.000
2020 *
2.64
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
31
2025
31
2024
34
2023
36
2022
31
2021
30
2020
31
2019
34
2018
31
2017
33
2016
32
2015
32
2014
30
2013
24
2012
30
2011
25
2010
25
2009
24
2008
27
2007
24
2006
19
2005
11
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Cottonwood Plant 1204 sits in Kaufman County, Texas, where the Census mining category is 0.6% 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.
Kaufman County, Texas · Population 160,718
0.6%
Mining share of county employment
$88,606
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 decedent, an o/operator, was located behind the truck, behind the raised dump trailer when a load of sand dumped from the trailer. The decedent was buried in the sand. Mgmt became aware of the missing driver at approx. 10:45 am and promptly began a search. EEs began digging in the pile of sand behind the decedent's truck and the decedent was discovered at approx 11:43 am.
Reportable incidents
19 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2026 · 1 incident
January 14, 2026TX · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was removing a pulley wheel of the primary shaker when the chain hook broke off striking the employee in the face area. The employee needed eye surgery to repair the eye.
2025 · 1 incident
March 8, 2025TX · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerOTHER
Employee was stuck by shop bay panels due the high winds experience on that day. Employee started to have shoulder and head pain due to the impact of the flying object.
2024 · 1 incident
January 24, 2024TX · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerOTHER
Employee was stepping up into haul unit when they lost balance causing them fall. In the process of falling they struck their head on some part of the haul unit causing a laceration to the back of their head.
June 5, 2023TX · Metal/Non-Metalcrane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, riggerPOWERED HAULAGE
Employee was reaching down between legs to reach the lever to adjust the seat. As the employee lifted the lever the seat slid back causing employee some pain in lower back area.
2020 · 1 incident
February 8, 2020TX · Metal/Non-Metaloutside foreman, leadmanMACHINERY
Employee was training another employee on the water truck. While approaching a curve the water truck seemed to be going too fast. The water truck flipped over causing minor injury to the passenger.
Employee was welding inside the concrete sand screw. He was standing on the log of the screw while welding on a box. He lost his footing, slipped, and landed on his right foot and heel.
October 28, 2014TX · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee was removing laces on C-10 belt. He was using a flexco punch to remove the laces, as he hit the punch a small metal shard struck him in the left chest.
2013 · 1 incident
August 2, 2013TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
Employee was replacing a bearing on the head pulley on C-1. He was chipping on the shaft to slide the bearing on. As he was chipping a piece of metal hit his eye. This caused a large cut on his left eye. He needed two medical procedures to repair the eye.
2012 · 1 incident
March 27, 2012TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
Employee was drilling holes on Mason sand conveyor to install a belt wiper, while drilling the drill jammed and twisted, fracturing employee's right ring finger.
2011 · 1 incident
October 10, 2011TX · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was cutting steel I-beams into 8' lengths. After making cut, slag was still holding the cut together, EE picked up the opposite end and dropped it to break the slag. As he did this, the I-beam caught his glove and smashed his right ring finger between two pieces of I-beam.
Employee was instructed to re-install a tire and hub assembley on a Euclid B-30 Belly Dump. While employee was sliding chain under the tire, a snake bit him on the right hand, employee was taken to the hospital and was kept under observation for six hours and released with no restrictions.
May 13, 2008TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
Removing a front-axle of a haul truck and was struck on the right arm when employee cut through the pivot pin. Fractured right forearm.
2007 · 1 incident
October 17, 2007TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee was placing wheel hub on water truck axle and felt pain in his lower back. The employee sought medical care the following day and was told he strained his back. He was restricted to light duty work until 11/01/2007.
Related mines
Other mines operated by Arcosa Aggregates Texas, LLC