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Creative Stone and Steelworks: 1 recorded fatality Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Massoud Besharat
Vesta, Oglethorpe County, GA  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 0901147

Creative Stone and Steelworks has $159K in proposed MSHA penalties and $5 outstanding across 7 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
5
Years on record
2010–2023
Latest incident
Mar 2023
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2002
184
citations
48
significant & substantial
$159,421
proposed penalties
$127,416
paid to date
80% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $32,005 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Creative Stone and Steelworks Inc's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2002
82
inspections on record
1,307
inspection hours
14.1
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.
184 citations across 1,307 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Creative Stone and Steelworks has $159K in proposed MSHA penalties and $5 outstanding across 7 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.
$159K
proposed penalties
$127K
current assessed
$127K
paid to date
$5
outstanding
182 assessments are final orders; 7 contested dockets.
Of $108K in penalties contested before the Commission, $76K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-02-12.
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.
26.4%
significant & substantial
18.1%
high negligence or reckless
25.8%
reasonably likely or greater
52.7%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 6.0% low, 75.8% moderate, 18.1% 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.
19 citations taken to the federal commission · 10% of citations on record
  • Settled 9 · 47%
  • Stood as issued 6 · 32%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 4 · 21%
71%
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 14 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
39%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$128K proposed, $79K 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 2019-01-22.
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 2018-0166 Settlement Rae 2019 $69K → $52K
SE 2018-0017 Settlement Rae 2019 $12K → $8K
SE 2018-0101 Settlement Rae 2019 $12K → $8K
SE 2009-559M Settlement 2010 $9K → $4K
SE 2012-362M Default Lesnick 2012 $4K → $4K
SE 2011-290M Default Lesnick 2011 $686 → $686
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: 2026-02-12
37%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
54
samples
30
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz3311 over
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg21
Show the individual readings (54)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2021-12-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.61 0.63 2.56 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2016-11-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.76 0.54 1.41 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2015-07-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.65 0.62 1.05 Jackhammer Operator
2015-07-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.9 0.5 1.80 Jackhammer Operator
2015-06-04 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.43 0.53 2.70 Jackhammer Operator
2015-05-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 3.63 0.56 6.48 Jackhammer Operator
2015-05-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.81 0.56 3.23 Jackhammer Operator
2015-05-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 2.36 0.54 4.37 Jackhammer Operator
2011-10-25 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 2.77 0.56 4.95 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2011-07-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.68 0.65 1.05 Jackhammer Operator
2003-05-13 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 2.5 0.58 4.31 Cleanup Man
2026-02-12 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Supervisor, Co. Official
2026-02-12 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2026-02-12 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2026-02-12 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.24 0.75 0.32 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2023-12-06 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2023-12-06 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2023-12-06 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2023-12-06 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2023-07-25 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.14 0.68 0.21 Front-end Loader Operator
2023-07-25 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2023-07-25 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2023-07-25 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2022-01-26 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2021-12-01 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2021-12-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.27 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2021-12-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.19 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2021-04-08 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.35 0.94 0.37 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2021-04-08 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.13 Front-end Loader Operator
2021-04-08 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.32 0.96 0.33 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2021-04-08 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Jackhammer Operator
2017-01-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.22 0.57 0.39 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2016-11-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.16 0.4 0.40 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2016-11-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.44 0.54 0.81 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2016-11-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.29 0.57 0.51 Front-end Loader Operator
2016-11-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.31 0.55 0.56 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2015-08-18 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Jackhammer Operator
2015-08-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.15 0.52 0.29 Jackhammer Operator
2015-06-04 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Jackhammer Operator
2015-06-04 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.34 0.48 0.71 Jackhammer Operator
2015-05-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.19 0.28 0.68 Drill Helper
2013-05-07 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2013-05-07 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2011-12-13 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.37 0.58 0.64 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2011-12-13 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.17 0.53 0.32 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2011-10-25 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.14 1.15 0.12 Drill Operator, Rotary
2011-07-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.45 0.49 0.92 Jackhammer Operator
2007-01-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.53 0.55 0.96 Drill Helper
2007-01-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.57 0.84 0.68 Drill Helper
2004-06-16 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2004-06-16 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2004-06-16 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2003-09-16 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0.06 Cleanup Man
2003-05-13 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.44 0.58 0.76 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
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.

Creative Stone and Steelworks recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2024.

Injury rate, 2024
ⓘ 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 1.77 and the all-US-mining average was 2.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Georgia, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.34 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
2024 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2023 * 4.61 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
2016 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2015 * 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. Blue Sky Quarries, Inc. 2002 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 5
2025 6
2024 19
2023 18
2022 14
2021 12
2020 12
2019 10
2018 9
2017 9
2016 10
2015 10
2014 12
2013 13
2012 11
2011 11
2010 10
2009 6
2008 8
2007 8
2006 7
2005 9
2004 10
2003 8
2002 6
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Creative Stone and Steelworks sits in Oglethorpe 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.
Oglethorpe County, Georgia · Population 15,221
0.1%
Mining share of county employment
$69,784
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 1,547 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 1,773 5 0 2820.1
2025 Q4 1 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 1 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 2,035 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 5,756 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 9,095 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 9,846 0 0 0.0
Show 88 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 13,399 4 0 298.5
2024 Q1 12,379 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 12,746 5 1 392.3
2023 Q3 10,713 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 10,061 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 9,909 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 8,281 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 6,940 6 1 864.6
2022 Q2 7,228 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 8,400 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 8,340 6 2 719.4
2021 Q3 6,681 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 5,870 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 6,170 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 5,988 4 0 668.0
2020 Q3 5,596 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 5,282 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 7,211 1 1 138.7
2019 Q4 5,913 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 6,412 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 6,068 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 3,385 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 3,967 1 0 252.1
2018 Q3 4,567 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 4,994 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 4,569 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 4,258 2 0 469.7
2017 Q3 4,144 7 4 1689.2
2017 Q2 4,705 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 4,560 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 5,391 3 1 556.5
2016 Q3 5,522 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 5,292 4 0 755.9
2016 Q1 4,942 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 4,769 1 0 209.7
2015 Q3 5,290 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 5,500 4 0 727.3
2015 Q1 5,542 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 5,723 1 0 174.7
2014 Q3 6,728 4 2 594.5
2014 Q2 6,356 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 6,527 1 0 153.2
2013 Q4 6,130 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 6,772 3 3 443.0
2013 Q2 7,471 3 0 401.6
2013 Q1 7,387 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 5,174 3 0 579.8
2012 Q3 5,720 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 5,780 2 1 346.0
2012 Q1 5,553 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 5,503 5 2 908.6
2011 Q3 5,853 2 1 341.7
2011 Q2 4,910 4 2 814.7
2011 Q1 5,104 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 4,560 8 1 1754.4
2010 Q3 5,151 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 4,976 2 1 401.9
2010 Q1 2,846 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 2,733 2 0 731.8
2009 Q3 3,159 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 3,129 2 0 639.2
2009 Q1 3,065 7 2 2283.8
2008 Q4 3,353 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 379 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 3,826 5 1 1306.8
2007 Q4 3,236 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 3,321 22 2 6624.5
2007 Q2 3,850 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 3,882 9 2 2318.4
2006 Q4 3,357 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 3,073 6 4 1952.5
2006 Q2 3,262 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 2,724 1 0 367.1
2005 Q4 3,542 8 2 2258.6
2005 Q3 3,511 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 3,421 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 3,254 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 3,922 2 0 509.9
2004 Q3 4,354 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 2,986 5 1 1674.5
2004 Q1 4,063 1 0 246.1
2003 Q4 4,757 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 2,485 1 1 402.4
2003 Q2 2,988 4 0 1338.7
2003 Q1 2,798 6 4 2144.4
2002 Q4 4,994 1 0 200.2
2002 Q3 2,185 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 2,352 4 4 1700.7

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
July 20, 2017 GA · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man Fatality · FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS
Blue Sky Quarries, Inc. · Struck by falling object

Cracked stone fell and crushed employee. Employee didn't follow procedure. Employee's lanyard wasn't tied off and the employee was using a foot wedge and jackhammer with 1 1/4" bit. Employee should have been using 3/4" plug drill and 5" tether and wedge. The employee was drilling from the base and should have been drilling at the top.

Reportable incidents

4 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2023 · 1 incident

March 24, 2023 GA · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
Blue Sky Quarries, Inc. · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Shift on baseline audiometric testing. Hearing loss. Re-tested on 12/06/2023 shows no substantial hearing loss. EE will be retested again on May 7, 2024.

2013 · 1 incident

August 29, 2013 GA · Metal/Non-Metal stone finishing and sizing personnel, stone/rock cut/polish/saw operator, splitter, cutter, trimmer MACHINERY
Blue Sky Quarries, Inc. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

ground wet/damp from rain

2011 · 1 incident

April 9, 2011 GA · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Blue Sky Quarries, Inc. · Fall to the walkway or working surface

EE was working on the ledge. He slipped and came down on his knee it had rained the night before making the rock wet.

2010 · 1 incident

September 8, 2010 GA · Metal/Non-Metal drill operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Blue Sky Quarries, Inc. · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was lifting drill steel out of hole when he pulled muscle in back. Proper lifting practices probably would have prevented accident. Impairment - ee was out of work 2 days unable to lift objects.