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: 916 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Cypress Pit has $185K in proposed MSHA penalties and $59 outstanding across 3 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.
$185K
proposed penalties
$135K
current assessed
$135K
paid to date
$59
outstanding
189 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $126K in penalties contested before the Commission, $76K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-02-27.
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.
16citations taken to the federal commission · 8% of citations on record
Settled
16 · 100%
91%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 11 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
40%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$126K proposed, $76K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2023-04-05.
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: 2026-05-20
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
15
samples
3
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz3
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (15)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2026-05-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.14
Dredge/Barge Operator
2026-05-20
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2026-03-18
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.31
10
0.03
Dredge/Barge Operator
2026-03-18
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2024-09-11
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2024-09-11
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Bulldozer Operator
2020-03-06
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Backhoe Operator
2020-03-06
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2020-03-06
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.14
Front-end Loader Operator
2011-09-28
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Bulldozer Operator
2011-09-28
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.21
1.31
0.16
Truck Driver
2006-01-11
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2006-01-11
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2006-01-11
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.17
1.45
0.12
Truck Driver
2006-01-11
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Washer 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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2026
13
2025
3
2024
5
2023
5
2022
4
2021
4
2020
5
2019
5
2018
4
2017
5
2016
5
2015
5
2014
5
2013
6
2012
5
2011
5
2010
4
2009
5
2008
5
2007
5
2006
6
2005
5
2004
5
2003
4
2002
3
2001
3
2000
3
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Cypress Pit sits in Hale County, Alabama, 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.
Hale County, Alabama · Population 14,749
0.0%
Mining share of county employment
$41,325
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
Davis Sand & Gravel · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Replacing shaft seal on dredge, removed retaining plate by taking out last bolt. Was told by coworker to move their hand before knocking plate loose after last bolt and plate slid down mashing a thumb before they could remove their hand. Mashed right thumb.
2019 · 1 incident
January 30, 2019AL · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Striping insulation off an electrical wire with utility knife slipped and cut pinky left finger at 3rd joint.
2017 · 1 incident
October 3, 2017AL · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Davis Sand & Gravel · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Repositioning Thumb attachment on track hoe. EE placed left hand on track hoe boom for stability and as thumb attachment moved it mashed the ends of three fingers.
2007 · 1 incident
March 26, 2007AL · Metal/Non-Metalassayer, geologist, metallurgist, engineer, engineer managementMACHINERY
Man was pushing brush tops with dozer. A limb got in a bind and sprung back striking him in the stomach and right leg. Had some contusions and scratches.
2006 · 1 incident
February 10, 2006AL · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerMACHINERY
Workers were moving a floatation pontoon with a Trackhoe and as they were setting it down the employee grabbed it to steady the position. The pontoon swung and bumped him on the shin of his right leg causing a contusion.
2005 · 1 incident
August 9, 2005AL · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
He was walking out to a floating pump pontoon platform to check the pump. As he stepped onto the pontoon platform his feet slipped out from under him due to mud on his boots. He hit his ankle on an I-beam as he fell causing a contusion and pain in ankle.
1996 · 1 incident
September 25, 1996AL · Metal/Non-Metalbarge/boat/dredge/towbarge/towboat/leach operator, riverman, deck handHANDLING OF MATERIALS