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Elba Pit: 1 recorded fatality Metal/Non-Metal

Howard, Howard County, NE  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 2500979

Elba Pit has $14K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
5
Years on record
1989–2002
Latest incident
Mar 2002
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
37
citations
6
significant & substantial
$13,612
proposed penalties
$10,182
paid to date
75% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $3,430 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Tri-County Sand & Gravel Inc's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
33
inspections on record
465
inspection hours
n/a
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: 465 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Elba Pit has $14K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 5 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.
$14K
proposed penalties
$10K
current assessed
$10K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
36 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $12K in penalties contested before the Commission, $8K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2020-11-18.
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.
16.7%
significant & substantial
2.8%
high negligence or reckless
16.7%
reasonably likely or greater
55.6%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 13.9% low, 83.3% moderate, 2.8% 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.
11 citations taken to the federal commission · 30% of citations on record
  • Settled 7 · 64%
  • Stood as issued 2 · 18%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 2 · 18%
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 3 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
9%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$3K proposed, $3K 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 2014-08-20.
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
CENT20030149M Settlement Zielinski 2003 $8K → $5K
CENT 2010-952M Settlement Tureck 2012 $2K → $2K
CENT 2010-953M Settlement Tureck 2012 $890 → $600
CENT20030160M Settlement Zielinski 2003 $400 → $160
CENT 2014-0559 Dismissal Lesnick 2015 $216 → $216
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: 2010-03-30, 16 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
3
samples
1
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz1
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg1
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (3)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2010-03-30 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dredge/Barge Operator
2010-03-30 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.2 Front-end Loader Operator
2010-03-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.33 1.75 0.19 Utility Man
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.
Ownership history
  1. Tri-County Sand & Gravel Inc 1980 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2021 3
2020 3
2019 3
2018 3
2017 3
2016 2
2015 2
2014 2
2013 3
2012 3
2011 3
2010 5
2009 4
2008 4
2007 3
2006 3
2005 4
2004 4
2003 4
2002 6
2001 9
2000 10
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Elba Pit sits in Howard County, Nebraska, where the Census mining category is 0.8% 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.
Howard County, Nebraska · Population 6,492
0.8%
Mining share of county employment
$74,508
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
2021 Q2 1,464 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 463 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 717 1 0 1394.7
2020 Q3 1,003 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 1,080 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 304 5 1 16447.4
2019 Q4 906 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 1,304 0 0 0.0
Show 78 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2019 Q2 1,223 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 111 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 863 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 1,207 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 1,050 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 226 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 1,060 1 0 943.4
2017 Q3 724 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 712 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 322 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 568 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 724 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 723 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 122 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 564 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 1,072 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 1,068 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 187 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 249 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 1,171 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 1,397 5 2 3579.1
2014 Q1 135 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 936 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 1,439 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 1,327 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 198 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 857 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 1,289 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 1,519 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 366 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 1,117 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 1,458 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 959 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 132 2 0 15151.5
2010 Q4 1,267 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 1,312 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 1,463 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 496 7 1 14112.9
2009 Q4 1,285 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 1,462 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 1,468 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 470 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 1,327 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 1,629 1 0 613.9
2008 Q2 1,248 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 386 0 0 0.0
2007 Q4 1,327 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 1,450 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 1,403 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 440 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 1,346 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 1,435 1 0 696.9
2006 Q2 1,452 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 497 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 1,577 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 2,215 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 2,274 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 940 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 2,061 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 2,273 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 2,259 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 635 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 1,546 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 1,674 2 0 1194.7
2003 Q2 1,773 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 413 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 1,797 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 2,569 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 2,475 5 2 2020.2
2002 Q1 1,759 1 0 568.5
2001 Q4 4,229 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 4,396 5 0 1137.4
2001 Q2 4,416 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 1,379 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 3,002 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 4,611 1 0 216.9
2000 Q2 4,885 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 1,906 0 0 0.0

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
March 29, 2002 NE · Metal/Non-Metal truck driver Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Tri-County Sand & Gravel Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

ONE EMPLOYEE INSIDE CAB OF TRUCK, ONE EMPLOYEE UNDER TRUCK TRYING TO TROUBLE-SHOOT PROBLEM WITH THE PTO CABLE. BED RAISED INADVERTENTLY AND VICTIM PLACED HIMSELF BETWEEN THE TRUCK BED AND FRA ME TO WATCH EMPLOYEE UNDER THE TRUCK BED. BED INADVERTENTLY LOWERED ON THE VICTIM. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL AND PASSED AWAY SEVERAL HOURS LATER.

Reportable incidents

4 on file (excluding fatalities above)

1992 · 1 incident

June 4, 1992 NE · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Tri-County Sand & Gravel Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

STEPPED ON SOFT GROUND AND TWISTED ANKLE

1991 · 1 incident

April 5, 1991 NE · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
Tri-County Sand & Gravel Inc · Unclassified, insufficient data

WE WERE DOING SOME REPAIR WORK ON THE DREDGE DURING JAN AND FEB AND EE DID THE WELDING HIS WRIST BEGAN BOTHERING HIM LATER HE WENT TO THE DR ON 4-5-91 AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING CARPEL TUNNEL SYNDROME HAS NOT MISSED ANY DAYS OF WORK BUT ISWEARING A BRACE ON HIS ARM.

1990 · 1 incident

November 1, 1990 NE · Metal/Non-Metal barge/boat/dredge/towbarge/towboat/leach operator, riverman, deck hand MACHINERY
Tri-County Sand & Gravel Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

PICKING UP PIN WHILE CLUTCH RUNNING MIDDLE FINGER ON R HAND LACER REQ STITCHES

1989 · 1 incident

October 23, 1989 NE · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Tri-County Sand & Gravel Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

CHANGING SCREEN FINGER BECA ME CAUGHT BETWEEN SCREEN AND THE BACKPLATE CAUSING LACERATION 3 STITCHES.