Fisher Industries Plant 3 has $54K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
Watch this mine
Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Fisher Industries Plant 3.
Fatalities
0
Total incidents
15
Years on record
1988–2011
Latest incident
Feb 2011
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2003
116
citations
36
significant & substantial
$53,755
proposed penalties
$52,189
paid to date
97% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,566 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.
Rate withheld: 447 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘA Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2024-10-17.
On record since 2024.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Fisher Industries Plant 3 has $54K 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.
$54K
proposed penalties
$52K
current assessed
$52K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
114 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $30K in penalties contested before the Commission, $20K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-03-16.
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.
29citations taken to the federal commission · 25% of citations on record
Settled
23 · 79%
Stood as issued
2 · 7%
Vacated or withdrawn
4 · 14%
64%
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%
34%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$30K proposed, $20K 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 2024-03-19.
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: 2011-03-16, 15 years ago
67%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
4
samples
3
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz32 over
Respirable dust, <.1mg1
Show the individual readings (4)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2004-09-15
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
3.11
0.89
3.49
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-09-15
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.36
0.77
1.77
Crusher Oper/Worker
2011-03-16
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dragline Operator
2004-09-15
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.3
0.59
0.51
Front-end Loader 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.
Fisher Industries Plant 3 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 Arizona, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.18 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
2009 *
13.51
3.38
0.000
2008 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2003 *
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
5
2025
10
2024
14
2023
9
2022
8
2021
6
2020
4
2019
5
2018
2
2017
4
2016
4
2015
3
2014
3
2013
1
2012
6
2011
4
2010
3
2009
19
2008
11
2007
4
2006
2
2005
4
2004
7
2003
11
2002
2
2001
2
2000
1
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Fisher Industries Plant 3 sits in Pinal County, Arizona, 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.
Pinal County, Arizona · Population 449,219
0.8%
Mining share of county employment
$77,588
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
3,050
0
0
0.0
2026 Q1
272
3
1
11029.4
2025 Q4
5,533
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
3,938
0
0
0.0
2025 Q2
3,690
0
0
0.0
2025 Q1
3,944
1
1
253.5
2024 Q4
4,517
9
2
1992.5
2024 Q3
4,794
0
0
0.0
Show 98 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
9,986
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
6,297
1
0
158.8
2023 Q4
4,779
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
6,675
12
7
1797.8
2023 Q2
4,314
8
1
1854.4
2023 Q1
670
0
0
0.0
2022 Q4
2,587
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
3,036
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
2,528
0
0
0.0
2022 Q1
2,859
0
0
0.0
2021 Q4
780
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
1,467
0
0
0.0
2021 Q2
686
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
91
1
0
10989.0
2020 Q4
715
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
804
2
0
2487.6
2020 Q2
3,351
0
0
0.0
2020 Q1
0
0
0
2019 Q4
403
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
1,755
1
0
569.8
2019 Q2
1,475
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
2,257
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
258
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
1,823
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
8
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
14
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
1,014
1
0
986.2
2017 Q3
751
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
475
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
2,246
0
0
0.0
2016 Q4
502
4
0
7968.1
2016 Q3
2,120
3
1
1415.1
2016 Q2
2,252
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
566
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
0
0
0
2015 Q3
131
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
168
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
524
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
64
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
2,090
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
1,192
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
1,456
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
2,168
0
0
0.0
2013 Q3
0
0
0
2013 Q2
0
0
0
2013 Q1
0
0
0
2012 Q4
0
0
0
2012 Q3
438
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
7,456
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
9,272
6
1
647.1
2011 Q4
3,730
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
2,553
22
6
8617.3
2011 Q2
3,141
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
4,132
16
9
3872.2
2010 Q4
2,031
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
2,228
11
4
4937.2
2010 Q2
3,046
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
25
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
24,485
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
4,509
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
16,538
2
0
120.9
2009 Q1
13,699
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
3,527
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
6,192
2
0
323.0
2008 Q2
16,236
0
0
0.0
2008 Q1
8,221
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
4,744
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
4,048
6
1
1482.2
2007 Q2
971
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
37
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
0
0
0
2006 Q3
1,163
0
0
0.0
2006 Q2
73
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
3,642
0
0
0.0
2005 Q4
4,137
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
1,902
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
1,943
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
5,686
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
5,302
0
0
0.0
2004 Q3
6,014
2
2
332.6
2004 Q2
5,101
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
2,049
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
6,995
0
0
0.0
2003 Q3
5,917
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
5,743
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
9,195
3
0
326.3
2002 Q4
6,058
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
0
0
0
2002 Q2
0
0
0
2002 Q1
0
0
0
2001 Q4
3,754
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
0
0
0
2001 Q2
0
0
0
2001 Q1
0
0
0
2000 Q4
0
0
0
2000 Q3
1,868
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
0
0
0
2000 Q1
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
15 on file
2011 · 1 incident
February 21, 2011AZ · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE lifted the door handle and pulled back, it did not come open so he applied more force, the door swung open and the handle hit him in the face cutting from his nostril to lip.
2009 · 4 incidents
August 30, 2009AZ · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techOTHER
Was bitten by a Brown Recluse Spider - only being reported due to lost time. Was bitten on 8/30/09, did not go to doctor till 8/31/09, went back to doctor on 9/2/09 and that is when they requested time off.
March 21, 2009AZ · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techPOWERED HAULAGE
Was driving in a rough terrain, air ride seat bottomed out, causing pain in lower back.
March 5, 2009AZ · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Was getting down from dozer and stepped in loose dirt, rolled ankle. When he fell to ground, he ended up fracturing left ring finger. He did not seek medical treatment right away. He only decided to go to the doctor on 3-11-09.
March 5, 2009AZ · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
Rocks plugged the chute on the spokan, stuck bar in it & the bar came back at the employee & hit his hard hat & top of head. It broke the hard hat & cut the top of his head.
April 18, 2006AZ · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
CHANGING BLOW BARS, GETTING READY TO REMOVE LAST ONE ON BAR, PULLED PIN TO ROTATE, EMPLOYEE SLIPPED ON OLD BAR & LEG WENT BETWEEN BLOW BAR & CURTAIN PLATE.
July 18, 2005AZ · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverHANDLING OF MATERIALS
REMOVING SCREENS FROM THE PICKUP BOS VED. AS HE REMOVED THE FIRST ONE, THE OTHER SCREENS WHICH WERE STANDING ON THEIR SIDES, TIPPED CAUSING A SCRATCH ON HIS FOREARM. ALSO SOME SMAL PUNCTURE WO UND.
1992 · 2 incidents
April 10, 1992ND · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)