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: 721 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS has $20K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 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.
$20K
proposed penalties
$20K
current assessed
$20K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
87 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $2K in penalties contested before the Commission, $2K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-05-01.
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.
6citations taken to the federal commission · 7% of citations on record
Settled
4 · 67%
Stood as issued
2 · 33%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 5 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
20%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$2K proposed, $2K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2010-12-28.
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: 2025-05-01
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
11
samples
4
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz4
Respirable dust, <.1mg4
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz3
Show the individual readings (11)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2025-05-01
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2023-11-02
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2009-04-08
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.96
3.05
0.31
Mechanic
2009-04-08
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2005-06-29
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2005-06-29
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.14
Front-end Loader Operator
2005-06-29
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.06
1.83
0.58
Laborer, Bullgang
2005-06-29
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.6
Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-06-03
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.69
1.69
0.41
Cleanup Man
2004-06-03
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.22
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-06-03
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.58
1.47
0.39
Crusher Oper/Worker
Area samples (mill and shop air)
Last sampled: 2023-11-02
1
samples
Show the individual readings (2)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Area sampled
2023-11-02
ANALYZED BULK DUST MASS
0
SF ORE TRANSFER
2023-11-02
QUARTZ (BULK DUST)
0
SF ORE TRANSFER
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.
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS recorded 6.70 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2009.
Injury rate, 2009
ⓘ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.
6.70
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 2.82 and the all-US-mining average was 3.36 cases per 100 workers.
In California, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 3.09 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
2009 *
6.70
0.00
0.000
2008 *
9.93
4.97
0.000
2007 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2006 *
13.00
13.00
0.000
2005 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2004 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2003 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2002 *
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
3
2024
5
2023
5
2011
3
2010
11
2009
16
2008
23
2007
23
2006
21
2005
19
2004
14
2003
12
2002
19
2001
18
2000
18
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS sits in Tulare County, California, 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.
Tulare County, California · Population 475,774
0.1%
Mining share of county employment
$69,489
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
2,061
0
0
0.0
2026 Q1
1,490
0
0
0.0
2025 Q4
1,097
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
923
0
0
0.0
2025 Q2
742
4
4
5390.8
2025 Q1
2,409
0
0
0.0
2024 Q4
1,165
1
0
858.4
2024 Q3
1,325
0
0
0.0
Show 51 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
1,563
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
1,382
0
0
0.0
2023 Q4
1,086
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
2,305
0
0
0.0
2023 Q2
1,546
0
0
0.0
2023 Q1
357
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
1,660
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
3,300
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
6,650
11
3
1654.1
2010 Q2
4,926
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
3,135
4
3
1275.9
2009 Q4
4,354
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
8,315
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
8,668
2
0
230.7
2009 Q1
8,499
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
8,823
2
0
226.7
2008 Q3
10,551
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
11,038
4
3
362.4
2008 Q1
9,850
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
10,697
2
0
187.0
2007 Q3
10,864
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
12,237
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
14,437
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
8,284
1
0
120.7
2006 Q3
8,704
0
0
0.0
2006 Q2
7,525
2
0
265.8
2006 Q1
6,260
2
0
319.5
2005 Q4
7,949
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
9,100
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
5,934
1
0
168.5
2005 Q1
5,809
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
6,159
2
0
324.7
2004 Q3
5,722
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
5,577
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
4,123
2
0
485.1
2003 Q4
6,986
0
0
0.0
2003 Q3
7,227
2
1
276.7
2003 Q2
5,422
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
5,322
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
10,205
6
0
587.9
2002 Q3
11,235
3
1
267.0
2002 Q2
12,739
8
1
628.0
2002 Q1
10,851
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
10,850
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
10,970
10
4
911.6
2001 Q2
9,642
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
6,745
5
0
741.3
2000 Q4
6,739
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
10,578
2
0
189.1
2000 Q2
7,110
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
8,667
7
0
807.7
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
17 on file
2010 · 1 incident
January 19, 2010CA · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
After talking with a individual about an emotional subject, the employee became sick and passed out causing the employee to fall. He struck his head on a rock and lacerated his head. This laceration required (5) stitches.
2008 · 2 incidents
February 25, 2008CA · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was driving haul truck on haul road toward pit. Driver moved to left side of road, tire went into a rut and loss control, truck turned over on right side.
July 25, 2006CA · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE placing cribbing under rock breaker base to facilitate removing 4 pin for the hydrallic ram was struck on the left index finger by 2 1/2' diameter 4 'long bar of roundstake which was leaning against the Rock Breaker Base.
2000 · 1 incident
February 2, 2000CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
WHILE LOOSENING NUTS ON JAW CRUSHER WITH WRENCH THE NUT BROKE FREE AND THE WRENCH SMASHED #5 RIGHT FINGER AGAINST CORNER OF JAW CRUSHER FRAME CUTTING IT. INJURY RESULTED IN 6 STITCHES.
1999 · 4 incidents
November 3, 1999CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE WAS REMVOING HAMMER FROM INGERSE RAND DRILL BY GRASPING ITS SHAFT WITH HIS BARE HANDS. THE SHAFT HAD STEEL BURRS FROM CONTACTING THE WHICH DISENGASES THE STEELS, ONE OF THE BURRS. CUT THE EE'S RIGHT PALM.
November 2, 1999CA · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
California Iss Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE WAS SLIDING THE #5 TRAY BACK INTO THE SHAKEN HOUSING (TOTAL OF 6 TIMES) EE WAS USING HIS LEFT HAND (PALM UP/THUMB EXTENDED 90 DEGREE) TO GUIDE THE TRAY WHILE PUSHING IT WITH THE RIGHT HAND AND THE SKIN BETWEEN EE'S LEFT THUMB AND FIRST DIGIT WAS PINCHED BY THE TRAY AND HOUSING SLIDES.
October 13, 1999CA · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE 6' DIAMETE FLYOVER FROM PRIMARY CRUSHER, THE ROUND XXXXX PIN USED TO SEPARATE THE SPLIT HUB FLYWHEEL FROM THE FLYWHEEL SHAFT CAME MISALIGNED. BOTHE EES WERE WORKING FROM A MANBASKET. THE UNINJURED EE WHO WAS DRIVING THE PIN INTO THE HUB TO EXPAND THE HUB ATTEMPTED TO REALIGN THE PIN PERPENDICULAR TO THE HUB BY STRIKING IT WITH THE SLEDGEHAMMER. WHEN THE P
EE ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE BUCKETS ON BOBCAT 8-864. EE KNEW THAT THE ?CUTTING LEVER (L) WAS SEPARATED FROM THE BUCKET ? WHEN HE CHANGED BUCKETS LAST. HE PUSHED PIN UP MANUALLY WITH THE BUCKET IN T HE AIR AND TILTED DOWN. THE BUCKET WAS RELEASED AND SMASHED LEFT FOOT BREAKING 3 BONES BEHIND STEEL TOES.
1998 · 1 incident
May 11, 1998CA · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
WHILE OPERATING 966 LOADER EE TURNED WRIST AND SHOULDERS TO WORK BEFORE AND WHILE BACKING, WHILEBACKING HE HIT BUMP (UNKNOWN) AND FELT SHARP PAIN IN BACK. EE SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION ROUGHLY 1 WEEK LATER.
1997 · 1 incident
July 3, 1997CA · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
EE PLACED HIS HAND IN AN UNSAFE LOCATION WHILE CUTTING A CONVEYOR BELT FOR SPLICING. HIS HAND WAS LOCATED IN THE PATH OF THE KNIFE THE UTILITY KNIFES BLADE BROKE AND THE ROMANING BLADE PUNCTUR ED HIS LEFT HAND AND AS THE TURN PLACE BUTTING WAS BURGCASED.
1996 · 3 incidents
November 18, 1996CA · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorOTHER
California Iss Inc · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING LOADER IN PIT WHEN HE WAS STUNG BY A BEE IN THE NECK.
October 28, 1996CA · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanOTHER