Global Pumice Mine - Olancha has $172K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K outstanding across 10 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
18
Years on record
1986–2014
Latest incident
Jun 2014
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
275
citations
68
significant & substantial
$172,362
proposed penalties
$153,418
paid to date
89% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $18,944 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.
275 citations across 1,298 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Global Pumice Mine - Olancha has $172K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K outstanding across 10 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.
$172K
proposed penalties
$155K
current assessed
$153K
paid to date
$2K
outstanding
266 assessments are final orders; 10 contested dockets.
Of $87K in penalties contested before the Commission, $69K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-03-10.
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.
28citations taken to the federal commission · 10% of citations on record
Settled
22 · 79%
Stood as issued
6 · 21%
78%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 18 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
20%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$87K proposed, $69K 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 2023-04-17.
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: 2023-08-17, 3 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
18
samples
10
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz13
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz3
Respirable dust, <.1mg2
Show the individual readings (18)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2023-08-17
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.38
Front-end Loader Operator
2020-09-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.69
2.7
0.63
Front-end Loader Operator
2019-09-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.57
Front-end Loader Operator
2019-09-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.77
Front-end Loader Operator
2016-06-16
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.15
Mechanic
2016-06-16
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.18
Mechanic
2013-02-05
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2013-02-05
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Complete Load-Haul-Dump
2010-06-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.71
2.57
0.28
Front-end Loader Operator
2010-06-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.22
2.49
0.49
Front-end Loader Operator
2007-05-15
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.22
0.49
0.45
Truck Driver
2007-05-15
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.77
2.13
0.36
Front-end Loader Operator
2005-06-23
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
2
2.98
0.67
Front-end Loader Operator
2005-06-23
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
1.06
Bulldozer Operator
2003-11-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.59
2.75
0.21
Crusher Oper/Worker
2003-11-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.02
2.47
0.41
Front-end Loader Operator
2001-11-07
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
2.28
2.99
0.76
Bulldozer Operator
2001-11-07
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.01
2.33
0.43
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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2025
5
2024
5
2023
6
2022
6
2021
6
2020
6
2019
6
2018
5
2017
5
2016
6
2015
2
2014
4
2013
4
2012
5
2011
4
2010
2
2009
2
2008
4
2007
5
2006
5
2005
6
2004
5
2003
5
2002
4
2001
4
2000
5
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Global Pumice Mine - Olancha sits in Inyo County, California, where the Census mining category is 1.7% 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.
Inyo County, California · Population 18,803
1.7%
Mining share of county employment
$72,432
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
2025 Q4
1,775
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
2,605
5
0
1919.4
2025 Q2
3,355
0
0
0.0
2025 Q1
2,554
2
0
783.1
2024 Q4
2,520
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
2,800
2
0
714.3
2024 Q2
2,854
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
2,594
3
1
1156.5
Show 93 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2023 Q4
2,710
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
3,028
5
2
1651.3
2023 Q2
3,370
1
0
296.7
2023 Q1
2,618
0
0
0.0
2022 Q4
2,215
2
2
902.9
2022 Q3
3,664
7
5
1910.5
2022 Q2
3,390
0
0
0.0
2022 Q1
3,780
0
0
0.0
2021 Q4
3,486
5
2
1434.3
2021 Q3
3,697
4
1
1082.0
2021 Q2
3,500
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
3,874
3
1
774.4
2020 Q4
3,487
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
3,048
4
1
1312.3
2020 Q2
2,862
1
0
349.4
2020 Q1
3,374
5
2
1481.9
2019 Q4
4,542
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
2,937
9
0
3064.4
2019 Q2
2,882
1
0
347.0
2019 Q1
2,920
11
3
3767.1
2018 Q4
3,004
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
2,363
3
2
1269.6
2018 Q2
2,075
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
2,500
2
0
800.0
2017 Q4
1,535
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
1,712
6
0
3504.7
2017 Q2
2,664
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
2,618
14
4
5347.6
2016 Q4
2,374
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
2,007
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
2,291
5
2
2182.5
2016 Q1
1,501
2
0
1332.4
2015 Q4
1,096
9
2
8211.7
2015 Q3
882
7
1
7936.5
2015 Q2
385
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
800
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
2,363
10
3
4231.9
2014 Q3
2,750
19
4
6909.1
2014 Q2
2,018
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
962
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
2,284
11
5
4816.1
2012 Q4
2,854
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
3,327
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
2,563
4
0
1560.7
2012 Q1
2,830
3
2
1060.1
2011 Q4
3,594
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
4,225
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
2,461
2
1
812.7
2011 Q1
3,464
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
1,748
22
8
12585.8
2010 Q3
1,012
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
944
9
3
9533.9
2010 Q1
612
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
923
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
951
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
904
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
1,020
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
1,020
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
1,040
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
1,943
4
1
2058.7
2008 Q1
2,558
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
2,530
4
0
1581.0
2007 Q3
2,660
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
2,460
1
0
406.5
2007 Q1
2,257
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
2,491
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
2,634
0
0
0.0
2006 Q2
2,345
8
2
3411.5
2006 Q1
2,190
6
1
2739.7
2005 Q4
2,560
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
1,960
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
3,160
3
0
949.4
2005 Q1
2,477
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
1,795
7
0
3899.7
2004 Q3
2,090
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
2,833
3
1
1058.9
2004 Q1
1,837
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
2,280
3
0
1315.8
2003 Q3
1,872
10
2
5341.9
2003 Q2
2,935
5
0
1703.6
2003 Q1
2,445
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
2,195
2
1
911.2
2002 Q3
2,481
2
0
806.1
2002 Q2
2,030
0
0
0.0
2002 Q1
2,024
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
1,934
2
1
1034.1
2001 Q3
2,852
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
2,561
3
0
1171.4
2001 Q1
2,363
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
3,438
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
2,783
3
0
1078.0
2000 Q2
2,861
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
2,829
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
18 on file
2014 · 1 incident
June 6, 2014CA · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee was tightening a bolt on the plant "roll crusher" with another employee and applied too much pressure causing a strain on his left shoulder. Although this happened on June 6, 2014, employee continued to work with this strained shoulder until he believed it necessary to visit a doctor on June 27, 2014 for
2011 · 1 incident
July 18, 2011CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techOTHER
Left index finger was swollen, but did not know how/when, or where. Or it could have been a spider bite. Finger gotten worse later that same morning. Taken to the hospital. They then numbed his finger and cleaned it. They gave him antibiotic. Has to go in every 6 hours to have his finger cleaned out.
2001 · 1 incident
April 20, 2001CA · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorOTHER
EE WAS ATTEMPTING TO HOOK CHAIN TO PAD-EYE ON WATER TANK, PREPARATORY TO LIFTING TANK, WHEN HE BECAME DISORIENTED, LOST HIS BALANCE AND SLIPPED, STRIKING THE RT SIDE OF HIS CHEST AGAINST THE T ANK. AT THE TIME HE WAS STANDING ON A LOADER TIRE, APPROX 26" WIDE AND 70" HIGH, WHICH WAS POSITIONED WITH THE FRONT WHEELS TOUCHING THE TANK TO ENABLE HIM TO REACH THE TOP OF THE TANK, APPRO
February 4, 1997CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS CLEANING BOTTOM DECK OF 8X20 SCREEN-HE WAS STANDING ON A CONVEYOR WHEN HE SLIPPED AND PULLED LOWER RIGHT GROIN. RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE HERNIA.
1991 · 2 incidents
June 14, 1991CA · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING PICKING HARD ROCKS FROM PUMICE ROCK WHEN A PIECE OF ROCK ENTERED HIS RIGHT EYE.DOCTOR CLEANED EYE AND PRESCRIBED PAIN KILLER FOR EYES AND TOLD HIM TO WEAR A PATCH ON EYE U NTIL IT FELT BETTER.
March 6, 1991CA · Metal/Non-Metalgreaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oilerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE WAS HELPING MOVE A BOLT BEN IN PARTY VAN WHEN HE STRAINED HIS BACK-HE FINISHED SHIFT BUT WENT TO A DR THE NEXT MORNING. DOCTOR TOLD HIM TO NOT DO ANY HEAVY LIFTING FOR 1 WEEKS.
HANDLING SCREEN CLOTH PC SLIPPED AND WIRE PUNCTURED L THIGH METAL EMBEDDED IN LEG
November 13, 1989CA · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON