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.
176 citations across 1,090 inspection hours.
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: 2015-08-11.
On record since 2015.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
HOWES CAVE has $59K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 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.
$59K
proposed penalties
$59K
current assessed
$59K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
174 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $861 in penalties contested before the Commission, $0 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-05-30.
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.
1citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 100%
100%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$861 proposed, $0 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2025-03-11.
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: 2025-05-30
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
24
samples
17
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz13
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz7
Respirable dust, <.1mg2
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (24)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2025-05-30
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
1.53
10
0.15
Laborer, Bullgang
2025-05-30
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
8.33
10
0.83
Truck Loader
2025-05-30
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
1.68
10
0.17
Washer Operator
2025-05-30
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
0
10
0.00
Truck Driver
2023-06-28
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
0.91
10
0.09
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-06-28
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
0
10
0.00
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-06-28
Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz
0.82
10
0.08
Laborer, Bullgang
2022-04-12
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.58
Crusher Oper/Worker
2022-04-12
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.18
10
0.02
Truck Driver
2022-04-12
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.81
Laborer, Bullgang
2022-04-12
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.77
Oiler, Greaser
2020-08-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.42
Truck Driver
2020-08-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.34
2.08
0.64
Laborer, Bullgang
2020-08-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.09
1.92
0.57
Laborer, Bullgang
2020-08-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.44
1.32
0.33
Front-end Loader Operator
2014-08-05
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.39
1.57
0.25
Front-end Loader Operator
2014-08-05
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.43
2.35
0.18
Shovel Operator
2014-08-05
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.84
2.14
0.86
Cleanup Man
2014-08-05
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.3
2.05
0.15
Truck Driver
2008-06-25
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2008-06-25
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.23
2.15
0.11
Truck Driver
2008-06-25
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Laborer, Bullgang
2008-06-25
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.3
2.07
0.14
Truck Driver
2008-06-25
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.17
Laborer, Bullgang
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.
HOWES CAVE recorded 3.49 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.
Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ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.
3.49
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.65 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In New York, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.08 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
2025 *
3.49
0.00
0.000
2024 *
3.26
0.00
0.000
2023 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
3.51
0.00
0.000
2020 *
6.22
3.11
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
3.91
3.91
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
21
2025
21
2024
27
2023
18
2022
23
2021
20
2020
24
2019
22
2018
20
2017
19
2016
21
2015
17
2014
16
2013
15
2012
17
2011
16
2010
19
2009
20
2008
24
2007
11
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
HOWES CAVE sits in Schoharie County, New York, where the Census mining category is 0.6% 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.
Schoharie County, New York · Population 29,979
0.6%
Mining share of county employment
$71,188
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
17,442
1
0
57.3
2026 Q1
7,347
0
0
0.0
2025 Q4
13,539
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
18,230
0
0
0.0
2025 Q2
16,493
5
1
303.2
2025 Q1
9,027
5
1
553.9
2024 Q4
18,124
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
20,017
0
0
0.0
Show 68 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
14,922
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
8,253
2
0
242.3
2023 Q4
11,089
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
16,934
0
0
0.0
2023 Q2
16,086
35
7
2175.8
2023 Q1
8,199
5
2
609.8
2022 Q4
13,296
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
21,436
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
19,022
20
1
1051.4
2022 Q1
10,415
5
0
480.1
2021 Q4
16,541
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
14,966
14
1
935.5
2021 Q2
15,504
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
10,041
5
1
498.0
2020 Q4
12,584
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
14,937
23
4
1539.8
2020 Q2
20,460
0
0
0.0
2020 Q1
16,312
1
0
61.3
2019 Q4
18,410
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
17,920
2
0
111.6
2019 Q2
13,919
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
9,280
3
0
323.3
2018 Q4
11,593
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
16,056
3
0
186.8
2018 Q2
15,154
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
8,366
1
0
119.5
2017 Q4
10,672
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
14,560
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
13,139
1
0
76.1
2017 Q1
8,079
3
0
371.3
2016 Q4
11,141
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
12,288
3
0
244.1
2016 Q2
12,405
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
11,098
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
11,770
2
1
169.9
2015 Q3
12,057
6
1
497.6
2015 Q2
9,957
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
5,454
3
2
550.1
2014 Q4
9,138
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
11,913
5
0
419.7
2014 Q2
10,282
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
4,378
3
0
685.2
2013 Q4
7,492
2
1
267.0
2013 Q3
10,656
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
10,876
2
0
183.9
2013 Q1
4,305
4
0
929.2
2012 Q4
6,900
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
11,024
2
0
181.4
2012 Q2
11,615
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
6,549
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
8,081
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
13,070
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
10,470
1
1
95.5
2011 Q1
5,508
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
9,982
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
12,799
1
0
78.1
2010 Q2
11,587
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
5,578
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
9,209
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
15,134
2
0
132.2
2009 Q2
12,463
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
5,151
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
8,728
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
12,404
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
13,446
2
0
148.7
2008 Q1
3,668
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
5,712
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
1,646
3
0
1822.6
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
27 on file
2026 · 1 incident
April 2, 2026NY · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
While loosening a nut with a ratchet and socket, socket slipped off nut pinching right pinky finger between ratchet handle and the ground, lacerating finger.
2021 · 1 incident
May 12, 2021NY · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverHANDLING OF MATERIALS
While sorting large rock EE felt dizzy and shortness of breath. EMS was called for potential heart attack (EE has history). EE was released to full duty the following day.
July 15, 2015NY · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
While repairing a spring on a truck a foreign object fell in EE's eye. He was wearing safety glasses. Went to ER for eye wash and exam. Returned immediately to work.
2014 · 1 incident
April 23, 2014NY · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was sorting stone in the pit with a loader, EE stopped and exited the loader, when stepping off loader EE stepped on a rock and rolled foot over causing a broken bone on the top of the arch of right foot.
2011 · 2 incidents
July 29, 2011NY · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorDISORDERS (PHYSICAL AGENTS)
After checking the engine oil in the machine, EE walked along the tracks to enter the cab, EE then reached for the door, slipped off the tracks and fell to the ground causing multiple fractures to EE's right heel.
June 5, 2009NY · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS