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: 533 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Lenox Dale Plant has $7K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 2 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.
$7K
proposed penalties
$7K
current assessed
$7K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
63 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $434 in penalties contested before the Commission, $100 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-10-27.
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.
2citations taken to the federal commission · 3% of citations on record
Settled
1 · 50%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 50%
50%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 2 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
77%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$434 proposed, $100 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2012-09-05.
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: 2016-10-12, 9 years ago
40%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
16
samples
5
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz52 over
Respirable dust, <.1mg11
Show the individual readings (16)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2004-10-27
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.35
0.35
1.00
Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-05-11
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.42
0.26
1.62
Crusher Oper/Worker
2016-10-12
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2016-10-12
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dragline Operator
2010-05-05
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2010-05-05
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2010-05-05
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-10-27
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.19
0.75
0.25
Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-10-27
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.27
0.53
0.51
Cleanup Man
2004-06-30
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-05-11
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-05-11
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-05-11
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2002-10-09
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2002-10-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.14
0.66
0.21
Crusher Oper/Worker
2002-10-09
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
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
2026
2
2025
2
2023
7
2021
6
2020
3
2019
7
2017
6
2016
3
2015
7
2014
10
2013
9
2012
10
2011
11
2010
10
2009
10
2008
9
2007
8
2006
10
2005
10
2004
11
2003
9
2002
8
2001
8
2000
8
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Lenox Dale Plant sits in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, where the Census mining category is 0.0% 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.
Berkshire County, Massachusetts · Population 128,047
0.0%
Mining share of county employment
$72,565
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
Employee was replacing teeth on a drag line bucket, loosened retaining bolt and hammered tooth with a steel hammer. A metal sliver splintered off and penetrated skin imbedding in the joint area of his left knee.
October 4, 2010MA · Metal/Non-Metalwelder (shop)OTHER
Employee was grinding on a suspended water pipe outdoors, wind kicked up causing sparks and slag to blow back under safety glasses, a piece of metal lodged in right eye.
2008 · 1 incident
June 26, 2008MA · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorMACHINERY
Employee was repairing guard on gravel plant when he ran the torch across his right hand causing a third degree burn to the top of his right hand near the thumb.
2007 · 1 incident
October 10, 2007MA · Metal/Non-Metalwelder (shop)ELECTRICAL
INJURED ALLEGES THAT WHILE ASSISTING LOADER OPERATOR IN A REPAIR TO HIS MACHINE. THE SCREW DRIVER HE WAS USING SLIPPED CAUSING A PUNCTURE WOULD TO HIS LEFT INDEX FINGER. THE SCREW DRIVER PENET RATED HIS WORK GLOVE BEFORE ENTERING HIS FINGER.
1996 · 1 incident
June 21, 1996MA · Metal/Non-Metalwelder (shop)MACHINERY
EMP ALLEGES THAT SOMETIME LATE AFTERNOON A FOREIGN OBJECT ENTERED HIS LEFT EYE WHILE WELDING/GRINDING. (UNCERTAIN AS TO WHICH). WMP ALLEGES THATHE DID NOT NOTICE OR FEEL ANY DISCOMFORT UNTIL D RIVING LATER IN EVENTING WITH CAR HEADLIGHTS FACING HIM. THERE WAS NO LASTING EFFECTS AFTER REMOVAL. (SAFETY GLASSES WERE IN USE).
1988 · 1 incident
November 9, 1988MA · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EMPLOYEE ALLEGES THAT WHILE CLIMBING LADDER TO CONVEYOR CATWALK, HE BUMPED HIS KNEE AGAINST RUNG OF LADDER CAUSING BRUISE. HE EXPERIENCED NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 11-11-88, AT WHICH TIME HE CONSULTED DR.