Old Fort Quarry has $263K in proposed MSHA penalties and $77K outstanding across 16 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
Watch this mine
Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Old Fort Quarry.
Fatalities
0
Total incidents
4
Years on record
1990–1992
Latest incident
Apr 1992
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
332
citations
130
significant & substantial
$263,424
proposed penalties
$112,688
paid to date
43% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $150,736 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
91
inspections on record
1,474
inspection hours
22.5
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.
332 citations across 1,474 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: 2011-06-14.
On record since 2011.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Old Fort Quarry has $263K in proposed MSHA penalties and $77K outstanding across 16 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.
$263K
proposed penalties
$190K
current assessed
$113K
paid to date
$77K
outstanding
324 assessments are final orders; 16 contested dockets.
Of $168K in penalties contested before the Commission, $95K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-05-09.
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.
128citations taken to the federal commission · 39% of citations on record
Settled
107 · 84%
Stood as issued
20 · 16%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 1%
94%
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 77 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
44%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$169K proposed, $95K 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 2017-03-13.
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: 2024-04-03
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
26
samples
17
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz12
Respirable dust, <.1mg8
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz5
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (26)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2024-04-03
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Rotary Bucket Ex. Operator
2024-04-03
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2021-06-09
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.86
Bulldozer Operator
2021-06-09
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Rotary Bucket Ex. Operator
2021-06-09
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2016-07-14
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Scale Man
2016-07-14
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.15
10
0.02
Front-end Loader Operator
2016-07-14
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.19
10
0.02
Crusher Oper/Worker
2016-07-14
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.26
1.59
0.16
Truck Driver
2011-06-15
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.21
2.05
0.10
Crusher Oper/Worker
2011-06-15
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.17
10
0.02
Truck Driver
2011-06-15
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2009-08-27
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.25
10
0.03
Front-end Loader Operator
2009-08-27
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.14
10
0.01
Backhoe Operator
2009-08-27
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.27
10
0.03
Truck Driver
2009-08-27
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.17
10
0.02
Crusher Oper/Worker
2007-09-20
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.76
10
0.08
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2007-09-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.22
1.55
0.14
Front-end Loader Operator
2007-09-20
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.25
10
0.03
Front-end Loader Operator
2006-03-23
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Bulldozer Operator
2006-03-23
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-10-05
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.27
10
0.03
Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-10-05
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.46
2.43
0.19
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2002-05-22
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
4.91
10
0.49
Crusher Oper/Worker
2002-05-22
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.65
3.02
0.22
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2002-05-22
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.31
10
0.03
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.
Old Fort Quarry recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2015.
Injury rate, 2015
ⓘ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
No reportable injury cases in any year shown. Employee-hours were reported in each of those years, so these are true zeros rather than missing data. Citations, listed in the compliance record above, are inspector-found violations and are counted separately from worker injuries.
Below average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 2.26 and the all-US-mining average was 2.72 cases per 100 workers.
In Tennessee, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.07 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
2015 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2013 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2009 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2008 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2007 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2006 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2005 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2004 *
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
2025
0
2024
1
2023
1
2022
1
2021
1
2020
1
2017
7
2016
9
2015
12
2014
15
2013
18
2012
20
2011
21
2010
19
2009
21
2008
21
2007
21
2006
21
2005
22
2004
21
2003
22
2002
22
2001
23
2000
20
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Old Fort Quarry sits in Polk County, Tennessee, where the Census mining category is 0.3% 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.
Polk County, Tennessee · Population 17,702
0.3%
Mining share of county employment
$60,227
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
0
0
0
2025 Q3
0
0
0
2025 Q2
0
1
0
2025 Q1
30
0
0
0.0
2024 Q4
20
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
40
0
0
0.0
2024 Q2
10
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
20
0
0
0.0
Show 82 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2023 Q4
20
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
95
0
0
0.0
2023 Q2
12
0
0
0.0
2023 Q1
110
0
0
0.0
2022 Q4
0
0
0
2022 Q3
10
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
45
0
0
0.0
2022 Q1
160
3
0
18750.0
2021 Q4
175
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
172
0
0
0.0
2021 Q2
153
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
126
1
0
7936.5
2020 Q4
156
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
31
0
0
0.0
2020 Q2
30
1
0
33333.3
2017 Q3
3,274
2
0
610.9
2017 Q2
4,165
2
1
480.2
2017 Q1
4,215
1
0
237.2
2016 Q4
4,900
10
6
2040.8
2016 Q3
4,191
35
19
8351.2
2016 Q2
3,468
7
3
2018.5
2016 Q1
2,845
6
3
2109.0
2015 Q4
4,453
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
6,863
9
2
1311.4
2015 Q2
6,411
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
6,145
9
3
1464.6
2014 Q4
7,100
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
6,661
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
8,000
12
1
1500.0
2013 Q4
10,058
0
0
0.0
2013 Q3
6,795
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
8,133
7
2
860.7
2013 Q1
9,257
4
1
432.1
2012 Q4
9,670
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
10,188
5
1
490.8
2012 Q1
10,027
7
3
698.1
2011 Q4
12,762
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
11,740
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
11,078
3
1
270.8
2010 Q3
11,442
9
8
786.6
2010 Q2
11,794
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
10,386
9
2
866.6
2009 Q4
11,294
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
12,437
3
2
241.2
2009 Q2
12,693
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
11,516
16
7
1389.4
2008 Q4
11,966
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
11,654
5
3
429.0
2008 Q2
13,091
0
0
0.0
2008 Q1
14,845
30
18
2020.9
2007 Q4
13,411
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
12,786
12
3
938.5
2007 Q2
12,475
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
11,280
5
1
443.3
2006 Q4
11,837
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
12,626
7
2
554.4
2006 Q2
13,902
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
13,670
7
2
512.1
2005 Q4
13,239
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
13,385
2
1
149.4
2005 Q2
14,807
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
13,240
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
12,359
8
1
647.3
2004 Q3
13,111
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
12,544
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
14,004
7
1
499.9
2003 Q4
12,911
5
0
387.3
2003 Q3
13,357
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
12,320
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
13,259
9
2
678.8
2002 Q4
12,804
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
12,430
4
0
321.8
2002 Q2
12,981
13
2
1001.5
2002 Q1
13,984
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
13,268
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
13,620
11
5
807.6
2001 Q2
14,651
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
13,329
4
1
300.1
2000 Q4
13,664
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
13,912
21
14
1509.5
2000 Q2
11,700
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
12,791
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
4 on file
1992 · 1 incident
April 14, 1992TN · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
CLIMBING DOWN FROM LOADER & LADDER CAME LOOSE & CAUSED ARM & NECK STRAIN
February 16, 1990TN · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON