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: 179 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Pala Sand Plant has $2K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 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.
$2K
proposed penalties
$2K
current assessed
$2K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
21 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2005-05-17.
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.
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: 2005-05-18, 21 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
8
samples
3
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg5
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz3
Show the individual readings (8)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2005-05-18
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2005-05-18
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Utility Man
2005-05-18
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2005-05-18
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Utility Man
2003-06-04
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.46
1.92
0.76
Front-end Loader Operator
2003-06-04
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.26
1.17
0.22
Belt Crew
2001-06-20
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2001-06-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.17
0.39
0.44
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.
Pala Sand Plant recorded 18.03 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2004.
Injury rate, 2004
ⓘ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.
18.03
total case rate
18.03
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 3.73 and the all-US-mining average was 4.33 cases per 100 workers.
In California, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 4.49 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
2004 *
18.03
18.03
0.000
2003 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2002 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2001 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2000 *
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
2005
6
2004
9
2003
9
2002
8
2001
6
2000
6
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Pala Sand Plant sits in San Diego County, California, 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.
San Diego County, California · Population 3,282,782
0.0%
Mining share of county employment
$102,285
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
2005 Q3
3,420
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
2,971
3
0
1009.8
2005 Q1
3,530
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
5,197
3
0
577.3
2004 Q3
4,997
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
5,548
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
6,440
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
6,158
0
0
0.0
Show 15 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2003 Q3
7,196
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
8,254
1
0
121.2
2003 Q1
7,611
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
6,283
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
6,880
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
6,699
3
1
447.8
2002 Q1
6,795
5
2
735.8
2001 Q4
6,234
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
5,731
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
5,676
5
0
880.9
2001 Q1
5,108
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
5,128
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
5,818
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
4,194
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
5,320
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
17 on file
2005 · 1 incident
January 4, 2005CA · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
The employee was using a sledge hammer to know loose a used bucket tooth from it's chank. A small, sharp fragment flew off the edge of the tooth and impaled the employee in the right calf muscle.
When the employee was visually inspecting a hoist he motioned to a fellow employee to engage the hoist to see if he could tell what the problem with the hoist was. When the hoist was engaged, a manual handle located nearby struck the employee on the left side of his hard hat protected head.
February 17, 2004CA · Metal/Non-Metalmine manager, mine foreman, mine ownerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EE WAS CHANGING BUCKET TEETH ON THE 10-609 AMERICAN DRAGLINE. HE HIT THE TEETH WITH A SLEDGE HAMMER, A SMALL PIECE OF STEEL SPLINTERED OFF THE TOOTH & LODGED ITSELF INTO HIS LEG.
1996 · 1 incident
August 20, 1996CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE WAS WORKING THE BACK OF A SERVICE TRUCK OFF LOADING SCREENS. THE HOOKED EDGE OF A SCREEN CAUGHT EE'S GLOVES PULLING HIM DOWN. WHE HE LANDED, THE HOOKED EDGED OF THE SCREEN PENETRATED HIS R IGHT HAND.
ROCK FELL OUT OF THE BUCKET FELL AND STRUCK WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN LOWER L BOTTOM PORTION RE MAINED INTACT AND OPER DID NOT EMP INJ LATER LOADING TRUCK SM FRAGMENT OF GLASS STRUCK THE OPER IN EYE
January 19, 1989CA · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
ANOTHER SORRENTO EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING AN EUCLID TRUCK WHEN HIS FOOT SLIPPED AND FELL OFF TRUCK I NAME WAS ON LOOKING AND TRIED TO BREAK HIS FALL THIS IS WHENT HE INJURY HAPPEN I N AME WHO SLIP PED ACCIDENTALLY HIT HIS HAND WITH HIS FOOT.
1988 · 3 incidents
October 8, 1988CA · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING D-6 CAT DOZER - DOZING AND RIPPING. HIT SOME HARD CHUNKS SEVERAL TIMES WHILE BACKING - THEN GOT OUT TO STRETCH AND FELT PAIN IN LOWER BACK.
August 15, 1988CA · Metal/Non-Metalcrane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, riggerHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
REPLACING A PIN IN DRAGLINE TRACK CHAIN HE HAD HEATED PIN TO DRIVE IN WITH A HAMMER WHEN HE HIT IT THE HEAD SHATTERED AND A FRAGMENT PENETRATED HIS HAND AND LODGED INSIDE OF IF BEHIND LITTLE F INGER RT HAND
1987 · 1 incident
September 12, 1987CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
HE WAS INSTALLI3G TRANSMISSION IN WATER TRUCK ON BACK PUSHING UP WITH FEET. SPRAINING BACK.
1986 · 2 incidents
October 11, 1986CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
WHEN DRIVING BA7K TO THE PIT AREA, HE SWERVED INTO A SAND PILE TO AVOID A VEHICLE PARKED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAMP. HIS R ARM HIT THE REAR SAFETY WINDOW, BREAKING THE WINDOW AND CUTTING HIS R UPPER ARM 3
1983 · 2 incidents
December 5, 1983CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON