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Palmetto Sand Mine: 69 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Dorchester, Colleton County, SC  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 3800710

Palmetto Sand Mine has $14K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
5
Years on record
2007–2025
Latest incident
May 2025
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2004
69
citations
12
significant & substantial
$14,202
proposed penalties
$13,557
paid to date
95% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $645 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Palmetto Sand Co., Inc.'s full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2004
59
inspections on record
751
inspection hours
n/a
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: 751 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Palmetto Sand Mine has $14K 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.
$14K
proposed penalties
$14K
current assessed
$14K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
68 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $745 in penalties contested before the Commission, $100 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-12-15.
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.
17.6%
significant & substantial
14.7%
high negligence or reckless
17.6%
reasonably likely or greater
52.9%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 11.8% low, 73.5% moderate, 14.7% high, 0.0% reckless.
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.
1 citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
  • Settled 1 · 100%
0%
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 1 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
87%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$745 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 2009-01-14.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
SE 2009-208M Settlement Paez 2012 $745 → $100
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), 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: 2026-07-14
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
29
samples
3
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg25
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz4
Show the individual readings (29)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2026-07-14 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-07-14 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2026-07-14 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2026-07-14 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-07-14 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Rotary Bucket Ex. Operator
2025-09-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Bulldozer Operator
2025-09-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Shovel Operator
2025-09-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2025-09-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-09-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2023-04-04 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Washer Operator
2023-04-04 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2020-12-08 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.17 Truck Driver
2020-12-08 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Backhoe Operator
2020-12-08 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2020-12-08 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Cleanup Man
2012-04-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Bulldozer Operator
2012-04-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2012-04-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Backhoe Operator
2007-09-06 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2007-09-06 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.2 0.82 0.24 Front-end Loader Operator
2007-09-05 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2007-09-05 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2007-09-05 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Bulldozer Operator
2007-09-05 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dragline Operator
2007-09-05 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2004-07-28 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2004-07-28 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.21 0.74 0.28 Front-end Loader Operator
2004-07-28 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.19 0.76 0.25 Rotary Bucket Ex. 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.

Palmetto Sand Mine recorded 0.00 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below 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 South Carolina, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.42 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 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2024 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2023 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2022 * 6.44 6.44 0.000
2021 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2020 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2019 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2018 * 4.77 4.77 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.
Ownership history
  1. Palmetto Sand Co., Inc. 2004 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 12
2025 12
2024 10
2023 10
2022 12
2021 12
2020 11
2019 14
2018 16
2017 18
2016 17
2015 14
2014 12
2013 12
2012 9
2011 11
2010 12
2009 10
2008 11
2007 16
2006 15
2005 11
2004 9
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Palmetto Sand Mine sits in Colleton County, South Carolina, where the Census mining category is 0.1% 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.
Colleton County, South Carolina · Population 38,623
0.1%
Mining share of county employment
$48,779
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 6,482 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 7,621 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 6,412 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 5,689 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 7,422 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 7,482 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 7,296 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 6,696 0 0 0.0
Show 81 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 5,478 2 0 365.1
2024 Q1 7,469 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 8,895 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 6,969 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 5,995 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 6,469 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 6,315 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 8,124 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 8,575 1 0 116.6
2022 Q1 8,029 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 7,978 1 0 125.3
2021 Q3 7,932 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 8,112 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 7,751 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 6,190 1 0 161.6
2020 Q3 6,913 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 6,656 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 8,103 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 7,474 1 0 133.8
2019 Q3 9,180 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 10,236 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 9,890 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 9,950 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 10,772 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 10,596 1 0 94.4
2018 Q1 10,610 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 10,596 1 0 94.4
2017 Q3 11,367 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 11,618 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 11,118 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 10,753 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 11,939 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 10,962 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 9,641 2 1 207.4
2015 Q4 8,452 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 9,470 1 0 105.6
2015 Q2 7,601 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 7,158 2 0 279.4
2014 Q4 6,933 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 7,820 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 8,119 1 0 123.2
2014 Q1 7,200 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 7,339 4 3 545.0
2013 Q3 7,028 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 6,860 2 0 291.5
2013 Q1 6,194 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 4,884 1 0 204.8
2012 Q3 4,607 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 4,550 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 4,517 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 4,017 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 5,966 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 6,472 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 5,758 1 0 173.7
2010 Q4 5,945 1 0 168.2
2010 Q3 6,021 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 6,078 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 4,656 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 4,653 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 5,316 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 5,096 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 3,744 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 4,247 7 0 1648.2
2008 Q3 4,383 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 5,066 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 7,148 2 1 279.8
2007 Q4 7,638 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 8,409 10 3 1189.2
2007 Q2 9,404 2 1 212.7
2007 Q1 8,619 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 7,553 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 8,612 1 0 116.1
2006 Q2 8,719 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 8,803 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 6,655 5 1 751.3
2005 Q3 6,801 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 6,004 3 0 499.7
2005 Q1 5,613 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 5,035 1 0 198.6
2004 Q3 4,666 3 0 642.9
2004 Q2 4,209 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

5 on file

2025 · 1 incident

2022 · 1 incident

May 23, 2022 SC · Metal/Non-Metal master mechanic, foreman, supervisor HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Palmetto Sand Co., Inc. · Contact with hot objects or substances

While loosening the fill plug on the final drive of an excavator, the hot drive oil sprayed on the employees right hand resulting in burns that required medical treatment.

2020 · 1 incident

April 7, 2020 SC · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer OTHER
Palmetto Sand Co., Inc. · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee experienced chest pains, due to a personal underlying and pre-existing heart condition. Employee was transported to hospital where EE was diagnosed as experiencing a heart attack. Employee underwent stent procedure to treat arterial blockage. Employee remained responsive and alert at all times. CPR was not performed. AED was not used. Employee is back to work full duty.

2018 · 1 incident

February 12, 2018 SC · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Palmetto Sand Co., Inc. · Fall from ladders

Had been raining earlier that morning and ladder steps were wet.

2007 · 1 incident

March 21, 2007 SC · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Palmetto Sand Co., Inc. · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Readjusting plant level, hand slipped causing him to fall forward and his middle finger went into a hole, resulting in him loosing approx 3/8" from his middle finger.