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Portable Screening Plant: 28 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Valco, Inc. · Surface
Controlled by Thomas E Brubaker
Rocky Ford, Otero County, CO  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 0504095

Portable Screening Plant has $18K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
26
Years on record
1990–2001
Latest incident
Jan 2001
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
28
citations
14
significant & substantial
$18,215
proposed penalties
$15,080
paid to date
83% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $3,135 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Valco, Inc.'s full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
8
inspections on record
92
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: 92 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Portable Screening Plant has $18K 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.
$18K
proposed penalties
$15K
current assessed
$15K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
28 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $13K in penalties contested before the Commission, $10K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2005-08-09.
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.
50.0%
significant & substantial
3.6%
high negligence or reckless
50.0%
reasonably likely or greater
57.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 3.6% low, 92.9% moderate, 3.6% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
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
WEST20010069M Settlement Cetti 2001 $9K → $6K
WEST20010303M Default Barbour 2001 $4K → $4K
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: 2002-03-19, 24 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
2
samples
2
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz2
Show the individual readings (2)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2002-03-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.28 0.6 0.47 Front-end Loader Operator
2002-03-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.46 0.78 0.59 Utility Man
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.

Portable Screening Plant recorded 15.33 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2001.

Injury rate, 2001
ⓘ 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.
15.33
total case rate
7.67
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 4.48 and the all-US-mining average was 5.26 cases per 100 workers.
In Colorado, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 5.52 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
2001 * 15.33 7.67 0.000
2000 * 19.32 9.66 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. Valco, Inc. 1985 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2009 0
2008 0
2007 0
2006 0
2005 1
2004 4
2003 5
2002 4
2001 13
2000 21
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Portable Screening Plant sits in Otero County, Colorado, where the Census mining category is 0.2% 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.
Otero County, Colorado · Population 18,460
0.2%
Mining share of county employment
$54,897
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
2009 Q1 0 0 0
2008 Q4 0 0 0
2008 Q3 0 0 0
2008 Q2 0 0 0
2008 Q1 0 0 0
2007 Q4 0 0 0
2007 Q3 0 0 0
2007 Q2 0 0 0
Show 29 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2007 Q1 0 0 0
2006 Q4 0 0 0
2006 Q3 0 0 0
2006 Q2 0 0 0
2006 Q1 0 0 0
2005 Q4 0 0 0
2005 Q3 0 1 0
2005 Q2 0 0 0
2005 Q1 570 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 1,615 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 2,260 2 0 885.0
2004 Q2 1,977 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 1,289 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 2,140 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 2,293 4 0 1744.4
2003 Q2 3,924 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 2,126 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 2,031 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 2,320 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 2,481 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 2,420 6 2 2479.3
2001 Q4 2,261 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 5,598 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 10,323 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 7,908 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 7,876 4 4 507.9
2000 Q3 9,304 11 8 1182.3
2000 Q2 14,434 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 9,803 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

26 on file

2001 · 2 incidents

January 11, 2001 CO · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Valco, Inc. · Fall onto or against objects

HE WAS TRYING TO WELD AN AR PLATE TO THE CONVEYOR. THE PLATE WAS RESTING ON THE RAIL. THE PLATE FELL OFF. HE FELL & PLATE HIS ARM.

January 11, 2001 CO · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Valco, Inc. · Struck by falling object

HE WAS MEASURING TO PUT UP GUARDS ON THE CONVEYOR, A LARGE ROCK FELL OFF CONVEYOR AND FELL ON HIS LEFT FOOT.

2000 · 4 incidents

November 19, 2000 CO · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Valco, Inc. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS USING HAMMER TO TAKE OFF A LOADER TOOTH A PIECE OF METAL BROKE OFF & PIERCED HIS BOTTOM LIP

June 20, 2000 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Valco, Inc. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

HE WAS CUTTING FLASHING WITH A UTILITY KNIFE ANDTHE KNIFE SLIPPED, CUTTING HIS LEFT INDEX FINGERJUST BELOW THE FIRST KNUCKLE.

May 4, 2000 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Valco, Inc. · Struck by falling object

EMPLOYEE WAS IN THE SECOND CHUTE OF THE DRY DECKTO CLEAN OUT MATERIAL BUILDUP; NOT SEEING HIM INTHE CHUTE, ANOTHER EMPLOYEE CLIMBED ON TOP TO CLEAN UP MATERIAL. HE TOSSED A 6" ROCK OFF AND IT WENT THROUGH THE CHUTE GATES AND STRUCK THE FRONT OF VICTIM'S HARD HAT; AFTER HE CLIMBED OUTHE COMPLAINED OF A STIFF NECK AND NAUSEA.

March 12, 2000 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman POWERED HAULAGE
Valco, Inc. · Fall to the walkway or working surface

HE WAS WALKING BEWTEEN 2 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, WHEN A PICKUP BACKED INTO HIM, HE WAS KNOCKED DOWN AND SPRAINED HIS ANKLE.

1999 · 3 incidents

July 17, 1999 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Valco, Inc. · Over-exertion in lifting objects

HE WAS CLEANING SAND AWAY FROM THE EQUIPMENT WITH A SHOVEL FOR 3 HOURS. HE WENT HOME WITH LOWER BACK STRAIN.

June 14, 1999 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman POWERED HAULAGE
Valco, Inc. · Struck by falling object

TWO LARGE ROCKS WERE COMING DOWN THE CONVEYOR BELT. WHEN EMPLOYEE PICKED ONE UP, IT SLIPPED OUT OF HIS HAND AND SMASHED HIS MIDDLE FINGER.

January 10, 1999 CO · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Valco, Inc. · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

HE STRAINED HIS BACK WHILE PUSHING A HOSE WITH HIS FEET.

1998 · 7 incidents

November 21, 1998 CO · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman DISORDERS (PHYSICAL AGENTS)
Valco, Inc. · Flash burns (welding)

HE WAS WORKING ABOUT THE WELDER. IT WAS RUNNING HIGH AND HE RECEIVED FLASHBURN IN BOTH EYES.

November 21, 1998 CO · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech DISORDERS (PHYSICAL AGENTS)
Valco, Inc. · Flash burns (welding)

HE WAS WORKING AROUND THE WELDER. IT WAS HIGH ANBD HOT. HE RECEIVED FLASHBURN TO BOTH EYES.

October 13, 1998 CO · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Valco, Inc. · Fall from machine

HE WAS SPLICING THE STACKER BELT WHEN HE TRIPPED OVER THE BOARD USED TO FLEX THE BELTS. HE FELL ABOUT 7' AND HIT ON HIS RIGHT SHOULDER. HIS SHOULDER IS DISLOCATED.

September 3, 1998 CO · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Valco, Inc. · Fall from machine

HE WAS GETTING MACHINE READY TO MOVE TO NEW LOCATION. HE STEPPED DOWN FROM MACHINE AND SLIPPED ON A WET TIRE AND TWISTED HIS BACK.

May 12, 1998 CO · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Valco, Inc. · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

HE WAS ON THE MAINTENCE CREW. HE STEPPED OUT OF THE BACK OF THE MAINTENANCE TRUCK ONTO THE GROUND AND HIS RIGHT ANKLE GAVE OUT.

May 9, 1998 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Valco, Inc. · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

HE WAS TAKING TRASH OFF THE BELT. HE WENT TO GETA BIG PIECE OF MUD AND HIS WRIST SLIPPED AND WENT BACK AND DOWN AT THE SAME TIME.

January 16, 1998 CO · Metal/Non-Metal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator MACHINERY
Valco, Inc. · Flash burns (welding)

HE WAS WELDING NEXT ANOTHER WELDER & RECIEVED FLASH BURN TO BOTH EYES.

1997 · 1 incident

November 19, 1997 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Valco, Inc. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

HE WAS GRINDING ANGLE IRON AND IT CAME OFF AND CUT HIS FINGER.

1996 · 2 incidents

May 16, 1996 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Valco, Inc. · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

HE WAS STANDING ON THE CRUSHER AND KEEPING ROCKS FROM PLUGGING IT UP. HIS BACK BEGAN GETTING STIFF AND THEN HE HAD A SHARP PAIN IN HIS LOWER BACK AND IT SHOT DOWN HIS LEFT LEG.

March 28, 1996 CO · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Valco, Inc. · Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

HE STEPPED IN A HOLE AND TURNED HIS ANKLE.

1993 · 4 incidents

October 5, 1993 CO · Metal/Non-Metal mine manager, mine foreman, mine owner POWERED HAULAGE
Valco, Inc. · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS REMVOING ROCKS STUCK IN THE OVER-CRUSHER CONVEYOR HEAD PULLEY WHEN OTHER STARTED THE CONVEYOR. HIS HAND WAS CUAGHT IN THE CONVEYOR AND IT PULLED HIS ARM OFF.

September 9, 1993 CO · Metal/Non-Metal POWERED HAULAGE
Valco, Inc. · Accident type, without injuries

BACK DRAGGING BERM TO INSTALL WATER PIPE FROM PIPE FROM PUMP, WHEN THE BANK GAVE AWAY. I FELT THE LOADER DROP AND START GOING FOR THE WATER, WHEN I JUMPED FROM THE LOADER TO THE BANK.

June 23, 1993 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Valco, Inc. · Struck by falling object

HE WAS CLEANING OUT BUILD-UP SAND WHEN SCREEN DECK STOPPED AND FELL ON HIS RIGHT HAND, IT FRACTURED HIS RIGHT LITTLE FINGER & HAND.

March 19, 1993 CO · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Valco, Inc. · Struck by falling object

HE WAS MOVING A LARGE CHUNK OF SHALE OUT OF THE ROAD WHEN THE CORNER BROKE OFF THE SHALE CAUSING THE SHALE TO SLIP OUT OF HIS HAND & FELL ON TOP OF HIS FOOT

1992 · 2 incidents

July 13, 1992 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Valco, Inc. · Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE FELL OFF THE MUD PICKING STANDING ONTO A ROCK HURTING HIS LOWER BACK.

May 1, 1992 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Valco, Inc. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

CONVEYOR BELT CAME OFF,TRYING TO CUT THE BELT SO THEY COULD REFLEX IT. WHILE TRYING TO CUT THE BELT WITH A KNIFE IT SLIPPED AND CUT HIM.

1990 · 1 incident

November 2, 1990 CO · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver MACHINERY
Valco, Inc. · Struck by flying object

I.NAME WELDING ON GRIZZLEY A WELD GOT IN LEFT EYE,EYE STARTED TO WATER AND SWELL.