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: 456 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Queen Creek Mine has $29K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 3 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.
$29K
proposed penalties
$24K
current assessed
$24K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
96 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $12K in penalties contested before the Commission, $7K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2010-08-11.
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.
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: 2009-04-07, 17 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
11
samples
2
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz5
Cristobalite, respirable3
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz2
Respirable dust, <.1mg1
Show the individual readings (11)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2009-04-07
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.18
Crusher Oper/Worker
2009-04-07
Cristobalite, respirable
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2009-04-07
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.11
Front-end Loader Operator
2009-04-07
Cristobalite, respirable
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2009-04-07
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.31
Crusher Oper/Worker
2009-04-07
Cristobalite, respirable
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2007-07-03
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
1.18
Laborer, Bullgang
2007-07-03
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.52
Crusher Oper/Worker
2000-09-14
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2000-09-14
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.46
2.78
0.17
Supervisor, Co. Official
2000-09-14
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.75
2.34
0.32
Truck Driver
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.
Queen Creek Mine recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2009.
Injury rate, 2009
ⓘ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 2.82 and the all-US-mining average was 3.36 cases per 100 workers.
In Arizona, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.88 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
2009 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2008 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2007 *
16.55
16.55
0.000
2006 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2005 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2003 *
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
2010
5
2009
11
2008
14
2007
20
2006
20
2005
15
2004
7
2003
11
2002
10
2001
9
2000
9
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Queen Creek Mine sits in Pinal County, Arizona, where the Census mining category is 0.8% 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.
Pinal County, Arizona · Population 449,219
0.8%
Mining share of county employment
$77,588
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
2010 Q2
923
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
3,100
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
3,981
3
2
753.6
2009 Q3
6,439
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
11,134
3
2
269.4
2009 Q1
6,284
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
4,313
2
0
463.7
2008 Q3
7,216
0
0
0.0
Show 33 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2008 Q2
9,978
8
1
801.8
2008 Q1
8,159
1
0
122.6
2007 Q4
11,729
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
12,497
3
1
240.1
2007 Q2
12,711
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
11,389
7
1
614.6
2006 Q4
9,739
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
10,405
2
0
192.2
2006 Q2
11,361
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
8,982
3
1
334.0
2005 Q4
11,951
9
4
753.1
2005 Q3
8,374
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
6,745
7
1
1037.8
2005 Q1
5,688
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
4,090
0
0
0.0
2004 Q3
2,086
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
2,013
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
4,576
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
7,026
6
2
854.0
2003 Q3
6,326
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
6,750
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
6,890
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
6,878
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
6,274
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
1,874
1
0
533.6
2002 Q1
1,489
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
4,724
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
4,768
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
5,024
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
1,513
13
7
8592.2
2000 Q4
4,224
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
5,224
14
6
2679.9
2000 Q2
1,735
10
4
5763.7
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
7 on file
2010 · 1 incident
February 10, 2010AZ · Metal/Non-Metalprep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
While adjusting grizzly bars EE had his right arm overhead pushing on bar to position. There was a "pop" in his shoulder. Shoulder aches and hurts with resistance.
Employee stepped off skid-steer and twisted his right ankle.
August 21, 2007AZ · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Picked up a box weighing approx 120lbs and carried it from the office to the back of service truck. When EE lifted it onto the tail shelf, had a sharp pain in his lower back.
May 22, 2007AZ · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Door on loader would not open from inside cab. EE reached through opened window to try door latch on outside. Window put pressure on his ribs causing bruising.
May 17, 2007AZ · Metal/Non-Metalmechanic helperMACHINERY
Removing pulley on Simplicity Screen using an impact wrench when pulley broke free and hit leg (left) below knee. Swelling occurred and employee went to Urgent Care for x-ray.
EMPLOYEE WAS STANDING AT BOTTOM OF INCLINE; A LOADER OPERATOR FILLED BUCKET AND STARTED TO BACK UP TO TURN AROUND. ABOUT 45' UP THE GRADE, MOTOR DIED AND LOADER ROLLED FORWARD, STRIKING EMPLO YEE. ACCIDENT SEVERED 1 LEG BELOW KNEE AND BROKE BOTH LEGS IN THIGHS.