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: 301 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Sage Mill has $13K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 5 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.
$13K
proposed penalties
$13K
current assessed
$13K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
29 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $5K in penalties contested before the Commission, $4K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2012-03-14.
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.
10citations taken to the federal commission · 34% of citations on record
Settled
9 · 90%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 10%
71%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 7 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
17%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$5K proposed, $4K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2011-08-18.
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: 2010-06-22, 16 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
8
samples
8
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Arsenic dust3
Beryllium dust3
Cadmium dust & salts3
Chromium, soluble3
Show the individual readings (38)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2010-06-22
Silver dust & soluble compounds
0.16
10
0.02
Utility Man
2009-11-30
Arsenic dust
2.92
500
0.01
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Beryllium dust
0
2
0.00
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Cadmium dust & salts
0
200
0.00
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Chromium, soluble
0.28
500
0.00
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Cobalt dust
0
100
0.00
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Copper dust and mist
0
1
0.00
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Iron soluble salts
0.04
1
0.04
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Lead, inorganic dust
0.31
150
0.00
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Manganese dust
0
5
0.00
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Molybdenum dust
0
10
0.00
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Nickel dust & salts
0
1
0.00
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Vanadium dust
0.02
500
0.00
Pump, Slurry Mix Operator
2009-11-30
Arsenic dust
0
500
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Beryllium dust
0
2
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Cadmium dust & salts
0
200
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Chromium, soluble
0.18
500
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Cobalt dust
0
100
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Copper dust and mist
0
1
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.2
0.56
0.36
Ball Mill Operator
2009-11-30
Lead, inorganic dust
0
150
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Manganese dust
0
5
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Molybdenum dust
0
10
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Nickel dust & salts
0
1
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Vanadium dust
0
500
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-11-30
Arsenic dust
1.03
500
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Beryllium dust
0
2
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Cadmium dust & salts
0
200
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Chromium, soluble
0.18
500
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Cobalt dust
0
100
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Copper dust and mist
0
1
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Iron soluble salts
0.01
1
0.01
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Lead, inorganic dust
0
150
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Manganese dust
0
5
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Molybdenum dust
0
10
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Nickel dust & salts
0
1
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Vanadium dust
0
500
0.00
Kiln/Dryer Operator
2009-11-30
Iron soluble salts
0
1
0.00
Supervisor, Co. Official
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.
Sage Mill recorded 1.94 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2011.
Injury rate, 2011
ⓘ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.
1.94
total case rate
1.94
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 2.56 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Nevada, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.89 cases per 100 workers that year.
Year
total case rate
days-away
fatal
2011
1.94
1.94
0.000
2010
3.91
1.96
0.000
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
2012
44
2011
44
2010
44
2009
44
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Sage Mill sits in Humboldt County, Nevada, where the Census mining category is 20.1% 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.
Humboldt County, Nevada · Population 17,299
20.1%
Mining share of county employment
$79,946
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
2012 Q2
26,461
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
26,327
1
0
38.0
2011 Q4
25,323
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
25,323
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
26,416
7
0
265.0
2011 Q1
26,014
4
2
153.8
2010 Q4
25,417
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
25,417
0
0
0.0
Show 3 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2010 Q2
25,730
5
1
194.3
2010 Q1
25,730
2
0
77.7
2009 Q4
25,730
6
4
233.2
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
6 on file
2012 · 1 incident
January 14, 2012NV · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee exited his truck and stepped on a rock rolling his right ankle, causing loss of balance. Employee fell to the ground with right arm outstretched. Sprained ankle and fracture to right scapula (shoulder blade).
2011 · 1 incident
March 25, 2011NV · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
EE injured right shoulder on 3/25/11 swinging a hammer was evaluated by doctor and returned to full duty. Employee experiencing pain in right shoulder and was re-evaluated on 5/23/11. Employee received MRI and referred to orthopedic specialist. Evaluated by specialist on 6/9/11. Employee received surgical repair to right shoulder on 7/5/11 and his first missed shift was 7/8/11.
2010 · 3 incidents
October 12, 2010NV · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Newmont USA Limited · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Mechanics were removing the impeller from a cyclone feed pump. A mechanic placed his hand on the belt and his right thumb got caught between the drive belt and the motor sheave resulting in an open frature.
June 23, 2010NV · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Newmont USA Limited · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
While using battering ram to remove Sag Mill liner bolts from the mill liners, on the swing back the mechanic on the non-impact end had his hand impacted between the battering ram and a suppot I-beam for the battering ram. Smashing his right hand giving him contusions.
April 26, 2010NV · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Newmont USA Limited · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
The employee involved was working at the Process Tanks to remove a 12" spool pipe on slurry cooler #3 at phase II. When tapping the spool piece out the Vic coupling failed to hold Vic 741 in place. The valve popped out of its groove releasing acidic slurry into the work area. The employee received 1st and 2nd degree burns to the wrist, neck area and right elbow.
2009 · 1 incident
December 2, 2009NV · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
Employee was working inside the Sag mill when a grinding ball shattered sending a piece of the grinding ball into the air striking the employee in the right arm just above the wrist. This caused a small laceration requiring sutures.