South Sterling Quarry has $37K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
22
Years on record
1990–2017
Latest incident
Aug 2017
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
168
citations
51
significant & substantial
$37,242
proposed penalties
$37,242
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
68
inspections on record
1,246
inspection hours
13.5
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.
168 citations across 1,246 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘA Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2022-10-05.
On record since 2022.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
South Sterling Quarry has $37K 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.
$37K
proposed penalties
$37K
current assessed
$37K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
146 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $276 in penalties contested before the Commission, $276 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-03-04.
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.
2citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
Settled
2 · 100%
100%
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%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$276 proposed, $276 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 2017-12-07.
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: 2026-08-13
19%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
20
samples
16
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz163 over
Respirable dust, <.1mg4
Show the individual readings (20)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2021-10-14
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.34
0.33
1.03
Washer Operator
2017-10-03
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.43
0.31
1.39
Screen/Scalper Operator
2011-06-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.72
0.58
1.24
Truck Driver
2026-08-13
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.48
0.98
0.49
Truck Driver
2026-08-13
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Backhoe Operator
2026-08-13
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2021-10-14
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2018-06-26
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.3
0.32
0.94
Crusher Oper/Worker
2017-10-03
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.15
0.42
0.36
Complete Load-Haul-Dump
2017-10-03
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.38
0.51
0.75
Truck Loader
2017-05-10
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2017-05-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.16
0.35
0.46
Complete Load-Haul-Dump
2017-05-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.33
0.46
0.72
Screen/Scalper Operator
2011-07-06
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.45
2.76
0.16
Truck Driver
2011-06-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.39
0.41
0.95
Truck Driver
2011-06-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.55
0.62
0.89
Front-end Loader Operator
2011-06-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.13
0.55
0.24
Front-end Loader Operator
2011-06-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.34
0.35
0.97
Crusher Oper/Worker
2005-11-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.74
0.78
0.95
Crusher Oper/Worker
2005-11-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.56
1.27
0.44
Crusher Oper/Worker
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.
South Sterling Quarry 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
No reportable injury cases in any year shown. Employee-hours were reported in each of those years, so these are true zeros rather than missing data. Citations, listed in the compliance record above, are inspector-found violations and are counted separately from worker injuries.
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 Pennsylvania, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.07 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 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
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
2026
24
2025
21
2024
19
2023
17
2022
13
2021
12
2020
13
2019
11
2018
12
2017
13
2016
14
2015
13
2014
13
2013
12
2012
10
2011
11
2010
12
2009
16
2008
15
2007
19
2006
17
2005
18
2004
15
2003
18
2002
13
2001
12
2000
11
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
South Sterling Quarry sits in Pike County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 0.3% 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.
Pike County, Pennsylvania · Population 59,691
0.3%
Mining share of county employment
$79,318
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
The victim backed the truck he was driving to the edge of the overburden dumpsite and started to raise the truck's bed to dump a load of material. The bank failed and the truck overturned falling 30 feet below. The victim died in route to the hospital.
Inthe process of shutting down the screening plant, a rock rolled down the conveyer and over the skirt boards and struck the operator on the side of his head.
EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING NEAR THE CRUSHING PLANT WHEN A STONE FELL FROM THE PLANT AND STRUCK HIS LEFT SHOULDER.
September 24, 2003PA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
AS AN OLD CONCRETE MIXER WAS BEING DISMANTLED IT TIPPED OVER DUT TO CENTER OF GRAVITY CHANGINGDUE TO REMOVAL OF A PART FROM ONE END. AS IT TURNED UP IT STRUCK EE IN THE LEGS
ROCK ROLLED OFF MAIN CONVEYOR ON PRIMARY PLANT STICKING EE ON TOP OF FOOT.
1996 · 1 incident
June 7, 1996PA · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
WRENCH SLIPPED OF BOLT AS EMPLOYEE WAS TIGHTENING STRIKING HIM ON LIP.
1990 · 2 incidents
November 26, 1990PA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS