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Sparta Quarry: 50 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Vulcan Materials Company
Sparta, Hancock County, GA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 0901210

Sparta Quarry has $10K in proposed MSHA penalties and $697 outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
10
Years on record
2011–2022
Latest incident
Aug 2022
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2010
50
citations
11
significant & substantial
$9,630
proposed penalties
$8,860
paid to date
92% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $770 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2010
44
inspections on record
783
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: 783 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Sparta Quarry has $10K in proposed MSHA penalties and $697 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.
$10K
proposed penalties
$10K
current assessed
$9K
paid to date
$697
outstanding
49 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $5K in penalties contested before the Commission, $5K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-05-19.
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.
22.0%
significant & substantial
14.0%
high negligence or reckless
22.0%
reasonably likely or greater
50.0%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 2.0% low, 84.0% moderate, 14.0% 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.
19 citations taken to the federal commission · 38% of citations on record
  • Settled 4 · 21%
  • Stood as issued 14 · 74%
  • Still open 1 · 5%
86%
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%
2%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$5K proposed, $5K 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 2026-07-08.
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 2012-415M Dismissal Lesnick 2013 $4K → $4K
SE 2012-399M Settlement Lesnick 2013 $362 → $289
SE 2017-0124 Settlement Paez 2017 $276 → $276
SE 2011-368M Settlement Rae 2012 $100 → $100
SE 2026-0123 Decision pending
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: 2024-09-12
20%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
24
samples
5
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz61 over
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg17
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (24)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2023-08-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.06 0.77 1.38 Lab Technician
2024-09-12 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Lab Technician
2024-09-12 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2023-10-04 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Lab Technician
2023-08-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.14 0.7 0.20 Crusher Oper/Worker
2023-08-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2023-08-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2023-02-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.13 0.69 0.19 Lab Technician
2023-02-01 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2023-02-01 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2023-02-01 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2022-08-24 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.18 Truck Driver
2022-08-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.17 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-08-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2022-08-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2021-03-03 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2021-03-03 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2021-03-03 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2021-03-03 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2019-10-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.36 0.47 0.77 Crusher Oper/Worker
2019-10-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2019-10-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2013-01-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.21 1.67 0.13 Lab Technician
2013-01-30 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker

Area samples (mill and shop air)

Last sampled: 2013-01-30, 13 years ago
1
samples
Show the individual readings (1)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Area sampled
2013-01-30 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 SF ORE PROCESSING
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.

Sparta 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
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 Georgia, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.20 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 * 2.94 0.00 0.000
2021 * 2.97 0.00 0.000
2020 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2019 * 6.02 3.01 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.
Ownership history
  1. Aggregates USA, LLC 2010 to 2017
  2. Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC 2017 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 30
2025 29
2024 29
2023 28
2022 27
2021 27
2020 24
2019 23
2018 22
2017 23
2016 19
2015 15
2014 15
2013 13
2012 9
2011 4
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Sparta Quarry sits in Hancock County, Georgia, where the Census mining category is 0.4% 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.
Hancock County, Georgia · Population 8,630
0.4%
Mining share of county employment
$33,182
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 17,929 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 17,290 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 17,282 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 17,568 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 16,057 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 15,650 1 0 63.9
2024 Q4 16,335 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 17,853 0 0 0.0
Show 54 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 17,393 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 16,890 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 15,770 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 17,000 1 1 58.8
2023 Q2 16,571 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 16,928 1 0 59.1
2022 Q4 16,263 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 17,639 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 16,447 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 17,604 1 0 56.8
2021 Q4 17,019 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 17,625 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 16,152 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 16,588 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 13,481 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 13,031 1 0 76.7
2020 Q2 13,644 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 16,121 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 17,482 3 1 171.6
2019 Q3 17,081 1 0 58.5
2019 Q2 16,802 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 15,105 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 14,514 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 14,709 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 14,863 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 14,633 1 0 68.3
2017 Q4 12,516 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 13,479 1 0 74.2
2017 Q2 13,187 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 15,928 2 0 125.6
2016 Q4 13,780 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 12,775 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 9,543 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 9,585 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 9,324 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 9,918 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 7,698 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 8,110 1 1 123.3
2014 Q4 8,645 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 11,144 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 8,676 2 0 230.5
2014 Q1 7,778 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 7,514 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 7,493 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 7,428 1 0 134.6
2013 Q1 6,470 3 0 463.7
2012 Q4 4,359 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 4,379 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 3,388 1 0 295.2
2012 Q1 4,676 1 1 213.9
2011 Q4 3,193 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 2,611 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 1,518 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 1,040 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

10 on file

2022 · 1 incident

August 30, 2022 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was descending the access ladder under the cone crusher as the employees finger got caught on a bolt that holds together the safety gate to the hydraulic console platform.

2021 · 1 incident

2020 · 1 incident

July 23, 2020 GA · Metal/Non-Metal blaster, shooter, shotfirer, explosive worker, powder gang/monkey HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was loading a blast hole with a loading pole when the pole broke and cut right hand.

2019 · 2 incidents

November 18, 2019 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

The employee pinched left thumb between the top wedge and the top of the jaw causing a subungual hematoma.

August 28, 2019 GA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Fall from machine

While attempting to adjust the light on the cab of 990 loader, the employee fell 10 feet fracturing femur.

2015 · 1 incident

September 1, 2015 GA · Metal/Non-Metal welder (non-shop) OTHER
Aggregates USA, LLC · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee said he had been experiencing diarrhea for approximately two weeks and became ill at work. Ambulance was called and took him to hospital. He was diagnosed with dehydration due to diarrhea. Employee was given fluids and medicine for diarrhea and is doing well.

2013 · 1 incident

October 10, 2013 GA · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Aggregates USA, LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee strained his back while picking up and moving a rock out of the road.

2012 · 2 incidents

August 27, 2012 GA · Metal/Non-Metal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Aggregates USA, LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Dismounting a loader and strained the lower back.

March 14, 2012 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Aggregates USA, LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee strained his lower back / pulled a muscle when stepped off of a crusher platform. The platform is 12 - 14 inches higher than the surrounding ground level.

2011 · 1 incident

February 15, 2011 GA · Metal/Non-Metal crane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, rigger SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Aggregates USA, LLC · Fall from machine

Crane operator was inspecting the winch (drum) on the crane. After inspecting the winch, the operator was climbing back to the cab of the crane when he slipped and fell approx. 8' to the ground below. Operator sustained laceration to his head and a fracture to his hip and wrist.