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Tuscaloosa Quarry/Howton Pit: 151 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by S T Bunn Jr
Brookwood, Tuscaloosa County, AL  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 0103258

Tuscaloosa Quarry/Howton Pit has $37K in proposed MSHA penalties and $226 outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
2
Years on record
2003–2022
Latest incident
Jul 2022
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2003
151
citations
46
significant & substantial
$36,782
proposed penalties
$32,092
paid to date
87% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $4,690 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Bunn Brothers Materials Inc's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2003
80
inspections on record
1,230
inspection hours
12.3
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.
151 citations across 1,230 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: 2013-11-20.
On record since 2013.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

Tuscaloosa Quarry/Howton Pit has $37K in proposed MSHA penalties and $226 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.
$37K
proposed penalties
$32K
current assessed
$32K
paid to date
$226
outstanding
147 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $10K in penalties contested before the Commission, $5K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-03-25.
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.
31.3%
significant & substantial
6.1%
high negligence or reckless
31.3%
reasonably likely or greater
56.5%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 15.6% low, 78.2% moderate, 6.1% 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.
5 citations taken to the federal commission · 3% of citations on record
  • Settled 4 · 80%
  • Stood as issued 1 · 20%
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 4 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
45%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$10K 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 2013-01-08.
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 2007-175M Settlement Weisberger 2011 $9K → $4K
SE 2009-640M Settlement Lesnick 2012 $1K → $1K
SE 2013-178M Default Lesnick 2013 $112 → $112
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: 2025-05-30
10%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
51
samples
21
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz182 over
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg24
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz4
  • Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz3
Show the individual readings (61)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2024-02-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.4 0.33 1.21 Rotary Bucket Ex. Operator
2019-10-02 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.02 0.83 1.23 Utility Man
2025-05-30 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.2 10 0.02 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-05-30 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.32 10 0.03 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-02-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.45 0.54 0.83 Utility Man
2025-02-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.62 0.97 0.64 Drill Operator, Rotary
2024-12-19 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2024-12-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.14 0.42 0.33 Crusher Oper/Worker
2024-12-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.13 Front-end Loader Operator
2024-08-21 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2024-08-21 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2024-08-21 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.16 Front-end Loader Operator
2024-08-21 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2024-02-14 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Washer Operator
2024-02-14 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2022-09-09 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2022-09-09 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Shovel Operator
2022-09-09 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Cleanup Man
2022-09-09 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2021-09-08 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2021-09-08 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2021-09-08 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Shovel Operator
2021-06-11 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2021-06-11 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2019-12-02 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.26 10 0.03 Crusher Oper/Worker
2019-10-02 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.16 0.45 0.36 Laborer, Bullgang
2019-10-02 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.17 Front-end Loader Operator
2018-04-11 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.16 Front-end Loader Operator
2018-04-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.26 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2018-04-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.13 0.42 0.31 Shovel Operator
2017-09-19 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2017-09-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.33 1 0.33 Laborer, Bullgang
2016-05-11 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Jackhammer Operator
2016-05-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.23 0.55 0.42 Drill Operator, Rotary
2016-05-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.28 0.74 0.38 Crusher Oper/Worker
2015-05-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.15 1.1 0.14 Front-end Loader Operator
2015-05-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.16 1.01 0.16 Truck Driver
2015-05-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.26 0.34 0.76 Dump Operator
2009-10-02 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Cleanup Man
2009-10-02 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Supervisor, Co. Official
2009-10-02 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2009-10-02 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Washer Operator
2009-04-29 Cadmium dust & salts 0 200 0.00 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Arsenic dust 0 500 0.00 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Beryllium dust 0 2 0.00 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Vanadium dust 0 500 0.00 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Nickel dust & salts 0 1 0.00 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Molybdenum dust 0 10 0.00 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Manganese dust 0 5 0.00 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Lead, inorganic dust 0 150 0.00 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Iron soluble salts 0.02 1 0.02 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Copper dust and mist 0 1 0.00 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Cobalt dust 0 100 0.00 Mechanic
2009-04-29 Chromium, soluble 0 500 0.00 Mechanic
2008-05-22 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Cleanup Man
2008-05-22 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Mechanic
2006-09-06 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.39 0.66 0.59 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2005-09-19 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2005-09-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.68 0.8 0.85 Dump Operator
2005-09-19 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 1.08 Front-end Loader Operator
2005-09-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.34 0.86 0.40 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.

Tuscaloosa Quarry/Howton Pit 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 Alabama, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.52 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
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.
Ownership history
  1. Bunn Brothers Materials Inc 2003 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 17
2025 17
2024 18
2023 15
2022 14
2021 14
2020 16
2019 14
2018 13
2017 13
2016 15
2015 15
2014 14
2013 15
2012 9
2011 9
2010 11
2009 9
2008 10
2007 11
2006 13
2005 11
2004 8
2003 4
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Tuscaloosa Quarry/Howton Pit sits in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, where the Census mining category is 0.9% 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.
Tuscaloosa County, Alabama · Population 234,036
0.9%
Mining share of county employment
$63,947
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 12,829 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 12,390 2 1 161.4
2025 Q4 12,058 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 13,038 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 11,650 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 11,913 1 0 83.9
2024 Q4 15,741 4 1 254.1
2024 Q3 13,108 1 1 76.3
Show 86 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 13,016 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 11,220 1 0 89.1
2023 Q4 10,237 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 10,523 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 11,263 1 0 88.8
2023 Q1 10,735 2 0 186.3
2022 Q4 10,274 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 11,973 5 1 417.6
2022 Q2 11,823 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 10,262 5 2 487.2
2021 Q4 9,558 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 10,470 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 10,951 1 0 91.3
2021 Q1 11,790 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 10,995 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 12,128 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 1,135 2 0 1762.1
2020 Q1 10,790 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 10,691 9 2 841.8
2019 Q3 11,411 2 0 175.3
2019 Q2 10,597 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 8,150 4 0 490.8
2018 Q4 8,604 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 10,609 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 8,416 4 0 475.3
2018 Q1 8,794 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 8,389 2 0 238.4
2017 Q3 9,326 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 8,456 3 0 354.8
2017 Q1 9,073 2 1 220.4
2016 Q4 10,507 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 11,236 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 11,054 2 1 180.9
2016 Q1 11,002 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 11,318 4 1 353.4
2015 Q3 11,527 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 10,374 3 1 289.2
2015 Q1 10,031 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 9,225 2 0 216.8
2014 Q3 10,103 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 9,216 1 0 108.5
2014 Q1 9,297 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 10,490 5 1 476.6
2013 Q3 11,577 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 9,700 2 1 206.2
2013 Q1 7,510 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 5,901 5 2 847.3
2012 Q3 5,701 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 3,890 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 3,984 1 0 251.0
2011 Q4 4,659 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 5,777 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 4,279 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 4,488 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 5,767 3 0 520.2
2010 Q3 6,630 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 7,205 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 6,942 3 2 432.2
2009 Q4 6,684 2 1 299.2
2009 Q3 6,930 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 6,599 5 3 757.7
2009 Q1 6,078 4 1 658.1
2008 Q4 6,836 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 6,693 2 2 298.8
2008 Q2 8,067 2 1 247.9
2008 Q1 6,274 1 0 159.4
2007 Q4 6,731 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 8,675 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 7,699 2 0 259.8
2007 Q1 7,684 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 7,677 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 10,793 6 4 555.9
2006 Q2 9,903 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 8,912 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 8,002 6 2 749.8
2005 Q3 9,478 2 0 211.0
2005 Q2 6,454 3 2 464.8
2005 Q1 6,952 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 5,134 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 4,101 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 5,263 20 9 3800.1
2004 Q1 3,663 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 2,935 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 2,888 7 0 2423.8
2003 Q2 3,529 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 0 1 1
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

2 on file

2022 · 1 incident

July 27, 2022 AL · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
Bunn Brothers Materials Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Removing bolt from engine panel. Bolt would not back out. Employee grabbed the other end of the bolt without looking and bumped the impact. A piece of metal that was on the bolt punctured the cut resistant glove and cut their ring finger.

2003 · 1 incident

March 26, 2003 AL · Metal/Non-Metal mine manager, mine foreman, mine owner HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Bunn Brothers Materials Inc · Contact with hot objects or substances

EMPLOYEE TOUCHED HOT WIRE THAT HAD BEEN HEATED. WITHOUT GLOVES, HE BURNED HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER.