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: 672 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
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.
2
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2015-07-30.
On record since 2015.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Ulrich Pit has $156K in proposed MSHA penalties and $453 outstanding across 7 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.
$156K
proposed penalties
$83K
current assessed
$83K
paid to date
$453
outstanding
92 assessments are final orders; 7 contested dockets.
Of $149K in penalties contested before the Commission, $76K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-06-23.
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.
45citations taken to the federal commission · 46% of citations on record
Settled
40 · 89%
Vacated or withdrawn
5 · 11%
79%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 24 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
52%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$160K proposed, $77K 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 2021-01-11.
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: 2026-06-24
6
samples
0
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg4
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz1
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (6)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2026-06-24
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2025-07-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.15
Truck Driver
2015-07-29
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dredge/Barge Operator
2015-07-29
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dredge/Barge Operator
2010-04-21
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.15
Dredge/Barge Operator
2010-04-21
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2026
6
2025
6
2024
6
2023
6
2022
6
2021
6
2020
7
2019
6
2018
6
2017
6
2016
6
2015
6
2014
5
2013
6
2012
10
2011
10
2010
8
2009
6
2008
6
2007
5
2006
5
2005
4
2004
5
2003
5
2002
4
2001
4
2000
3
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Ulrich Pit sits in Valley County, Nebraska, where the Census mining category is 0.7% 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.
Valley County, Nebraska · Population 4,094
0.7%
Mining share of county employment
$58,902
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 driver was operating a articulated truck hauling dirt from the back of the lake. Driver lost control of the vehicle for an undetermined reason and drove the vehicle over the berm and into the lake. Operator was removed from the truck and transported to local hospital then later moved to Kearney then transferred to Omaha Hospital where he died on 3/19/15.
Reportable incidents
1 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2009 · 1 incident
August 13, 2009NE · Metal/Non-Metalbarge/boat/dredge/towbarge/towboat/leach operator, riverman, deck handHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
On dredge there is one hand winch used for moving tail section. The operator went to release winch and the cotter key holding the gear reduce shaft broke sending the handle free and it swung around hitting operator in arm causing a slight gash and bruise on his arm.