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: 744 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Voca West has $14K in proposed MSHA penalties and $124 outstanding across 2 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.
$14K
proposed penalties
$14K
current assessed
$14K
paid to date
$124
outstanding
106 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $393 in penalties contested before the Commission, $393 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-02-11.
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.
3citations taken to the federal commission · 3% of citations on record
Settled
3 · 100%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$393 proposed, $393 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2023-02-16.
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: 2020-09-22, 5 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
21
samples
7
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg14
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz7
Show the individual readings (21)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2020-09-22
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2020-09-22
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2016-09-21
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.23
0.3
0.77
Washer Operator
2016-09-21
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.2
0.35
0.57
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2012-05-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.17
0.39
0.44
Utility Man
2012-05-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.25
0.27
0.93
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2012-05-02
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2012-05-02
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Screen/Scalper Operator
2011-07-20
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Loader
2011-07-20
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2011-07-20
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2011-07-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.16
0.44
0.36
Cleanup Man
2009-12-22
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.77
0.85
0.91
Laborer, Bullgang
2009-12-22
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2009-12-22
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2006-04-27
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Loader
2006-04-27
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Utility Man
2006-04-27
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2006-04-27
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Slusher Operator
2004-08-18
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Utility Man
2004-08-18
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.17
0.87
0.20
Utility Man
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.
Voca West recorded 5.51 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2018.
Injury rate, 2018
ⓘ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.
5.51
total case rate
5.51
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.95 and the all-US-mining average was 2.33 cases per 100 workers.
In Texas, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.77 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
2018 *
5.51
5.51
0.000
2017 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2016 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2015 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2014 *
9.21
9.21
0.000
2013 *
5.31
5.31
0.000
2012 *
5.62
5.62
0.000
2009 *
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
4
2025
4
2024
4
2023
3
2022
4
2021
4
2020
8
2019
10
2018
19
2017
28
2016
17
2015
16
2014
17
2013
15
2012
12
2011
8
2010
4
2009
13
2008
9
2007
10
2006
12
2005
11
2004
12
2003
8
2002
8
2001
5
2000
5
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Voca West sits in McCulloch County, Texas, where the Census mining category is 3.1% 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.
McCulloch County, Texas · Population 7,565
3.1%
Mining share of county employment
$51,919
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
2,895
0
0
0.0
2026 Q1
2,003
1
1
499.3
2025 Q4
2,671
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
2,944
1
0
339.7
2025 Q2
2,070
0
0
0.0
2025 Q1
1,865
0
0
0.0
2024 Q4
2,462
4
0
1624.7
2024 Q3
2,100
0
0
0.0
Show 98 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
2,402
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
2,115
0
0
0.0
2023 Q4
2,067
1
0
483.8
2023 Q3
2,075
0
0
0.0
2023 Q2
2,136
0
0
0.0
2023 Q1
2,097
0
0
0.0
2022 Q4
826
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
2,843
2
0
703.5
2022 Q2
2,457
0
0
0.0
2022 Q1
1,889
0
0
0.0
2021 Q4
1,175
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
1,890
2
0
1058.2
2021 Q2
2,427
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
2,928
0
0
0.0
2020 Q4
3,763
5
0
1328.7
2020 Q3
5,306
0
0
0.0
2020 Q2
5,153
1
0
194.1
2020 Q1
5,337
0
0
0.0
2019 Q4
4,249
2
0
470.7
2019 Q3
5,546
1
0
180.3
2019 Q2
4,373
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
4,723
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
8,024
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
8,933
4
0
447.8
2018 Q2
8,833
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
10,475
2
0
190.9
2017 Q4
9,486
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
9,130
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
9,992
4
0
400.3
2017 Q1
10,095
1
0
99.1
2016 Q4
10,343
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
8,594
2
1
232.7
2016 Q2
8,198
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
8,187
2
0
244.3
2015 Q4
7,337
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
9,635
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
7,641
1
0
130.9
2015 Q1
9,329
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
11,358
2
1
176.1
2014 Q3
10,360
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
10,790
2
0
185.4
2014 Q1
10,939
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
9,915
2
2
201.7
2013 Q3
9,000
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
9,575
1
0
104.4
2013 Q1
9,162
1
0
109.1
2012 Q4
9,155
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
7,641
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
9,181
2
0
217.8
2012 Q1
9,635
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
6,084
6
4
986.2
2011 Q3
6,967
2
1
287.1
2011 Q2
3,636
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
0
0
0
2010 Q4
0
0
0
2010 Q3
1,408
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
0
0
0
2010 Q1
4,945
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
5,981
2
0
334.4
2009 Q3
6,215
2
1
321.8
2009 Q2
4,506
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
8,470
1
0
118.1
2008 Q4
6,704
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
7,982
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
5,892
2
0
339.4
2008 Q1
5,652
1
0
176.9
2007 Q4
6,409
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
5,846
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
6,209
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
5,753
20
4
3476.4
2006 Q4
6,997
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
8,371
5
4
597.3
2006 Q2
7,871
4
1
508.2
2006 Q1
8,576
0
0
0.0
2005 Q4
7,476
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
7,730
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
8,237
5
2
607.0
2005 Q1
7,634
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
9,204
0
0
0.0
2004 Q3
9,384
4
0
426.3
2004 Q2
8,598
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
6,166
0
0
0.0
2003 Q4
8,257
1
0
121.1
2003 Q3
8,636
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
4,284
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
1,548
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
5,230
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
7,132
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
5,120
0
0
0.0
2002 Q1
3,467
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
3,061
1
0
326.7
2001 Q3
3,241
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
3,262
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
3,133
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
3,077
1
0
325.0
2000 Q3
3,047
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
2,961
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
2,953
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
14 on file
2018 · 1 incident
February 12, 2018TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSTEPPING OR KNEELING ON OBJECT
Miner was placing tools and materials in the back of a maintenance truck when EE felt something in EE's boot. When EE took another step a nail protruded through EE's boot sole and into EE's right foot.
Miner was using 1 1/2 inch water hose to wash scrubber. Miner bent over to turn off 2" water valve and felt pinch in lower back. 1st Dr visit 10/30/14 released w/o restriction, 2nd Dr visit 12/11/14 released w/o restriction, 3rd visit 01/26/15 given work restriction and Rx medication that will not allow to work.
June 7, 2014TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Mechanic changing cutting edges on 938K loader. Two maintenance employees stopped and started to help. While installing last bolt on left side of cutting edge, employee put palm on bolt to hold in place while mechanic tightened bolt. Bolt came loose and spun causing cut through glove and employee's hand.
May 31, 2014TX · Metal/Non-Metaldrill helperMACHINERY
Driller and Assistant were pulling casing. The assistant turned the casing loose. The driller pulled casing up, the casing stuck and then released causing the casing to jerk in an upward motion hitting the driller assistant in the mouth.
April 25, 2014TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Employee had the rear of the fender un-bolted on a 938K (SWL02604)and laying on the tire and had one bolt holding the front of the fender. Then it slipped and fell with my left hand under it. It appears that it was hung up on open door latchback linkage and then slipped off. There was a sharp point that cut the little finger on left hand.
02/28/13 EE using cutting torch for maintenance. EE claimed slag fall in left ear. EE taken ER,examined,given antibiotic,released w/o restriction. 09/11/2013 EE contacted mgmt via phone complaining of drainage/dizziness. 10/04/13 EE saw ENT specialist. Examined, given antibiotic. Testing revealed perforated ear drum. 01/07/2014 EE underwent surgical procedure to repair ear drum.
2012 · 1 incident
April 14, 2012TX · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Changing out oxygen bottle. Had put up empty bottle and was moving full bottle, he picked up the bottle to go over some welding leeds and his foot got caught in welding leed. He balanced and fell holding bottle which caused his right hand between the ground and bottle.
2008 · 1 incident
May 16, 2008TX · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorMACHINERY
Employee was clearing rocks from the grating on a drive over feed hopper. Employee felt soreness in his left shoulder, elbow and hand the next day. Employee has not returned to work due to pain in shoulder.
EE WAS USING UTILITY KNIFE TO CUT SMALL OPENING IN RUBBER CONVEYOR BELTING MATERIAL BEING INSTALLED AS AN END SKIRT BOARD ON A TYROCK WET SHAKER SCREEN. THE EE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CUTTING A SMALL HOLE WHEN THE KNIFE SLIPPED OFF THE WORK AND STRUCK HIS LEFT INDEX FINGER, CUTTING A PORTION OF THE FINGERNAIL AND FINGERTIP.
KARKNESS, TOP OF TAILING DAM WHERE TAILINGS PIPE AND ANCHOR STAKES ON SANDY GROUND SURFACE. EE WAS DESCENDING FROM LOADER IN THE DAR WITH LIGHTS FROM SERVICE TRUCK IN EYES. HE STEPPED DOWN ALO NGSIDE A 4 FOOT HIGH "T" POST THAT CAUGHT HIS LEG CAUSING INJURY.
1990 · 2 incidents
August 15, 1990TX · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
HE WAS CLEANING THE MACHINE AND STEPPED ON A SWITCH MAKING THE GRIPPERS CLOSE ON HIS FINGER. AT THAT POINT HE JERKED HIS HAND OUT AND RIPPED THE SKIN ON HIS FINGER.
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