WEST SAND LAKE PIT & MILL has $165K in proposed MSHA penalties and $28K outstanding across 18 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
Watch this mine
Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at WEST SAND LAKE PIT & MILL.
Fatalities
0
Total incidents
7
Years on record
1989–2022
Latest incident
Apr 2022
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
395
citations
83
significant & substantial
$164,606
proposed penalties
$111,930
paid to date
68% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $52,675 gap.
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.
395 citations across 1,451 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: 2025-08-05.
On record since 2025.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
WEST SAND LAKE PIT & MILL has $165K in proposed MSHA penalties and $28K outstanding across 18 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.
$165K
proposed penalties
$140K
current assessed
$112K
paid to date
$28K
outstanding
383 assessments are final orders; 18 contested dockets.
Of $71K in penalties contested before the Commission, $45K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-07-08.
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.
63citations taken to the federal commission · 16% of citations on record
Settled
55 · 87%
Stood as issued
7 · 11%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 2%
78%
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 36 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
46%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$84K proposed, $45K 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 2025-11-17.
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: 2023-07-21, 3 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
11
samples
7
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz6
Respirable dust, <.1mg3
Arsenic fumes1
Beryllium fumes1
Show the individual readings (23)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2023-07-21
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.13
Laborer, Bullgang
2023-07-21
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.17
0.69
0.25
Crusher Oper/Worker
2023-02-21
Cobalt fumes
0
300
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Lead fumes
0
450
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Magnesium oxide fumes
0.14
20
0.01
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Manganese fumes
0.8
5
0.16
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Molybdenum fumes
0
20
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Nickel fumes
0
3
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Vanadium fumes
0
50
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Zinc oxide fumes
0
10
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Arsenic fumes
0
1500
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Beryllium fumes
0
6
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Cadmium oxide fumes
0
100
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Chromium, insoluble
0
3
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Copper fumes
0
300
0.00
Welder, etc.
2023-02-21
Iron oxide fumes
5.84
20
0.29
Welder, etc.
2016-09-27
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.18
0.45
0.40
Front-end Loader Operator
2016-09-27
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2010-03-09
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-01-13
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.21
0.53
0.40
Truck Driver
2004-01-13
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.26
0.59
0.44
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-01-13
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2002-04-17
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.32
0.43
0.74
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.
WEST SAND LAKE PIT & MILL 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 New York, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.08 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 *
4.53
4.53
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
3.93
3.93
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
17
2025
20
2024
20
2023
19
2022
20
2021
20
2020
20
2019
21
2018
23
2017
18
2016
19
2015
17
2014
17
2013
16
2012
16
2011
16
2010
16
2009
17
2008
17
2007
16
2006
16
2005
15
2004
15
2003
9
2002
11
2001
13
2000
12
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
WEST SAND LAKE PIT & MILL sits in Rensselaer County, New York, where the Census mining category is 0.0% 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.
Rensselaer County, New York · Population 160,341
0.0%
Mining share of county employment
$86,663
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
10,084
0
0
0.0
2026 Q1
6,649
7
0
1052.8
2025 Q4
11,551
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
11,317
17
3
1502.2
2025 Q2
12,624
0
0
0.0
2025 Q1
7,584
7
0
923.0
2024 Q4
10,389
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
11,924
0
0
0.0
Show 97 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
11,064
6
0
542.3
2024 Q1
5,547
3
0
540.8
2023 Q4
10,423
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
10,601
8
2
754.6
2023 Q2
11,537
0
0
0.0
2023 Q1
6,288
7
1
1113.2
2022 Q4
11,846
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
12,605
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
12,488
11
2
880.8
2022 Q1
7,177
11
0
1532.7
2021 Q4
11,668
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
12,922
22
5
1702.5
2021 Q2
12,384
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
7,502
9
3
1199.7
2020 Q4
11,948
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
14,346
0
0
0.0
2020 Q2
13,169
0
0
0.0
2020 Q1
11,475
8
2
697.2
2019 Q4
12,178
2
0
164.2
2019 Q3
12,968
0
0
0.0
2019 Q2
12,718
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
7,755
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
15,022
3
0
199.7
2018 Q3
15,794
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
16,265
6
0
368.9
2018 Q1
8,557
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
13,610
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
14,627
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
13,338
21
5
1574.4
2017 Q1
6,915
0
0
0.0
2016 Q4
11,747
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
14,075
2
1
142.1
2016 Q2
14,534
5
1
344.0
2016 Q1
7,591
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
14,598
4
0
274.0
2015 Q2
13,318
28
3
2102.4
2015 Q1
5,016
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
12,165
0
0
0.0
2014 Q3
13,670
11
1
804.7
2014 Q2
12,296
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
5,297
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
11,782
6
0
509.3
2013 Q3
10,622
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
10,437
6
1
574.9
2013 Q1
6,224
4
0
642.7
2012 Q4
12,642
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
12,794
7
2
547.1
2012 Q2
10,072
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
5,152
6
3
1164.6
2011 Q4
11,397
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
10,090
11
2
1090.2
2011 Q2
10,405
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
5,745
6
0
1044.4
2010 Q4
8,727
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
11,443
4
0
349.6
2010 Q2
10,875
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
6,669
4
0
599.8
2009 Q4
11,892
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
11,241
9
4
800.6
2009 Q2
11,505
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
5,893
7
1
1187.8
2008 Q4
10,191
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
11,986
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
12,239
6
3
490.2
2008 Q1
7,215
2
0
277.2
2007 Q4
9,984
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
10,086
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
10,349
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
6,032
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
9,255
18
3
1944.9
2006 Q3
10,045
8
1
796.4
2006 Q2
10,628
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
6,935
12
2
1730.4
2005 Q4
11,077
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
9,031
20
5
2214.6
2005 Q2
8,670
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
4,971
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
10,913
5
0
458.2
2004 Q3
10,070
5
2
496.5
2004 Q2
9,804
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
3,653
2
0
547.5
2003 Q4
4,720
0
0
0.0
2003 Q3
5,307
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
7,062
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
4,412
6
1
1359.9
2002 Q4
6,085
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
6,673
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
7,959
3
3
376.9
2002 Q1
3,465
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
7,714
17
11
2203.8
2001 Q3
8,852
0
0
0.0
2001 Q2
6,469
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
3,014
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
6,172
15
7
2430.3
2000 Q3
6,753
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
8,736
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
4,093
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
7 on file
2022 · 1 incident
April 23, 2022NY · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techPOWERED HAULAGE
During maintenance on the plant, the metal detector on the conveyer sensed metal and automatically started. Employee was forced under the metal detector fracturing vertebrae and ribs.
2020 · 1 incident
July 1, 2020NY · Metal/Non-Metaldry screening plant operator, screen house operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Operator was checking for an oil leak, walking on the machine he stepped in oil & slipped. He fell approx. 5'to the ground, breaking his hip & pelvis bone.
June 23, 2006NY · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee, climbing ladder of loader, left hand slipped off rail. He proceeded to regrip his hand on the rail to save himself from falling and cut his arm open on a placard on the loader. Employee received stitches in forearm.
EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING LOADER AND HIT A POTHOLE AND WAS JARRED IN SEAT, TWISTING BACK. EMPLOYEE SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR THIS 9/16/03. NO INJURY WAS EVIDENT. EMPLOYEE WAS OUT FOR ELBOW SUR GERY AND DECIDED TO GET HIS BACK RE-EXAMINED AND THIS DIAGNOSIS WAS MADE AND THEY ARE NOW TREATING HIM FOR THIS BACK AILMENT.
2000 · 1 incident
January 12, 2000NY · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
WHILE PULLING OVRSIZE ROCKOUT OF JAW WITH CHAIN CHAIN SLIPPED OFF ROCK WHILE REATTACHING CHAIN AROUND ROCK EE LOST BALANCE & FELL APPROX 10FT HEAD FIRST INTO THE JAW CRUSHER HITTING HEAD & S HOULDER