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: 962 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.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2025-04-14.
On record since 2025.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
West Valley has $148K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 4 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.
$148K
proposed penalties
$120K
current assessed
$120K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
111 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $118K in penalties contested before the Commission, $90K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-02-02.
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.
4citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
Settled
3 · 75%
Stood as issued
1 · 25%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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%
24%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$118K proposed, $90K 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 2016-05-18.
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: 2022-09-20, 3 years ago
27%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
22
samples
15
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz164 over
Respirable dust, <.1mg4
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz2
Show the individual readings (22)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2004-09-01
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.13
0.44
2.57
Crusher Oper/Worker
2003-06-03
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.71
0.58
1.22
Crusher Oper/Worker
2002-08-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.81
0.38
2.13
Crusher Oper/Worker
2002-08-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.81
0.55
3.29
Laborer, Bullgang
2022-09-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.72
0.81
0.89
Crusher Oper/Worker
2022-09-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.16
Laborer, Bullgang
2022-09-20
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2015-05-04
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Supervisor, Co. Official
2015-05-04
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2010-03-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.38
0.93
0.41
Bulldozer Operator
2010-03-10
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2010-03-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.14
1.26
0.11
Front-end Loader Operator
2010-03-10
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.39
Front-end Loader Operator
2005-02-09
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.12
Cleanup Man
2005-02-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.3
0.92
0.33
Crusher Oper/Worker
2005-02-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.2
1.61
0.12
Cleanup Man
2004-09-01
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.87
1
0.87
Cleanup Man
2004-09-01
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.37
1.27
0.29
Crusher Oper/Worker
2003-08-05
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.32
1.05
0.30
Crusher Oper/Worker
2003-06-03
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.53
0.77
0.69
Crusher Oper/Worker
2002-08-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.63
0.72
0.88
Front-end Loader Operator
2002-08-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.21
0.35
0.60
Laborer, Bullgang
Area samples (mill and shop air)
Last sampled: 2015-05-04, 11 years ago
3
samples
Show the individual readings (3)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Area sampled
2015-05-04
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Feed loader 980M
2015-05-04
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
D8R East bank
2015-05-04
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck loader 980H
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 Valley recorded 17.84 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2024.
Injury rate, 2024
ⓘ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.
17.84
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.77 and the all-US-mining average was 2.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Utah, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.83 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
2024 *
17.84
0.00
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2010 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2009 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2008 *
3.37
3.37
0.000
2007 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2006 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2005 *
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
9
2025
6
2024
9
2023
7
2022
8
2021
7
2020
8
2019
6
2018
8
2017
8
2016
8
2015
7
2014
7
2013
6
2012
10
2011
12
2010
13
2009
20
2008
37
2007
37
2006
39
2005
39
2004
39
2003
32
2002
24
2001
24
2000
29
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
West Valley sits in Salt Lake County, Utah, 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.
Salt Lake County, Utah · Population 1,184,689
0.4%
Mining share of county employment
$94,658
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
EE was standing on ladder to check progress of the Maintenance work being completed when a co-worker pulled out the screen unaware of EE's hand placement on the ladder. The screen caught EE's finger pulling back EE's left pointer finger nail
July 8, 2024UT · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Kilgore Contracting · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE was installing a troughing Roller on Cone feed 1 belt and when EE was pushing new roller set into position troughing roller flipped up pinching EE's hand between the frame and the roller causing a laceration to EE's thumb
2023 · 2 incidents
September 12, 2023UT · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
An employee operating a Komatsu dozer was pushing an ripping material on a downward grade, somehow the dozer slid sideways and continued to slide 35 feet off a 27 ft high embankment. The equipment rolled one revolution and landed back on its tracks. 911 was called, and then the employee was life flighted from the scene to the University of Utah Hospital.
2008 · 1 incident
August 2, 2008UT · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
The employee was retrieving a piece of metal (flipper tooth) from a jaw crusher by cutting the tooth with a torch. When most of the tooth was cut, the jae closed a little bit and shot the tooth into the face of the employee.
1991 · 1 incident
April 26, 1991UT · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON