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: 427 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
West Valley Pit has $7K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 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.
$7K
proposed penalties
$7K
current assessed
$7K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
54 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $830 in penalties contested before the Commission, $764 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2018-04-18.
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 · 6% of citations on record
Settled
2 · 67%
Stood as issued
1 · 33%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 2 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
8%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$830 proposed, $764 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2011-12-01.
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: 2014-08-25, 12 years ago
14%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
13
samples
7
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz71 over
Respirable dust, <.1mg5
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (13)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2009-08-04
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.31
0.7
1.87
Laborer, Bullgang
2014-08-25
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Bulldozer Operator
2014-08-25
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.17
0.65
0.26
Bobcat Operator
2014-08-25
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2014-08-25
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.27
Front-end Loader Operator
2009-10-14
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.25
0.7
0.36
Laborer, Bullgang
2009-08-04
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.59
0.71
0.83
Crusher Oper/Worker
2009-08-04
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-05-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.55
3.21
0.17
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-05-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.26
0.65
0.40
Laborer, Bullgang
2004-05-19
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-05-19
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2004-05-19
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.41
0.42
0.98
Bulldozer 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.
West Valley Pit recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2016.
Injury rate, 2016
ⓘ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 2.17 and the all-US-mining average was 2.59 cases per 100 workers.
In Utah, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.07 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
2016 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2015 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2014 *
9.26
0.00
0.000
2011 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2009 *
9.22
9.22
0.000
2008 *
7.28
0.00
0.000
2007 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2006 *
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
2019
0
2018
7
2017
11
2016
15
2015
13
2014
12
2013
9
2012
9
2011
10
2010
10
2009
12
2008
13
2007
12
2006
13
2005
10
2004
10
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
West Valley Pit 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
Employee was inspecting and installing a toggle bolt spring. While tightening the bolt, the spring broke causing the spring cover to hit the employee in the forehead above his left eye causing a laceration requiring sutures.
Employee was on restricted duty (no climbing or lifting over 30 lbs) assisting with some fabricating. When he was left alone, he says that he climbed up on an unsecured ladder and it slipped out from under him. The fall caused 2 fractures to his right arm and 1 to a left rib.
2009 · 1 incident
September 17, 2009UT · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was installing an alternator with his arm fully extended, when he heard a tear, lost strength and felt intense pain. Afterward he was able to use his arm but his condition worsened. He received first aid attention from a doctor. He returned to the doctor when his condition worsened and informed us on 9/25/09 he would need surgery, time off and restricted duty.
Employee was cutting the lid off of a 5 gallon bucket when he slipped and accidentally cut his right thigh. The incision was about 2 cm in length and required 11 sutures.