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: 607 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
WHITE VULCAN has $217K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 14 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.
$217K
proposed penalties
$70K
current assessed
$70K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
136 assessments are final orders; 14 contested dockets.
Of $209K in penalties contested before the Commission, $62K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2009-05-20.
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.
87citations taken to the federal commission · 62% of citations on record
Settled
81 · 93%
Stood as issued
4 · 5%
Vacated or withdrawn
2 · 2%
91%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 34 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
68%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$232K proposed, $73K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2007-02-15.
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: 2009-09-22, 16 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
4
samples
1
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz2
Cristobalite, respirable1
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (4)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2009-09-22
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.32
2.15
0.15
Front-end Loader Operator
2009-09-22
Cristobalite, respirable
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2006-08-30
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.12
Crusher Oper/Worker
2006-08-30
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.25
Dry Screen Plant 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
2011
3
2010
3
2009
3
2008
5
2007
4
2006
5
2005
6
2004
7
2003
6
2002
5
2001
5
2000
6
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
WHITE VULCAN sits in Coconino County, Arizona, where the Census mining category is 0.2% 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.
Coconino County, Arizona · Population 144,643
0.2%
Mining share of county employment
$69,748
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
2011 Q1
110
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
1,820
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
1,820
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
0
0
0
2009 Q4
1,118
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
1,158
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
1,310
3
0
2290.1
2009 Q1
1,318
0
0
0.0
Show 36 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2008 Q4
2,197
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
2,264
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
2,784
1
1
359.2
2008 Q1
1,168
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
1,877
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
1,705
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
1,523
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
1,654
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
1,861
2
2
1074.7
2006 Q3
1,952
11
3
5635.2
2006 Q2
4,844
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
2,298
0
0
0.0
2005 Q4
2,305
2
1
867.7
2005 Q3
2,529
73
22
28865.2
2005 Q2
2,106
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
1,429
1
0
699.8
2004 Q4
1,987
0
0
0.0
2004 Q3
3,652
9
3
2464.4
2004 Q2
2,660
7
4
2631.6
2004 Q1
2,990
1
0
334.4
2003 Q4
2,670
2
0
749.1
2003 Q3
3,353
0
0
0.0
2003 Q2
2,539
6
0
2363.1
2003 Q1
1,981
0
0
0.0
2002 Q4
1,788
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
1,830
4
2
2185.8
2002 Q2
1,733
7
1
4039.2
2002 Q1
2,178
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
2,245
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
2,699
2
0
741.0
2001 Q2
1,383
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
1,832
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
1,606
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
1,942
9
6
4634.4
2000 Q2
1,690
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
2,676
0
0
0.0
Fatalities at this mine
1 recorded
September 9, 2005AZ · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerFatality · POWERED HAULAGE
TUFFLITE, INC. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Victim was operating a motorized scraper, without a seat belt. The belt was in good condition but he was not using it. He ran over a large pile of dirt and fell out of the machine. The machine ran him over.
Reportable incidents
10 on file (excluding fatalities above)
2004 · 2 incidents
September 8, 2004AZ · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Crew was performing maintenance on a rock crusher on a very windy day. Employee states that a small object blew into his eye even though he was wearing protective goggles over his eye glasses. He immediately rinsed his eye with an eye wash, but the irritation continued for a week, so he sought medical attention. He was diagnosed with a scratch on his right eye.
February 23, 2004AZ · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
TUFFLITE, INC. · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EE WAS PREPARING TO SERVICE A LOADER. AS HE STEPPED DOWN FROM THE SERVICE TRUCK, HE SLIPPED ON AN ICY PATCH OF UNEVEN GROUND AND TWISTED HIS ANKLE.
2003 · 1 incident
March 10, 2003AZ · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
STEPPED ON BOARD (FROM BROKEN PALLET) & NAIL WENT THROUGH WORK SHOES INTO FOOT
October 18, 2001AZ · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
TUFFLITE, INC. · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)
STEPPING DOWN FROM SCREENING PLANT, LANDED ON A ROCK CAUSING HIS ANKLE TO TURN
TUFFLITE, INC. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EE WAS REPLACING THE REAR END ONA LOADER. WAS CLEANING SOME OF THE HOUSING WITH RAGS AND SOMEHOW SOME METAL GOT IN HIS EYE. HE WAS NOT SURE IF IT WAS ON HIS SLEEVE OR BROW AND WHEN HE WIPED HI S FACE, IT GOT IN HIS EYE. HE SEEMS TO BE BETTERAFTER REMOVING THE PIECE OF METAL FROM HIS EYE BUT STILL FEELS THERE IS STILL SOME BLURRINESS WHEN HE READS THAT WAS NOT THERE BEFORE.
June 9, 1995AZ · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerOTHER
THERE WERE 40 MPH WINDS ON THAT DAY. EMPLOYEE WAS WEARING HIS SAFETY GLASSES AND WAS WORKING AROUND THE SHAKER SCRFEEN. THERE WAS A LOT OF DUST AND SAND AT THE PIT. SOME OF THE DUST AND SAND B LEW IN HIS EYES. HE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ALRIGHT BUT BY TUES. THE 13TH IT WAS STILL BOTHERING HIM SO HE WENT TO THE DR. HE RECEIVED A CORNEAL ABRAISION.
1993 · 1 incident
January 21, 1993AZ · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
TUFFLITE, INC. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
SUPERVISOR WAS RUNNING LOADER. THEY WERE HOISTING A MOTOR ON A PALLET. INJURED WAS GOING TO REHOOK THE CHAIN, SO SUPERVISOR LOWERED THE PALLET DOWN RIGHT ON HIS GOOT. INJURED WAS SENT IMMEDIAT ELY TO THE HOSPITAL. HE HAD TWO SMALL BONES BROKEN IN HIS FOOT.
1992 · 1 incident
July 13, 1992AZ · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorMACHINERY
59339M WAS HELPING ELEVATE AND SUPPORT FIAT TRACTOR FOR TRACK REPAIRS WHEN RIPPER TOOTH STRUCK A METAL PLATE PLACED ON GROUND TO PREVENT RIPPER SHANK FROM SINKING.STEEL FRAGMENT STRUCK VICTIMS 02864LDER,CAUSING A PUNCTURE WOUND.
1988 · 1 incident
March 21, 1988AZ · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanMACHINERY
TUFFLITE, INC. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)
LEG BECAME LODGED IN DISC SANDER WHILE OPERATIONAL CUTTING THE LEG.