Mining Incidents

Homestake Mining Company Of California: 12 recorded fatalities operator

Controlled by Barrick Gold Corp
MSHA operator ID: L07233

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Fatalities
12
Total incidents
2,680
Mines on record
5
Years on record
1983–2012
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
264
citations
49
significant & substantial
$72,379
proposed penalties
$72,137
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $242 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
104
inspections on record
5,761
inspection hours
4.6
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.
264 citations across 5,761 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Penalty disposition
Differences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$72K
proposed penalties
$72K
current assessed
$72K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
256 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $1K in penalties contested before the Commission, $791 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-06-25.
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.
19.0%
significant & substantial
5.8%
high negligence or reckless
19.8%
reasonably likely or greater
45.3%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.8% none, 11.2% low, 82.2% moderate, 5.8% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
Injury rate, 2015
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 2.26 and the all-US-mining average was 2.72 cases per 100 workers.
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
2015 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2014 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2013 0.00 0.00 0.000
2012 2.69 0.00 0.000
2011 0.70 0.00 0.000
2010 2.04 0.68 0.000
2009 0.00 0.00 0.000
2008 4.80 0.80 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.
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: 2013-06-13, 13 years ago
10%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
83
samples
68
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz275 over
  • Silver fumes51 over
  • Copper fumes11 over
  • Iron oxide fumes11 over
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.
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.
11 citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
  • Settled 11 · 100%
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 1 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$791 proposed, $791 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 2006-01-12. Vacated and withdrawn citations are removed from the file this view attributes through, so that outcome is slightly undercounted here.
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 operator contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
WEST 2006-206M Settlement Manning 2006 $851 → $791
WEST20000406M Withdrawal 2001 $570 → $0
WEST20010347 Withdrawal 2001 $55 → $0
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

Top causes

Incident timeline

2012
6
2011
2
2010
4
2009
1
2008
7
2006
1
2005
3
2004
2
2003
12
2002
41
2001
49
2000
57
1999
43
1998
97
1997
81
1996
112
1995
141 (1f)
1994
138 (1f)
1993
174
1992
154
1991
202 (4f)
1990
172
1989
176 (1f)
1988
205 (1f)
1987
189 (2f)
1986
148
1985
159
1984
177 (2f)
1983
127

Mines on record

Fatalities under this operator

12 recorded
January 5, 1995 SD · Metal/Non-Metal coal/ore shovel operator, shoveler, power shoveler Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Homestake Mining Company Of California · Struck by falling object

SUDDEN MASSIVE UNPREDICTABLE FAILURE OF EAST HIGHWALL RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE FALLING SLIDING ROCK CRUSHED THE 5130 SHOVEL KILLING THE OPERATOR. IT ALSO SERIOUSLY IMPACTED THE 85 TON TRU CK BEING LOADED WITH RESULTING HEAD AND LEG WOUNDS TO THE DRIVER.

November 11, 1994 SD · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man Fatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Homestake Mining Company of California · Struck by falling object

LOOSE FELL FROM BACK STRIKING MAN WORKING OUT OF BUCKET

August 6, 1991 SD · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man Fatality · MACHINERY
Homestake Mining Company of California · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY THE INVESTIGATING TEAM THAT THE JUMBO DRILL THAT WAS BEING USED WAS DRIVEN UP THE 10' X 10' INCLINE AND STOPPED AT 18 FT. FROM THE FACE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. APPAR ENTLY THE JUMBO STARTED BACK DOWN THE INCLINE TRAVELING ABOUT 33 FEET BEFORE STRIKING THE LEFT RIB OF THE INCLINE. THE IMPACT OF THE STRIKING OF THE LEFT RIB CAUSED THE JUMBO TO SWING AROUND

March 19, 1991 SD · Metal/Non-Metal driller operator Fatality · SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Homestake Mining Company of California · Fall down raise, shaft or manway

EMPL WAS WORKING A DIAMOND DRILL OPERATORAT 4100 LEVEL 69 STOPE 17L & WAS LAST HEARD FROM WHEN HE ALLED TELE OPER AROUND 11:00AM EMPL WAS FOUND IN 46 BOREHOLE 4100-4400 APPROX 4:40 PM.

March 15, 1991 SD · Metal/Non-Metal Fatality · FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS
Homestake Mining Company of California · Struck by falling object

EMPLS WERE PUSHING CABLE BOLTS INTO HOLE BY HAND. FIRST CABLE FELL OUT OF HOLE & STRUCK EMPL ON RIGHT SIDE OF NECK SEVERING ARTERY.

January 20, 1991 SD · Metal/Non-Metal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss Fatality · EXPLODING VESSELS UNDER PRESSURE
Homestake Mining Company of California · Struck against stationary object

WORKING ON ENERGIZED AIR LINE.

January 19, 1989 SD · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler Fatality · HOISTING
Homestake Mining Company of California · Drowning

VICTIM AND PARTNER WERE TRAVELING DOWN ROSS SHAFT BELOW THE 5000 LEVEL TO CHECK WATER LEVEL IN SUMP WHEN CAGE SUDDENLY STRUCK WATER IN THE SHAFT. CAGE WAS QUICKLY FILLED WITH WATER AND VICTI M WAS WASHED OUT OF THE CAGE AS IT WAS LIFTED BACK OUT OF T HE WATER.

October 6, 1988 SD · Metal/Non-Metal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Homestake Mining Company of California · Struck against a moving object

SCRAPER #26-821 OPERATED BY I.NAME RETURNING TO LOADING AREA EMPTY WAS STRUCK BY SCRAPER OPERATED BY I.NAME WHO WAS EMPLOYED BY SUMMIT INC

December 16, 1987 CA · Metal/Non-Metal belt foreman, maintenance foreman, maintenance supervisor Fatality · MACHINERY
Homestake Mining Company of California · Struck by powered moving object

I NAME WAS STAN8ING DIRECTLY BELOW THE MOBILE CRANE BOOM GIVING THE CRANE OPERATOR SIGNAL DIRECTIONS WHEN THE HEADACH BALL FELL FREE FROM THE BOOM STRIKING I NAME ON THE HEAD

January 30, 1987 SD · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man Fatality · SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Homestake Mining Company of California · Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

I.NAME WAS OPER5TING A MOTOR WITH A STRING OF NINE CARS AND WAS TRAVELING THROUGH THE DUMP WHEN THE TRAIN CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP WITH THE SECOND CAR ON THE CAMEL-BACK. HE APPARENTLY GOT OFF TH E MOTOR TO DETE9MINE THE CAUSE OF THE STOP. HE APPARANTLY APPOACHED THE OPEN DUMP AND REACHED UP FOR THE WAND SWITCH TO TURN OFF THE WATER SPRAYS AND FELL INTO THE OPEN

September 1, 1984 SD · Metal/Non-Metal cage/cager/station attendant Fatality · HOISTING
Homestake Mining Company of California · Fall down raise, shaft or manway

I.NAME HOISTING RAIL TRUCK LOADED WITH USED DRILL STEEL,PIPE OTHER MISC.SEVERAL LONGER PIECES OF STEEL WERE ALSO PLACED UNSECURED AT AN ANGLE IN THE CAGE.APPARENTLY ONE OF THESE LONG PIECES SL IPPED AND BECAME CAUGHT IN SIDE OF SHAFT AS CAGE WAS MOVING UPWARD.THE MOVEMENT CAUSED STEEL AND CAGE GATE TO BECOME ENTANGLED AND TORN AWAY.I.ANME FATALLY INJURED WHEN HE FELL OR WAS THROWN

July 24, 1984 SD · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator Fatality · SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Homestake Mining Company of California · Fall from machine

I.NAME FELL FROM ROSS CRUSHER ROOM CRANE TROLLEY WHILE IN PROCESS OF HELPING REAVE AND HANG NEW TRAVELER BLOCK FOR TIGER OVERHEAD CRANE.

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

Where Homestake Mining Company Of California stands on silica, penalties, and injury rate

MSHA's standard limits respirable silica to 50 micrograms per cubic metre, but MSHA publishes dust and quartz as separate files and never the silica figure itself. We derive it per sample, score it against the limit, and set the operator's injury rate against a benchmark built from the full MSHA operator record. With the 26-year penalty trail, contest posture, and fatality history. Delivered as a PDF with the underlying data as CSV.

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