Mining Incidents

CARLSBAD PLANT Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Texas United Corp
Carlsbad, Eddy County, NM  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 2901043

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
44
Years on record
2000–2026
Latest incident
Mar 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
166
citations
24
significant & substantial
$51,499
proposed penalties
$47,184
paid to date
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Quarterly safety rates
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2025 Q4 25,892 1 0 38.6
2025 Q3 27,060 5 2 184.8
2025 Q2 22,706 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 3,931 7 1 1780.7
2024 Q1 22,551 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 3,855 3 1 778.2
2023 Q3 27,715 2 0 72.2
2022 Q4 4,029 0 0 0.0
Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
November 22, 2025 NM · Metal/Non-Metal dryer operator, kiln operator, dry plant operator, fluid operator, bed dryer operator Fatality · HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck by falling object

The employee was pressure washing silo #6 and was found with their head and right arm in the silo with salt buildup on their head and right arm. The employee was pronounced dead at the scene.

Reportable incidents

43 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2026 · 2 incidents

March 13, 2026 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

03/13/26, at 8:00 PM, EE was unclogging bin #3 when a salt rock moved into the chute. Causing the employee's hand and bar to move downward. The employee's left hand struck the side railing of the chute on bin #3, impacting the lower left side of EE's left ring finger. On 03/16/26 a X-ray report indicated a closed displaced fracture of distal phalanx of left ring finger.

February 26, 2026 NM · Metal/Non-Metal bagging, package operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck against stationary object

While poking a silo the employee struck the top of EE's left hand on the spout piece, resulting in discomfort. As EE was walking down the steps, EE hit the top of left hand as well, causing further discomfort.

2025 · 5 incidents

December 30, 2025 NM · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck by flying object

Employee got a piece of debris in right eye. Employee was using an angle grinder to cut bolts from the broken elevator buckets in order to install new ones. They were wearing safety glasses. They said their eye was irritated but didn't think they needed medical attention. They reported the next morning, they wanted to go to urgent care. Urgent care physicians removed the debris.

April 28, 2025 NM · Metal/Non-Metal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was kneeling on a pile of product, as EE got up with EE's right foot, it slipped. Employee tried to break the fall with EE's right arm.

April 25, 2025 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator POWERED HAULAGE
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck by falling object

Employee was walking under the Bemis reject line when a bag fell off the conveyor, striking the employee on the left side of neck/shoulder area.

April 1, 2025 NM · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was walking down a slope, slipped on gravel and strained left knee.

2024 · 2 incidents

August 8, 2024 NM · Metal/Non-Metal painter OTHER
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Bodily reaction, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

on Aug. 8, 2024 at 8:00 am, a maintenance worker strained their back while stepping off the Bemis palletizer platform onto portable stairs. The employee saw a doctor on 8/13 and was released back to work on 8/14 with restrictions.

July 31, 2024 NM · Metal/Non-Metal electrician, lineman ELECTRICAL
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Contact with electrical current

On July 31, 2024, an experience plant electrician was assigned the task of repairing a portable conveyor. At approx. 8:28 am the conveyor was cleaned and moved into the shop for repairs. The elec. replaced a 240 v. 4 wire plug. When conveyor was plugged into an outlet and start button was pushed, the elec. received a shock, the plug was wired incorrectly. Employee was eval. at ER.

2023 · 2 incidents

June 17, 2023 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was reaching into a box and felt back pain.

February 10, 2023 NM · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Over-exertion in wielding or throwing objects

Raising a silo swing hammer from waist to chest level.

2022 · 4 incidents

September 28, 2022 NM · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was closing the shop (garage) door with the chain mechanism. The support cable broke, causing the door to free fall to the ground. With the momentum of the door going down, the chain whipped and wrapped around the right hand and ring finger of the same hand, causing a cut on ring finger.

September 5, 2022 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Worker was stacking 50# Salt Blocks on a pallet, when EE begun feeling minor pain in the middle of the back. Pain increased as shift continued and stopped stacking blocks.

February 28, 2022 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was lifting a 50lb bag of Red Iron oxide and felt pain in lower back. Took employee to the Dr. and had employee evaluated, Dr. released to restricted work duty

2018 · 1 incident

October 22, 2018 NM · Metal/Non-Metal forklift operator POWERED HAULAGE
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck by powered moving object

Employee was walking in the warehouse and a forklift came up beside employee and made a hard turn to the right and hit employee on the right side of body. It knocked employee down on the floor. Employee sprained left ankle. Employee is on restricted work duty.

2016 · 1 incident

May 16, 2016 NM · Metal/Non-Metal forklift operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck by falling object

Employee was cleaning #2 water softener bin when a chunk of salt fell from the side of bin and hit left shoulder and EE fell against metal door opening. EE had an abrasion / hematoma on left tricep. The Dr. restricted EE's work duties

2015 · 1 incident

May 28, 2015 NM · Metal/Non-Metal belt foreman, maintenance foreman, maintenance supervisor HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck by falling object

In the maintenance parts warehouse near the east door. EE was accessing a piece of pvc conduit near the wall, when he bumped A 30# fire extinguisher with his hardhat causing it to fall and hit his left forearm. He was taken to ER and received staples to close a four inch laceration

2014 · 1 incident

August 28, 2014 NM · Metal/Non-Metal forklift operator POWERED HAULAGE
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Employee entered the wrapper to remove an empty pallet. He failed to lock-out tag- out and entered the conveyor from the top walking on the middle of the belt when he removed pallet the conveyor started and pinned his right leg between the exit conveyor and the gravity rollers. He was taken to ER and fallowed up with company Dr. 08/29/2014. He is on restricted work duty.

2013 · 1 incident

September 5, 2013 NM · Metal/Non-Metal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee went to the top of water softener elevator to clean pipe and to make sure the it was switched to #1 bin. While he was up there a bug flew inside his right ear. He went to ER and the Doctor that removed the bug said there was a small hole in his ear drum ER Dr. also prescribed antibiotics

2011 · 2 incidents

July 21, 2011 NM · Metal/Non-Metal backhoe operator, trackhoe operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was stacking 50# salt blocks on a pallet, and smashed the nail on the third finger of left hand between two blocks. Employee is on restricted duty

April 3, 2011 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee picked up a 50# block of salt and turned to place it on a pallet, when he felt pain in lower back.

2010 · 4 incidents

September 2, 2010 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator POWERED HAULAGE
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While re-positioning the forks on JLD hydraulic forklift, one of the forks got stuck in the out of place position. When EE reached in with left hand to free it the fork came loose and dropped in position smashing his little finger on his left hand. Sutures were required.

August 3, 2010 NM · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck against stationary object

EE & co-worker were cutting up an old elevator housing to be disposed of when sparks from cutting metal landed on right arm causing EE to move quickly, cutting right forearm on sharp piece of metal. Sutures were required.

January 28, 2010 NM · Metal/Non-Metal gathering arm loader operator, loading machine operator, joy loader operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Fall to the walkway or working surface

EE was going up the stairs at a fast pace to the bottom hummer room, when he tripped and fell on the top landing of stairway. He had a laceration on right leg that required sutures.

January 21, 2010 NM · Metal/Non-Metal electrician, lineman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was walking up stairs on the west side of bottom east hummer. The 8th stair step fell out causing his right leg to fall into hole where step fell out. EE complained of lower back pain.

2009 · 2 incidents

August 28, 2009 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EE was helping clean waste bin, while using a swing hammer to hit the bin it came back sideways and smashed right pinky finger against the handrail. Finger is fractured. Employee is on restricted work duty.

March 13, 2009 NM · Metal/Non-Metal electrician, lineman MACHINERY
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Employee was inspecting bearing noise on pre-stretch roller when ring finger on left hand was caught by roller & mashed the end of finger & tore the skin. Finger required sutures. Employee is on restricted work duty.

2008 · 3 incidents

November 8, 2008 NM · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

The EE was trying to tighten the belt on infeed to the sewing machine. When he pushed the pulley, the infeed belt grabbed his left thumb. As a result of that, he had bad cuts on his left thumb. The thumb required sutures.

September 3, 2008 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator POWERED HAULAGE
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Employee was removing a stuck bag of salt at the eject conveyor on the Bernis palletizer. When the conveyor came up, his left arm was pinched between it and the next conveyor in line. Employee had lacerations to forearm and small hairline fracture on top side of hand. Dr at ER released him to work restricted duty 9/3/2008.

February 6, 2008 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator MACHINERY
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Employee was cleaning the #2 bag shaker. While holding the shaker up with a button and cleaning the salt off shaker he let go of the button and caught his left finger in between the v-belt and the metal grooves on the shaker. He pulled his finger out quickly and it took off half the nail.

2007 · 2 incidents

October 20, 2007 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator NONPOWERED HAULAGE
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EE & 2 other employees were attempting to hook the tongue of a power washer trailer to a 2" ball that was mounted to a manlift. EE grabbed the hitch on the tongue & when they picked up on it the trailer moved forward & pinched his right hand pinkie finger between the ground & hitch. E.R. used sutures to close the wound. (Restricted work duty.)

April 13, 2007 NM · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor POWERED HAULAGE
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was opening railcar door when the loader operator hit the coupler with loader, closing the door on his right little finger (open fracture at the first joint of the little finger).

2005 · 4 incidents

November 21, 2005 NM · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee tripped on electrical cable that goes from encline belt to block press. He fell on his left hand (fractured left forearm). Employee is on restricted work activity.

August 18, 2005 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck against stationary object

Employee was working in the area around block press scale, and run right leg into top corner edge of door on scale. He was taken to company doctor for medical treatment. Required sutures.

May 23, 2005 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator MACHINERY
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck against a moving object

EMPLOYEE STATED, WHILE STRETCHING HIS ARMS OUT, RIGHT THUMB WENT THROUGH GUARD ON CIRCULATING FAN & CUT HIS THUMB (THUMB REQUIRED 10 STITCHES).

April 5, 2005 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator POWERED HAULAGE
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck against stationary object

Ee stated that the upper waste screw for cyclone choked down. He thought the motor kicked heaters, so he lifted the cover up from screw and screw caught his glove on right hand. Cutting the first joint off of third finger and cut ring finger.

2003 · 2 incidents

September 24, 2003 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Struck against stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS ADJUSTING A BENT GUARD ON THE FRONT OF THE SEWING MACHINE WHEN HE CUT HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER (THE GUARD HAD A VERY SHARP EDGE ON IT AND WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE). REQUIRED FOUR SUTURES ON INDEX FINGER.

January 25, 2003 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE HURT LOWER BACK WHILE STACKING 50LBS OF SALT ON PALLET.

2002 · 2 incidents

August 21, 2002 NM · Metal/Non-Metal weighman, scale person SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Fall to the walkway or working surface

EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING OUT OF HER OFFICE AND TRIPPED ON A RUG IN THE HALLWAY, FALLING TO THE FLOOR AND FRACTURING HER RIGHT FOOT.

March 5, 2002 NM · Metal/Non-Metal forklift operator POWERED HAULAGE
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE STATED HE WAS CLOSING DOOR TO THE BAGGING MACHINE MAGAZINE FROM THE SEAT OF THE FORKLIFT, WHEN HIS FOOT SLIPPED OFF OF BRAKE. FORKLIFT WENT INTO FORWARD MOTION PNCHING HIS RIGHT HAND BETWEEN FORKLIFT FALL PROTECTION CAGE AND THE EGDE OF DOOR. EMPLOYEE WILL BE ON MODIFIED DUTY.

2001 · 1 incident

January 15, 2001 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EMPLOYEE TRIED TO CATCH TWO 50 LB BAGS OF SALT COMING OFF CONVEYER OR BELT. HE STATED HE HAD PAIN IN HIS LEFT ELBOW AND NUMBNESS IN INDEX AND MIDDLE FINGER.

2000 · 1 incident

April 25, 2000 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
United Salt Carlsbad LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EMPLOYEE WAS PICKING UP A 50 LB BAG OF SALT WHEN IT SLIPPED OUT OF HIS HAND WHEN HE TRIED TO CATCH IT, AND WHILE DOING SO FELT PAIN IN HIS LEFT SHOULDER.