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43491: 1 recorded fatality Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Knife River Corporation
Sauk Rapids, Benton County, MN  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 2100462

43491 has $112K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
8
Years on record
1995–2015
Latest incident
May 2015
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2007
19
citations
7
significant & substantial
$112,260
proposed penalties
$84,310
paid to date
75% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $27,950 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Knife River North Central's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
24
inspections on record
577
inspection hours
n/a
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: 577 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: 2014-11-19.
On record since 2014.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

43491 has $112K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 3 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.
$112K
proposed penalties
$84K
current assessed
$84K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
16 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $160K in penalties contested before the Commission, $79K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2014-11-19.
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.
43.8%
significant & substantial
12.5%
high negligence or reckless
43.8%
reasonably likely or greater
56.2%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 43.8% low, 43.8% moderate, 12.5% high, 0.0% reckless.
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.
4 citations taken to the federal commission · 21% of citations on record
  • Settled 3 · 75%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 1 · 25%
75%
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%
50%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$160K proposed, $79K 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 2014-06-09.
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.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
LAKE 2014-0525 Settlement Barbour 2014 $105K → $30K
LAKE 2013-473M Settlement Paez 2014 $52K → $47K
LAKE 2011-756M Settlement Paez 2012 $2K → $2K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
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: 2010-11-03, 15 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
7
samples
5
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz5
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg2
Show the individual readings (7)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2010-11-03 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.37 0.73 0.51 Crusher Oper/Worker
2010-11-03 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.35 0.84 0.42 Front-end Loader Operator
2010-06-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.26 1.23 0.21 Crusher Oper/Worker
2010-06-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-11-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.23 0.74 0.31 Crusher Oper/Worker
2003-12-16 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.12 0.67 0.18 Crusher Oper/Worker
2003-12-16 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
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.
Ownership history
  1. Knife River North Central 1950 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2015 3
2014 3
2013 3
2012 4
2011 2
2010 2
2009 2
2008 3
2007 4
2006 2
2005 3
2004 6
2003 5
2002 4
2001 3
2000 3
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

43491 sits in Benton County, Minnesota, where the Census mining category is 0.1% 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.
Benton County, Minnesota · Population 41,458
0.1%
Mining share of county employment
$71,480
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
2015 Q4 415 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 429 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 477 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 1 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 567 3 1 5291.0
2014 Q3 477 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 329 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 1 0 0 0.0
Show 55 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2013 Q4 225 4 2 17777.8
2013 Q3 407 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 467 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 1 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 1,310 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 758 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 735 5 3 6802.7
2012 Q1 38 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 328 1 0 3048.8
2011 Q3 938 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 968 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 0 0 0
2010 Q4 342 1 1 2924.0
2010 Q3 654 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 572 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 0 0 0
2009 Q4 302 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 1,270 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 152 1 0 6578.9
2009 Q1 0 0 0
2008 Q4 238 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 974 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 550 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 0 0 0
2007 Q4 541 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 727 4 0 5502.1
2007 Q2 958 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 0 0 0
2006 Q4 742 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 730 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 1,031 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 19 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 653 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 642 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 19 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 781 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 884 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 1,025 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 136 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 795 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 970 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 951 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 172 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 837 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 975 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 770 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 3 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 672 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 959 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 642 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 0 0 0
2000 Q4 557 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 684 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 789 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 139 0 0 0.0

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
December 8, 2011 MN · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Knife River North Central · Struck by falling object

Employee was placing removable legs on a transfer conveyor. Conveyor was held in place by a loader. Removable leg fell and struck employee in the face, fatally injuring the employee.

Reportable incidents

7 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2015 · 1 incident

May 8, 2015 MN · Metal/Non-Metal crusher attendant/operator, pan feeder operator/worker HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Knife River North Central · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was lifting power cords overhead and felt a "pop" in his neck and shoulder. He was taken to our doctor who referred him to a chiropractor. The chiropractor adjusted his neck and shoulder.

2013 · 1 incident

October 1, 2013 MN · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Knife River North Central · Fall from scaffolds, walkways, platforms

Fell 15 feet to the ground while on the cat walk of jaw crusher directing backhoe operator.

2006 · 1 incident

March 29, 2006 MN · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman ELECTRICAL
Knife River North Central · Flash burns (electric)

EE was cleaning electrical cord end and touched power to ground.

2004 · 1 incident

November 2, 2004 MN · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Knife River North Central · Struck by flying object

EE was driving a wedge to split the top shell from the bottom shell when the wedge fractured and a piece of the wedge struck him just in front of the rt ear (temple area).

2003 · 1 incident

October 23, 2003 MN · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator MACHINERY
Knife River North Central · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS REPAIRING CRUSHER USING GRINDER. GOT A PARTICLE IN EYE.

2002 · 1 incident

September 25, 2002 MN · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS
Knife River North Central · Struck by falling object

LADDER FROM CRUSHER FELL AGAINST CONVEYOR, THEN CAME BACK AND HIT THE EMPLOYEE IN THE FACE.

1995 · 1 incident

April 10, 1995 MN · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator POWERED HAULAGE
Knife River North Central · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

USING A BAR TO UNPLUG CRUSHER. BAR SLIPPED, AND IN ATTEMPT TO CATCH IT, EE JUMPED ONTO THE BELTING OF CONVEYOR. WEIGHT CAUSED THE BELTING TO BE DRAWN OVER THE TAIL PULLEY, WEDGED THE BELTING A ND HIS FEET BETWEEN TAIL PULLWY AND HOPPER.