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Knife River Construction Vernalis Plant: 1 recorded fatality Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Knife River Corporation
TRACY, San Joaquin County, CA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 0405459

Knife River Construction Vernalis Plant has $119K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
5
Years on record
2006–2023
Latest incident
Sep 2023
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
53
citations
7
significant & substantial
$118,727
proposed penalties
$101,087
paid to date
85% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $17,640 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Knife River Construction's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
76
inspections on record
1,033
inspection hours
5.1
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.
53 citations across 1,033 inspection hours.
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: 2013-05-01.
On record since 2013.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

Knife River Construction Vernalis Plant has $119K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 5 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.
$119K
proposed penalties
$101K
current assessed
$101K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
51 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $114K in penalties contested before the Commission, $97K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-06-11.
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.
13.7%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
15.7%
reasonably likely or greater
64.7%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 5.9% none, 17.6% low, 76.5% moderate, 0.0% 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.
8 citations taken to the federal commission · 15% of citations on record
  • Settled 8 · 100%
50%
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%
15%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$114K proposed, $97K 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 2024-05-23.
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
WEST 2015-0883 Settlement Miller 2016 $105K → $88K
WEST 2024-0242 Settlement Simonton 2025 $7K → $7K
WEST 2013-1009M Prevail Manning 2014 $1K → $1K
WEST 2015-0497 Settlement Paez 2015 $525 → $525
WEST 2009-500M Settlement Lesnick 2011 $100 → $100
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: 2021-02-04, 5 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
17
samples
8
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg9
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz8
Show the individual readings (17)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2021-02-04 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Hydrating Plant Operator
2021-02-04 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2019-04-30 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Building Repair/Maint.
2019-04-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.24 0.76 0.32 Building Repair/Maint.
2018-04-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.31 0.62 0.50 Laborer, Bullgang
2014-07-02 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.13 0.54 0.24 Crusher Oper/Worker
2014-07-02 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.21 0.27 0.78 Crusher Oper/Worker
2014-07-02 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Scraper Operator
2014-07-02 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Scraper Operator
2009-10-28 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Scraper Operator
2009-10-28 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.58 0.67 0.87 Laborer, Bullgang
2009-10-28 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2009-10-28 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Scraper Operator
2005-05-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.2 1.26 0.16 Scraper Operator
2005-05-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.16 0.6 0.27 Scraper Operator
2005-05-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Scraper Operator
2005-05-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.21 0.47 0.45 Washer 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.

Knife River Construction Vernalis Plant recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.

Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ 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 1.65 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In California, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.42 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
2025 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2024 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2023 * 5.75 0.00 0.000
2022 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2021 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2020 * 6.54 0.00 0.000
2019 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2018 * 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.
Ownership history
  1. Knife River Construction 2000 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 19
2025 19
2024 19
2023 17
2022 15
2021 13
2020 13
2019 13
2018 12
2017 8
2016 8
2015 9
2014 11
2013 11
2012 11
2011 10
2010 9
2009 8
2008 10
2007 14
2006 14
2005 14
2004 13
2003 12
2002 11
2001 9
2000 9
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Knife River Construction Vernalis Plant sits in San Joaquin County, California, 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.
San Joaquin County, California · Population 787,416
0.1%
Mining share of county employment
$88,531
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
2026 Q2 8,821 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 8,706 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 8,492 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 9,974 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 9,929 1 1 100.7
2025 Q1 9,635 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 9,030 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 9,349 1 0 107.0
Show 95 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 9,583 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 7,464 1 0 134.0
2023 Q4 8,774 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 9,527 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 9,475 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 7,009 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 7,025 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 8,788 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 8,340 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 7,497 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 6,623 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 7,812 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 8,338 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 7,733 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 7,365 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 7,480 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 7,653 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 8,102 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 6,430 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 8,268 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 7,663 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 5,189 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 6,880 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 7,702 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 7,234 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 6,475 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 6,866 2 0 291.3
2017 Q3 6,893 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 5,893 1 0 169.7
2017 Q1 4,035 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 5,770 1 0 173.3
2016 Q3 5,878 1 0 170.1
2016 Q2 6,293 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 5,422 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 6,287 2 0 318.1
2015 Q3 6,455 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 5,696 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 5,302 5 2 943.0
2014 Q4 4,844 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 5,690 1 0 175.7
2014 Q2 5,560 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 4,225 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 5,238 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 8,019 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 6,378 3 0 470.4
2013 Q1 4,178 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 4,943 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 6,825 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 5,023 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 5,483 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 5,419 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 8,072 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 5,392 1 0 185.5
2011 Q1 2,918 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 3,670 2 0 545.0
2010 Q3 6,332 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 6,264 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 2,349 3 1 1277.1
2009 Q4 3,890 2 0 514.1
2009 Q3 6,269 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 4,373 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 2,801 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 4,759 1 0 210.1
2008 Q3 6,058 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 6,077 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 4,420 0 0 0.0
2007 Q4 6,054 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 7,540 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 7,688 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 7,096 4 0 563.7
2006 Q4 6,853 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 8,037 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 7,654 2 0 261.3
2006 Q1 7,122 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 7,946 2 0 251.7
2005 Q3 8,266 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 9,289 1 0 107.7
2005 Q1 7,603 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 6,642 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 8,099 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 7,661 1 0 130.5
2004 Q1 7,165 1 0 139.6
2003 Q4 7,631 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 7,773 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 7,385 2 1 270.8
2003 Q1 7,006 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 7,631 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 9,720 2 1 205.8
2002 Q2 6,749 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 5,418 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 6,408 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 6,164 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 5,170 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 4,793 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 4,967 9 0 1812.0

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
January 8, 2015 CA · Metal/Non-Metal clerk, timekeeper, office worker, director of sales Fatality · MACHINERY
Knife River Construction · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Knife River miners were replacing a screen. Our sales representative was on site. He was on site to provide technical assistance. He was struck in the head by the feeder box. EMS was notified and responded. A Knife River operator notified MSHA within 15 minutes. Injured person was taken to the hospital where he then passed away.

Reportable incidents

4 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2023 · 1 incident

September 1, 2023 CA · Metal/Non-Metal crane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, rigger MACHINERY
Knife River Construction · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Replacing a coarse material washer (CMW) located inside a tub the employee was pinned between the CMW and a material chute above the tub. the employee was pinned for approximately 30 seconds, briefly lost consciousness and suffered bruising to the ribs and chest.

2020 · 1 incident

November 19, 2020 CA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
Knife River Construction · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Laceration to the non-dominant hand, Right ring finger approx 1/2 inch in length. 7 stitches. Employee was unbolting a screen deck with a leather glove and battery operated impact tool. As EE was removing the bolt, the bolt spun and it had a small metal bur on the end. Which spun and cut the glove and the employee's finger on the distal digit (tip) of finger.

2007 · 1 incident

February 15, 2007 CA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Knife River Construction · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Two men were replacing bottom seal ring on cone crusher. The seal ring slipped off retaining lip while installing bolts mashing man's left hand 2nd finger between ring and main shaft.

2006 · 1 incident

June 28, 2006 CA · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
Knife River Construction · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Reportable hearing loss 1-16-06 had sinus infection after repeted doctor visits, M.R.I, Cat Scan, Full audio Tests, on 6-28-06 doctor was unable to rule out noise induced hearing loss, damage may have been as mutch as 10 year ago. hearing loss in both ears in exess of 10 db