Valley Rock Products - Willows has $290K in proposed MSHA penalties and $190K outstanding across 2 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
10
Years on record
1985–2018
Latest incident
Dec 2018
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
191
citations
53
significant & substantial
$290,028
proposed penalties
$45,952
paid to date
16% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $244,076 gap.
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: 737 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Valley Rock Products - Willows has $290K in proposed MSHA penalties and $190K outstanding across 2 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.
$290K
proposed penalties
$236K
current assessed
$46K
paid to date
$190K
outstanding
168 assessments are final orders; 2 contested dockets.
Of $73K in penalties contested before the Commission, $18K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-06-24.
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.
31citations taken to the federal commission · 16% of citations on record
Settled
17 · 55%
Still open
14 · 45%
67%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 9 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
75%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$73K proposed, $18K 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 2026-03-04.
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: 2025-10-16
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
11
samples
2
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg8
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz3
Show the individual readings (11)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2025-10-16
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Screen/Scalper Operator
2023-08-17
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Laborer, Bullgang
2021-01-28
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2018-04-24
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.19
Crusher Oper/Worker
2018-04-24
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2014-10-08
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.23
0.49
0.47
Front-end Loader Operator
2009-05-12
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Washer Operator
2009-05-12
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Scale Man
2003-02-12
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Washer Operator
2003-02-12
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.14
1.27
0.11
Scale Man
2003-02-12
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader 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
2026
15
2025
13
2024
8
2023
7
2022
6
2021
7
2020
5
2019
5
2018
6
2017
5
2016
3
2015
3
2014
3
2013
4
2012
3
2011
4
2010
4
2009
5
2008
5
2007
6
2006
4
2005
3
2004
3
2003
3
2002
4
2001
4
2000
6
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Valley Rock Products - Willows sits in Glenn County, California, where the Census mining category is 0.4% 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.
Glenn County, California · Population 28,623
0.4%
Mining share of county employment
$70,487
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
2,157
4
0
1854.4
2026 Q1
2,822
0
0
0.0
2025 Q4
2,429
31
17
12762.5
2025 Q3
2,451
2
2
816.0
2025 Q2
2,199
23
4
10459.3
2025 Q1
1,930
2
0
1036.3
2024 Q4
2,472
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
1,915
1
0
522.2
Show 97 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
2,465
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
2,605
0
0
0.0
2023 Q4
2,571
2
0
777.9
2023 Q3
2,006
1
0
498.5
2023 Q2
2,381
0
0
0.0
2023 Q1
1,896
0
0
0.0
2022 Q4
1,992
1
0
502.0
2022 Q3
1,983
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
1,708
5
0
2927.4
2022 Q1
2,175
1
0
459.8
2021 Q4
2,136
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
2,135
2
0
936.8
2021 Q2
2,299
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
2,347
3
0
1278.2
2020 Q4
2,189
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
1,947
0
0
0.0
2020 Q2
2,447
1
0
408.7
2020 Q1
1,847
0
0
0.0
2019 Q4
1,930
3
1
1554.4
2019 Q3
1,870
4
1
2139.0
2019 Q2
1,980
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
2,653
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
2,305
5
0
2169.2
2018 Q3
1,744
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
2,613
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
2,958
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
2,748
3
0
1091.7
2017 Q3
1,913
1
0
522.7
2017 Q2
1,826
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
1,560
0
0
0.0
2016 Q4
1,584
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
1,274
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
2,166
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
1,680
1
0
595.2
2015 Q3
1,680
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
1,609
1
0
621.5
2015 Q1
1,867
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
1,408
2
0
1420.5
2014 Q3
2,002
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
1,905
5
0
2624.7
2014 Q1
2,191
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
1,702
4
1
2350.2
2013 Q3
1,507
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
2,334
4
0
1713.8
2013 Q1
1,239
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
1,526
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
2,441
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
1,143
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
848
3
0
3537.7
2011 Q4
1,206
0
0
0.0
2011 Q3
2,172
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
1,783
1
0
560.9
2011 Q1
1,658
0
0
0.0
2010 Q4
1,950
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
2,001
3
0
1499.3
2010 Q2
2,223
0
0
0.0
2010 Q1
1,014
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
2,520
15
9
5952.4
2009 Q3
2,303
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
3,093
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
2,210
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
2,508
2
0
797.4
2008 Q3
2,766
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
2,153
4
3
1857.9
2008 Q1
1,716
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
1,935
1
0
516.8
2007 Q3
1,997
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
1,936
0
0
0.0
2007 Q1
1,883
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
2,125
3
0
1411.8
2006 Q3
2,560
8
4
3125.0
2006 Q2
1,978
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
2,142
10
2
4668.5
2005 Q4
2,128
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
2,241
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
2,119
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
1,777
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
2,520
5
0
1984.1
2004 Q3
2,738
7
3
2556.6
2004 Q2
2,208
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
1,694
4
1
2361.3
2003 Q4
1,935
1
0
516.8
2003 Q3
1,937
1
1
516.3
2003 Q2
1,885
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
1,885
1
0
530.5
2002 Q4
1,872
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
1,771
0
0
0.0
2002 Q2
1,320
0
0
0.0
2002 Q1
2,054
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
2,948
1
0
339.2
2001 Q3
1,735
1
1
576.4
2001 Q2
2,175
2
1
919.5
2001 Q1
1,512
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
2,104
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
2,279
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
2,513
1
0
397.9
2000 Q1
4,358
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
10 on file
2018 · 1 incident
December 7, 2018CA · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee was adjusting the door on the feed hopper at the crusher. The door has a handle to lift to raise or lower door. As the employee lifted up on handle employee strained a muscle in employee's back.
2006 · 1 incident
September 15, 2006CA · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
WHILE EMPLOYE EWAS GREASING THE DISCHARGE BELT ON TEH CRUSHER. EMPLOYEE WAS USING A WOODEN PLANK AS A WALKWAY BETWEEN TEH BERM AND THE BELT. EMPLOYEE SLIPPED ON TEH PLANT WHICH WAS WET FROM THE CURRENT RAINS. BRUISING HIS RIGHT RIBS AND KIDNEY.
WHILE INSPECTING A BELT ON THE DISCHARGE CONVEYOR, STEPPING DOWN CAUGHT WEDDING BAND ON THE GUARD, CAUSING A LACERATION ON THE RING FINGER OF THE LEFT HAND.
1991 · 1 incident
August 23, 1991CA · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
WHILE CLEANING THE SCREEN ON THE CRUSHER WITH A SLEDGE HAMMER, HIT FINGER WITH THE SLEDGE HAMMER AGAINST THE SCREEN, CAUSING A LACERATION THAT NEDED SUTURES
1985 · 1 incident
April 1, 1985CA · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON