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Yard 88 - Pontiac: 243 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

VCNA Prairie LLC · Surface
Controlled by VOTORANTIM CIMENTOS
Pontiac, Livingston County, IL  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 1103029

Yard 88 - Pontiac has $50K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
21
Years on record
2004–2026
Latest incident
Jul 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
243
citations
26
significant & substantial
$50,321
proposed penalties
$46,269
paid to date
92% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $4,052 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See VCNA Prairie LLC's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
82
inspections on record
1,318
inspection hours
18.4
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.
243 citations across 1,318 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Yard 88 - Pontiac has $50K 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.
$50K
proposed penalties
$46K
current assessed
$46K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
243 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $11K in penalties contested before the Commission, $6K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-03-18.
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.
10.7%
significant & substantial
2.9%
high negligence or reckless
11.5%
reasonably likely or greater
38.7%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.8% none, 28.8% low, 67.5% moderate, 2.9% 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.
15 citations taken to the federal commission · 6% of citations on record
  • Settled 14 · 93%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 1 · 7%
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 6 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
43%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$10K proposed, $6K 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 2021-09-12.
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 2021-0204 Settlement Bulluck 2022 $8K → $5K
LAKE 2020-0188 Settlement McCarthy 2020 $2K → $332
LAKE 2009-492M Settlement Miller 2010 $414 → $362
LAKE20000075M Settlement Bulluck 2000 $224 → $135
LAKE 2004-69-M Default Lesnick 2004 $180 → $180
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: 2026-03-19
21%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
28
samples
24
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz114 over
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz111 over
  • Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz3
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg3
Show the individual readings (28)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2018-04-25 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 20.56 10 2.06 Truck Driver
2018-04-25 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 32.66 10 3.27 Cleanup Man
2010-05-04 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 16.53 10 1.65 Cleanup Man
2010-04-06 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 25.53 10 2.55 Cleanup Man
2005-04-27 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 3.52 1.25 2.82 Utility Man
2026-03-19 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2026-03-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.2 Crusher Oper/Worker
2022-06-30 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.12 10 0.01 Cleanup Man
2022-06-30 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 7.52 10 0.75 Cleanup Man
2022-06-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.29 0.66 0.44 Crusher Oper/Worker
2018-05-22 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 0.19 10 0.02 Front-end Loader Operator
2018-05-22 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 9.63 10 0.96 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2018-05-22 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 2.25 10 0.23 Truck Driver
2018-05-22 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 1.13 10 0.11 Truck Driver
2018-04-25 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 6.95 10 0.70 Cleanup Man
2018-04-25 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.15 10 0.02 Cleanup Man
2014-04-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.62 1.05 0.59 Utility Man
2014-04-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.34 1.08 0.31 Front-end Loader Operator
2010-06-09 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 5.94 10 0.59 Cleanup Man
2010-04-06 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2010-04-06 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.46 1.23 0.37 Truck Driver
2010-04-06 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.35 1.12 0.31 Building Repair/Maint.
2010-04-06 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2005-08-02 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 2.02 2.7 0.75 Utility Man
2005-04-27 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.23 1.61 0.14 Truck Driver
2005-04-27 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.21 1.42 0.15 Truck Driver
2003-06-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.68 3.06 0.22 Laborer, Bullgang
2003-06-19 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.18 10 0.02 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.

Yard 88 - Pontiac recorded 4.42 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.
4.42
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above 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 Illinois, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.41 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 * 4.42 0.00 0.000
2024 * 11.42 0.00 0.000
2023 * 6.81 6.81 0.000
2022 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2021 * 4.79 0.00 0.000
2020 * 4.32 0.00 0.000
2019 * 5.03 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. Prairie Material Sales, Inc. 1998 to 2008
  2. VCNA Prairie LLC 2008 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 17
2025 18
2024 16
2023 15
2022 18
2021 20
2020 20
2019 17
2018 16
2017 17
2016 16
2015 16
2014 15
2013 13
2012 15
2011 17
2010 25
2009 17
2008 18
2007 21
2006 16
2005 15
2004 15
2003 21
2002 14
2001 15
2000 12
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Yard 88 - Pontiac sits in Livingston County, Illinois, 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.
Livingston County, Illinois · Population 35,659
0.1%
Mining share of county employment
$70,796
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 9,673 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 8,304 3 0 361.3
2025 Q4 11,429 2 0 175.0
2025 Q3 13,000 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 12,582 1 0 79.5
2025 Q1 8,192 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 11,676 4 1 342.6
2024 Q3 9,032 1 0 110.7
Show 98 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 7,730 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 6,592 2 0 303.4
2023 Q4 6,869 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 6,523 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 10,214 6 0 587.4
2023 Q1 5,769 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 8,082 6 0 742.4
2022 Q3 10,518 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 10,664 6 0 562.6
2022 Q1 5,730 7 0 1221.6
2021 Q4 12,170 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 11,862 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 11,659 10 2 857.7
2021 Q1 6,102 3 0 491.6
2020 Q4 11,241 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 13,827 1 1 72.3
2020 Q2 14,984 9 0 600.6
2020 Q1 6,289 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 9,158 10 1 1091.9
2019 Q3 13,513 2 0 148.0
2019 Q2 11,857 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 5,216 4 0 766.9
2018 Q4 8,208 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 10,126 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 7,989 13 2 1627.2
2018 Q1 5,890 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 7,858 1 1 127.3
2017 Q3 11,288 3 0 265.8
2017 Q2 10,329 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 7,781 2 0 257.0
2016 Q4 8,567 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 10,731 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 10,712 3 0 280.1
2016 Q1 6,356 5 0 786.7
2015 Q4 8,902 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 10,903 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 9,314 4 1 429.5
2015 Q1 6,162 1 0 162.3
2014 Q4 8,943 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 9,525 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 8,603 9 0 1046.1
2014 Q1 4,629 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 6,843 5 0 730.7
2013 Q3 7,951 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 7,145 4 0 559.8
2013 Q1 5,661 3 0 529.9
2012 Q4 8,064 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 10,707 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 10,362 2 1 193.0
2012 Q1 5,727 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 6,883 5 0 726.4
2011 Q3 8,795 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 11,063 7 2 632.7
2011 Q1 9,102 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 12,043 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 19,147 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 15,991 6 0 375.2
2010 Q1 10,091 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 5,423 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 17,132 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 12,248 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 4,802 7 3 1457.7
2008 Q4 9,521 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 9,415 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 8,859 7 0 790.2
2008 Q1 8,470 0 0 0.0
2007 Q4 8,649 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 13,414 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 13,515 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 8,735 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 10,337 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 12,806 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 9,783 9 0 920.0
2006 Q1 7,495 9 2 1200.8
2005 Q4 7,209 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 7,969 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 7,776 5 0 643.0
2005 Q1 4,491 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 2,864 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 6,867 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 6,389 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 5,669 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 10,206 7 0 685.9
2003 Q3 9,781 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 10,687 3 0 280.7
2003 Q1 7,150 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 9,848 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 9,619 4 0 415.8
2002 Q2 9,041 18 2 1990.9
2002 Q1 10,305 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 8,141 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 9,904 2 0 201.9
2001 Q2 7,268 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 4,929 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 6,267 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 7,481 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 6,461 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 5,252 6 1 1142.4
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

21 on file

2026 · 1 incident

July 8, 2026 IL · Metal/Non-Metal rotary bucket excavator operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
VCNA Prairie LLC · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

An employee was cleaning the tracks of an excavator when they felt a pop above their groin. Was treating with first aid measures until restrictions were given on 7/21

2025 · 1 incident

June 5, 2025 IL · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
VCNA Prairie LLC · Struck by flying object

During crusher maintenance that involved rotating crusher blow bars, one employee was using a sledgehammer to dislodge the blow bar wedges. While striking the wedge, the employee missed and inadvertently struck the rotor. As a result, a metal fragment broke off and struck a nearby employee in the chest.

2024 · 2 incidents

October 8, 2024 IL · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
VCNA Prairie LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While attempting to reattach a fallen guard on a crusher discharge tail pulley belt, an employee grabbed the guard through the openings and began to lift it into place. During this process, the guard at the back of the tail pulley was accidentally dislodged from its hook, resulting in a shearing injury to the employees left ring finger.

June 27, 2024 IL · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
VCNA Prairie LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee used skid steer to take crusher blow bar pallets off of delivery truck. Once pallets were on ground employee tried sliding one blow bar to another skid to condense and stack skids for loading purposes onto a trailer to take back to main plant. When sliding blow bar, left pointer finger got pinched and caused a laceration to tip of finger.

2023 · 1 incident

March 12, 2023 IL · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer HANDLING OF MATERIALS
VCNA Prairie LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Operator was installing a new return roller when it slipped out of position and pinched the employee's finger between the roller and frame

2021 · 1 incident

May 19, 2021 IL · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
VCNA Prairie LLC · Fall onto or against objects

Employee was showing another employee how to use quick disconnect on CAT skid steer. Used foot to move the lever and pant leg got caught. Employee was un-successful in catching self, EE lost EE's balance, and fell on top of disconnect piece protruding from the machine. Employee fell with EE's back hitting the piece.

2020 · 1 incident

April 18, 2020 IL · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
VCNA Prairie LLC · Struck by flying object

HDPE Pipe had fallen and workers were attempting to lift the pipe back up. Pipe became lodged behind angle iron and closer worker bent down to get a tool to try and pry the HDPE pipe loose. At that moment, the other worker, who was further away, managed to loosen the pipe and it flung backwards hitting the worker in the face. Safety glasses pushed in on face.

2019 · 1 incident

June 11, 2019 IL · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
VCNA Prairie LLC · Fall onto or against objects

Employee was looking under the truck for an oil leak, when turned away stepped on a 3 to 4 inch rock and fell and fractured hand.

2015 · 1 incident

March 11, 2015 IL · Metal/Non-Metal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
VCNA Prairie LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

He took a wrench and tried to loosen slide bolts, after a few turns, employee attempted one last turn and the wrench slipped off the bolt. The pressure from the wrench hyper-extended his thumb causing it to break.

2013 · 1 incident

February 7, 2013 IL · Metal/Non-Metal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
VCNA Prairie LLC · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee got out of loader to retrieve a piece of metal from the work area. Stepped on golf-ball size rock, causing his foot to slip. He fell onto his knee and felt a pop. Went to hospital and was diagnosed with a torn MCL.

2009 · 1 incident

July 8, 2009 IL · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
VCNA Prairie LLC · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Employee was using wrench to adjust take up on tail pulley. Strained muscle while pulling on wrench.

2008 · 2 incidents

September 24, 2008 IL · Metal/Non-Metal quality control technician, laboratory technician, laboratory assistant HANDLING OF MATERIALS
VCNA Prairie LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Lifting five-gallon bucket of rock to put into splitter for testing.

April 25, 2008 IL · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
VCNA Prairie LLC · Fall to the walkway or working surface

While helping change screens on screening units, tripped over cable that was attached to rollaway to pull chute away from screen, resulting in contusions to right hand and knee.

2007 · 1 incident

April 4, 2007 IL · Metal/Non-Metal crane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, rigger OTHER
Prairie Material Sales, Inc. · Struck by flying object

windy conditions, blowing debris around. debris entered eye around safety glasses

2005 · 4 incidents

December 14, 2005 IL · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Prairie Material Sales, Inc. · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While shoveling rock from under conveyor, had sharp pain in back of neck.

December 13, 2005 IL · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Prairie Material Sales, Inc. · Struck against stationary object

While performing repairs to hazemag crusher, during repairs bumped elbow.

October 17, 2005 IL · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Prairie Material Sales, Inc. · Fall from machine

EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING ON CONVEYOR BELT. HE LOST HIS FOOTING. EMPLOYEE FELL 15 FEET 5 INCHES TO THE GROUND. POSSIBLE BACK, LUNG AND RIB INJURIES ON LEFT SIDE.

March 9, 2005 IL · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer ELECTRICAL
Prairie Material Sales, Inc. · Contact with electrical current

Wiring secondary disconnect box without proper lock-out causing electrical burn to hand. Written disciplinary action taken.

2004 · 3 incidents