Mining Incidents

Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC: 24 recorded fatalities operator

Controlled by Vulcan Materials Company
MSHA operator ID: L16168

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Fatalities
24
Total incidents
4,757
Mines on record
253
Years on record
1983–2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
11,006
citations
1,703
significant & substantial
$2,826,589
proposed penalties
$2,453,520
paid to date
87% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $373,069 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
13,087
inspections on record
256,914
inspection hours
4.3
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.
11,006 citations across 256,914 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Penalty disposition
Differences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$2.8M
proposed penalties
$2.5M
current assessed
$2.5M
paid to date
$7K
outstanding
10,796 assessments are final orders; 531 contested dockets.
Of $1.2M in penalties contested before the Commission, $731K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-07-08.
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.
15.6%
significant & substantial
3.5%
high negligence or reckless
15.6%
reasonably likely or greater
46.7%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.3% none, 20.1% low, 76.1% moderate, 3.5% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
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.
1.07
total case rate
0.59
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.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2026 1.24 0.84 0.000
2025 1.07 0.59 0.000
2024 1.16 0.60 0.000
2023 1.21 0.60 0.018
2022 1.06 0.33 0.000
2021 1.15 0.45 0.000
2020 1.12 0.60 0.022
2019 1.04 0.34 0.021
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.
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: 2026-08-05
4%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
5,943
samples
2,513
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz1,44145 over
  • Diesel particulate (total carbon)30726 over
  • Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz12213 over
  • TCarbon @ 350468 over

Area samples (mill and shop air)

Last sampled: 2026-04-08
71
samples
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.
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.
683 citations taken to the federal commission · 6% of citations on record
  • Settled 556 · 81%
  • Stood as issued 120 · 18%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 4 · 1%
  • Still open 3 · 0%
68%
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 293 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
34%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$1.0M proposed, $664K 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 2026-08-04. Vacated and withdrawn citations are removed from the file this view attributes through, so that outcome is slightly undercounted here.
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 operator contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
SE 2017-0122 Settlement Miller 2017 $106K → $70K
SE 20000095M Settlement Weisberger 2000 $105K → $30K
SE 2024-0020 Settlement Paez 2026 $86K → $68K
SE 2011-345M Settlement Bulluck 2012 $73K → $42K
SE 2014-0345 Settlement Miller 2015 $70K → $35K
SE 2020-0063 Settlement Moran 2020 $54K → $24K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

Top causes

Incident timeline

2026
45
2025
84
2024
91
2023
87 (1f)
2022
71 (1f)
2021
71
2020
61 (1f)
2019
64 (2f)
2018
58
2017
49
2016
68 (1f)
2015
81
2014
71
2013
55 (1f)
2012
66
2011
68
2010
64
2009
58
2008
96
2007
117
2006
136 (1f)
2005
132
2004
132
2003
123 (1f)
2002
165 (1f)
2001
184
2000
166 (1f)
1999
133 (1f)
1998
153 (1f)
1997
176 (1f)
1996
149
1995
140 (1f)
1994
153 (1f)
1993
120 (1f)
1992
130
1991
140 (1f)
1990
159
1989
196
1988
186 (1f)
1987
182 (1f)
1986
101 (1f)
1985
66 (1f)
1984
61 (1f)
1983
49 (1f)

Mines on record

Fatalities under this operator

24 recorded
January 4, 2023 TN · Metal/Non-Metal crusher attendant/operator, pan feeder operator/worker Fatality · MACHINERY
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was assisting repair/replace toggle plate and toggle plate bearings on the jaw crusher when they suffered a pinning type injury.

June 17, 2022 GA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer Fatality · MACHINERY
Vulcan Construction Materials LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

A contract miner died when the compactor EE was operating overturned, pinning EE beneath the cab. As the compactor was traveling in reverse, the compactor's left tire went off a four-foot embankment causing the compactor to overturn.

October 14, 2020 SC · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was operating a pick-up truck on the -330 bench. A haul truck turned onto the -330 bench. The haul truck operator indicated they did not see the pick-up truck resulting in fatal injuries.

July 15, 2019 TN · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor Fatality · SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Plant Manager aggravated a pre-existing injury to the right heel tearing a blood blister while walking over a level drill bench. On July 20th, EE died after complications following surgery after an x-ray revealed a broken right heel bone and torn achilles tendon.

June 10, 2019 TN · Metal/Non-Metal electrician helper Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Pending Investigation - Victim was leveling material in a trench made for laying electrical conduit, manager was operating front-end loader above. The front-end loader was being used to back fill the trench when the bank collapsed causing the front-end loader to slide into the trench. The victim was fatally injured when victim was pinned between loader and jersey block.

July 25, 2016 TN · Metal/Non-Metal rotary bucket excavator operator Fatality · FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck by falling object

The injured employee was working in the North East corner of the pit loading shot rock. While waiting for the haul truck to return to the muck pile, the excavator was struck by several large rocks. No one witnessed the accident. The haul truck driver discovered the accident scene and rescue/recovery efforts begun. The excavator operator was fatally injured.

November 7, 2013 GA · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Drowning

Employee was operating a haul truck transporting material from the wash bins to a stockpile located Northwest of two settling ponds. On the return trip to the wash bins, the haul truck traveled through a berm on the left side of the haul road, went over an embankment and overturned on its left side in the settling pond.

April 3, 2006 TN · Metal/Non-Metal electrician, lineman Fatality · ELECTRICAL
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Contact with electrical current

The employee suffered a fatal electrocution injury while engaged in positioning the electrical MCC building. The boom truck became energized when contacting overhead power lines.

January 18, 2003 KY · Metal/Non-Metal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss Fatality · SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Fall down raise, shaft or manway

THE EE APPROACHED THE AIRPLANE FAN AREA TO REPOSITION THE END OF THE DISCHARGE HOSE. AS HE WALKED ACROSS THE RAISE ENCLOSURE FOR THE AIRPLANE FAN, A METAL PLATE ALONG THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE E NCLOSURE FAILED AND HE FELL INTO THE VENTILATIONSHAFT.

April 24, 2002 TX · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EMPLOYEE PERFORMED WORK ON THE CAT 910 PARKING BRAKE AND WAS TESTING IT TO SEE IF THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD HOLD. HE WAS OPERATING THE CAT 910 ON OR NEAR AN INCLINE. THE MACHINE OVERTURNED. HE W AS FOUND LYING BESIDE THE MACHINE. HE SUSTAINED FATAL INTERNAL INJURIES.

June 24, 2000 NC · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · MACHINERY
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck by falling object

EE WAS CUTTING A TREE, WHEN THE TRACKHOE OPERATOR INADVERTENTLY PLACED A SMALL TREE IN THE AREA IN WHICH HE WAS WORKING SERIOUSLY INJURING EE. EE WAS AIRLIFTED TO MISSION/ST JOESPH'S HOSPITAL IN ASHEVILLE, N.C.

March 15, 1999 AL · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck against a moving object

INJURED WAS BACKING UP TO DUMP SITE; HAUL TRUCK TRAVELED THROUGH BERM; OVERTURNED; LANDED ON SLOPE OF WASTE MATERIAL; SLID TO WATER OLD, INACTIVE PIT.

November 13, 1998 WI · Metal/Non-Metal Fatality · SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Vulcan Construction Materials, L.P. · Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

A FOREMAN FOR SELECT ERECTING WAS DISMANTLING A HOPPER. AFTER CUTTING A 42" X 120" SHEET OF 3?16" STEEL FROM THE TOP OF THE HOPPER, HE ATTACHED A SHACKLE AND STEEL CHOKER. HE WAS WORKING FROM AN AERIAL BOOM LIFT. HE THEN DISCONNECTED HIS LANYARD FROM HIS FULL BODY HARNESS AND LEFT THE LIFT BASKET. HE WALKED OUT ON AN I-BEAM AND TURNED TO SIGNAL THE CRANE OPERATOR TO PICK UP THE PIE

April 21, 1997 TN · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMP WAS FATALLY INJURED FROM CRUSHING INJURY TO UPPER TORSO. LOADER BUCKET WAS POSTIIONED TO THEDUMP POSITION AND LOWERED TO THE GROUND. THE BUCKET SHIFTED AFT, CAUSING THE LIFTING LINGAGE MEC HANISM TO SHIFT AFT. THIS ACTION PINNED THE EMP AGAINST THE FRONT FRAME AND DIFFERENTIAL.

October 3, 1995 SC · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck against a moving object

THE EE WAS FATALLY INJURED WHEN THE HAUL TRUCK HE WAS DRIVING TRAVELED OVER THE HIGHWALL. THE ACCIDENT IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION BY MSHA AND CO REPRESENTATIVE.

October 12, 1994 GA · Metal/Non-Metal quality control technician, laboratory technician, laboratory assistant Fatality · ELECTRICAL
Vulcan Constr. Materials, L.P. · Contact with electrical current

THE 2300 VOLT POWER CABLE TO THE 200 HORSE PUMP MOTOR WAS FOUND TO BE DAMAGED A & A SPLICE.THE POUTER UNDERPROOF COVERING AT THE SPLICE APPEARED TO BE CUT AND ONE PHASE OF THE 3 PHASE CONDUCTO R FUSED TO THE EQUIPMENT GROUNDING CONDUCTOR.THIS COULD HAVE PLACED VOLTAGE ON THE PUMP HOUSING. THE VICTIM COULD HAVE CONTACTED THE PUMPING EQUIPMENT WHILE HOLDING DIFFERENT GROUNDING POTENT

July 26, 1993 TN · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · FIRE
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Contact with hot objects or substances

EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING THE LOADED M-50 MACK HAUL TRUCK FROM THE PIT TO THE PRIMARY CRUSHER.HE ATTEMTPTED TO TURN IN PREPARATION FOR BACKING UP TO THE DUMP HOPPER.A FIRE APPARENTLY STARTED IN ENG INE AREA AND SPREAD TO THE CAB CO-WORKERS EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND THE EMPLOYEE EXITED THE CAB.

October 31, 1991 TN · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck against a moving object

AS DRIVER WAS DUMPING HE BACKED OVER HIGH WALL CAUSING MULTIPLE CONTUSIONS AND FATAL HEAD INJURIES.

October 14, 1988 AL · Metal/Non-Metal drill operator Fatality · MACHINERY
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck by falling object

EMPLOYEE AND TWO OTHER CREW MEMBERS WERE MOVING AN AIR TRACK DRILL DOWN A LEVEL ROAD THE DRILL OPERATOR POSITIONED HIMSELF RIDING THE HYDRAULIC TANK WHICH IS AN UNAUTHORIZED POSITION FOR TRAV EL THE BOOM CYCLINDER DUMP PIN CAME OUT ALLOWING THE MAST TO FALL ON SUBJECT FATALLY INJURING HIM

July 9, 1987 AL · Metal/Non-Metal drill operator Fatality · MACHINERY
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck against a moving object

OPERATOR OF A C5RRIER MOUNTED DRILL BACKED THE UNIT OVER A 26 FOOT QUARRY FACE ONTO THE FLOOR WHILE POSITIONING THE DRILL FROM THE REAR MOUNTED REMOTE CONTROL CAB

February 24, 1986 NC · Metal/Non-Metal crane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, rigger Fatality · FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Struck by falling object

I.NAME WAS REMO5ING A 10' SECTION OF BOOM FROM A 108 LINK BELT CRANE. I.NAME FAILED TO BLOCK & SECURE THE BOOM BEFORE POSITIONING HIMSELF UNDER THE BOOM TO REMOVE THE LAST BOTTOM PIN. WHEN THE LAST PIN W5S REMOVED THE BOOM COLLAPSED PINNING I.NAME BETWEEN THE BOOM & GROUND.

November 19, 1985 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · ELECTRICAL
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Contact with electrical current

EMPL I.NAME PLU1GED AITKEN ELECTRIC HEATER IN WRONG.THE GROUND PLUG WAS INADVERTENTLY PLUGGED INTO HOT WIRE,ENERGIZING HEATER FRAME.I.NAME MADE CONTACT WITH HEATER FRAME.VICTIM GOT WET PERFORM ING DUTIES IN T2E QUARRY.HE WENT INTO MAIN SHOP TO WARM & DRY.TOOK BOOTS OFF AND PLUGGED IN 440 VOLT HEATER.TOUCHED HEATER AND WAS ELECTROCUTED.

December 19, 1984 NC · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Caught in, under or between collapsing material or buildings

DUE TO THE FACE THAT THERE WERE NO WITNESSES, WE THEREFOIRM ASSUME THAT I NAME HAD GONE TO THER REAR OF HIS TRUCK FOR ONE OR MORE REASONS AND AT THE TIME HE ARRIVED AND OR WAS LEAVING THE LOCA TION, THE STOCKPILE BEHIND HIS TRUCK SLOUGED OFF KNOCKING HIM DOWN AND COVERED I NAME WITH MINUS 1 1/2 INCH MATERIALS.

August 22, 1983 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · ELECTRICAL
Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC · Contact with electrical current

MR BOOTH OF NORX WAS ELECTROCUTED WHILE REPAIRING RAMSEY TOTALIZER BELT SCALES DETAILS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME BUT MSHA OFFICE IN MACON GEORGIA WAS NOTIFIED PROMPTLY

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

Where Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC stands on silica, penalties, and injury rate

MSHA's standard limits respirable silica to 50 micrograms per cubic metre, but MSHA publishes dust and quartz as separate files and never the silica figure itself. We derive it per sample, score it against the limit, and set the operator's injury rate against a benchmark built from the full MSHA operator record. With the 26-year penalty trail, contest posture, and fatality history. Delivered as a PDF with the underlying data as CSV.

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