Vulcan Materials discloses MSHA imminent-danger order at Los Gatos quarry

Vulcan Materials said in a Form 8-K filed Friday that a federal mine-safety inspector issued an imminent-danger order on Oct. 27 at CalMat Co.’s Lexington Quarry in Los Gatos, California, after workers were exposed to fall hazards during maintenance. The company said “no injuries occurred” and that it promptly took corrective action to protect personnel and terminate the order.

The disclosure was made under Item 1.04 of Form 8-K, the section covering mine safety shutdowns and patterns of violations. Vulcan said the Mine Safety and Health Administration, or MSHA, issued the order under Section 107(a) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. In the filing, the company said, “The order was issued to remove personnel exposed to fall hazards while performing maintenance.”

A Section 107(a) order is one of the Mine Act’s most serious enforcement tools. When MSHA determines an “imminent danger” exists — meaning a condition that could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm before it can be fixed — the agency can require miners to be withdrawn from the affected area until the hazard is removed. Such orders can trigger required investor disclosure because they carry regulatory significance and may interrupt activity in the area involved.

Vulcan is a major U.S. aggregates producer and describes itself in its annual reporting as a leading domestic producer of crushed stone, sand and gravel. Its filing did not disclose any injuries beyond stating that none occurred, and it did not report any penalties or further enforcement actions tied to the order.