KNIFE RIVER CORPORATION - MOUNTAIN WEST

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, KNIFE RIVER CORPORATION - MOUNTAIN WEST — a highway, street, and bridge construction facility located at FRANKLIN AND CLOVERDALE, BOISE, ID 83703 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 5 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $78,500.00. The inspection case was opened on 2021-03-31.

Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.

BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 2.8 per 100 full-time workers — 4% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 9.6 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $78,500.00 is more than 21.8× the national average of $3,609.14 for facilities in the Construction sector (NAICS 237310). This sector encompasses 532,749 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $1,922.8M.

State Context: Within ID, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 11,860 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,249.74.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 5 citations spanning 2 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 2 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 3 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning September 27, 2021 with the latest abatement deadline set for October 7, 2021. Of the 5 total citations, 0 (0%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $78,500.00 reflects OSHA's gravity-based penalty calculation methodology, which considers the severity of potential injury, the probability of occurrence, the employer's size, good faith, and violation history. The per-citation average of $15,700.00 falls within the standard penalty range.

This enforcement action against Knife River Corporation reveals a systemic failure to implement fundamental trenching and excavation safeguards, characterized by a troubling pattern of recidivism. The citation profile is dominated by "Repeat"