Mining Incidents

Getchell Pit: 1 recorded fatality Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Walt Miles
Snohomish, Snohomish County, WA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 4503110

Getchell Pit has $49K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 6 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
16
Years on record
1989–2022
Latest incident
Aug 2022
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
75
citations
11
significant & substantial
$49,402
proposed penalties
$30,314
paid to date
61% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $19,088 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
66
inspections on record
1,145
inspection hours
6.5
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.
75 citations across 1,145 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Getchell Pit has $49K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 6 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.
$49K
proposed penalties
$30K
current assessed
$30K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
74 assessments are final orders; 6 contested dockets.
Of $43K in penalties contested before the Commission, $24K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-04-30.
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.
14.9%
significant & substantial
4.1%
high negligence or reckless
14.9%
reasonably likely or greater
54.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 32.4% low, 63.5% moderate, 4.1% 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.
9 citations taken to the federal commission · 12% of citations on record
  • Settled 7 · 78%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 2 · 22%
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%
45%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$43K proposed, $24K 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 2010-09-22.
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
WEST 2004-438M Settlement Barbour 2005 $38K → $20K
WEST 2009-1074M Settlement Manning 2012 $2K → $2K
WEST 2009-1462M Settlement Moran 2012 $2K → $1K
WEST 2004-432M Vacate Barbour 2005 $323 → $60
WEST 2010-1765M Settlement Barbour 2012 $100 → $100
WEST 2010-1854M Settlement Lesnick 2011 $100 → $100
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: 2024-11-13
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
9
samples
1
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg8
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (9)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2024-11-13 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dredge/Barge Operator
2024-11-13 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2019-04-10 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Shovel Operator
2019-04-10 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2019-04-10 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Complete Load-Haul-Dump
2016-03-16 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Washer Operator
2011-03-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2011-03-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.13 1.19 0.11 Mechanic
2005-05-17 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.

Getchell Pit recorded 8.94 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2003.

Injury rate, 2003
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.
8.94
total case rate
8.94
days-away rate
8.942
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 3.76 and the all-US-mining average was 4.43 cases per 100 workers.
In Washington, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 5.58 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.
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. Concrete Nor'west 1986 to 2016
  2. Miles Sand & Gravel Company 2016 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 7
2025 6
2024 6
2023 7
2022 8
2021 9
2020 7
2019 8
2018 8
2017 7
2016 6
2015 7
2014 6
2013 8
2012 7
2011 7
2010 6
2009 3
2008 2
2007 5
2006 4
2005 4
2004 6
2003 12
2002 12
2001 14
2000 10
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Getchell Pit sits in Snohomish County, Washington, where the Census mining category is 0.0% 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.
Snohomish County, Washington · Population 834,648
0.0%
Mining share of county employment
$107,982
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 2,641 2 0 757.3
2026 Q1 3,137 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 2,913 3 0 1029.9
2025 Q3 3,532 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 3,121 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 3,659 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 2,930 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 2,566 0 0 0.0
Show 98 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 2,566 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 3,159 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 2,576 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 3,941 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 3,671 1 0 272.4
2023 Q1 4,061 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 3,481 1 0 287.3
2022 Q3 2,438 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 4,755 1 0 210.3
2022 Q1 4,152 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 5,223 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 3,932 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 4,378 2 1 456.8
2021 Q1 3,876 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 3,840 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 3,800 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 3,118 1 0 320.7
2020 Q1 2,952 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 3,451 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 3,863 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 4,374 1 0 228.6
2019 Q1 3,617 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 3,050 2 0 655.7
2018 Q3 3,552 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 3,451 4 0 1159.1
2018 Q1 4,105 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 3,572 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 2,752 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 3,396 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 2,827 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 2,724 1 0 367.1
2016 Q3 2,642 1 0 378.5
2016 Q2 3,327 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 4,683 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 3,480 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 3,777 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 3,218 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 3,527 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 2,892 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 3,950 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 2,970 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 2,462 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 3,788 1 0 264.0
2013 Q3 4,778 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 4,765 2 0 419.7
2013 Q1 2,927 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 4,028 2 1 496.5
2012 Q3 3,422 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 3,612 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 3,253 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 3,391 1 0 294.9
2011 Q3 2,829 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 3,357 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 2,424 1 0 412.5
2010 Q4 2,846 2 0 702.7
2010 Q3 2,841 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 2,892 3 2 1037.3
2010 Q1 2,671 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 2,631 2 0 760.2
2009 Q3 562 1 0 1779.4
2009 Q2 562 3 1 5338.1
2009 Q1 1,579 1 0 633.3
2008 Q4 525 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 565 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 1,089 11 4 10101.0
2008 Q1 2,328 0 0 0.0
2007 Q4 2,601 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 2,999 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 2,757 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 1,152 4 0 3472.2
2006 Q4 1,034 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 3,041 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 2,679 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 3,294 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 1,115 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 1,256 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 2,509 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 4,589 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 2,608 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 3,502 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 3,514 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 3,402 2 0 587.9
2003 Q4 3,124 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 2,926 4 2 1367.1
2003 Q2 13,491 3 0 222.4
2003 Q1 2,825 1 0 354.0
2002 Q4 1,769 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 2,315 1 0 432.0
2002 Q2 1,812 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 2,440 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 1,000 8 0 8000.0
2001 Q3 2,296 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 2,689 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 2,800 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 3,059 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 6,000 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 907 2 0 2205.1
2000 Q1 1,218 0 0 0.0

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
July 22, 2003 WA · Metal/Non-Metal truck driver Fatality · ELECTRICAL
Concrete Nor'west · Contact with electrical current

BOOM TRUCK OPERATOR APPARENTLY SWUNG LOAD NEAR POWERLINE. EMPLOYEE LENDING A HAND TO UNHOOK LOAD WAS ELECTROCUTED.

Reportable incidents

15 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2022 · 1 incident

August 25, 2022 WA · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Miles Sand & Gravel Company · Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Miner slid over side of dredge screen, slid down slowly so SRL did not catch. Caused contusion and neck / sternum strain.

2020 · 1 incident

October 6, 2020 WA · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Miles Sand & Gravel Company · Struck by falling object

While descending caged ladder, SRL lanyard hook on fall protection harness became caught on ladder cage. As lanyard extended from SRL it knocked off miner's hardhat then lanyard hook dislodged falling and lacerating miner's forehead. Miner was at ground level when struck.

2015 · 1 incident

November 25, 2015 WA · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Concrete Nor'west · Over-exertion in lifting objects

While employee was changing screens on the washplant, he reached to his left for a bucket of tools.

2014 · 1 incident

September 9, 2014 WA · Metal/Non-Metal barge/boat/dredge/towbarge/towboat/leach operator, riverman, deck hand SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Concrete Nor'west · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Sprained right knee stepping from work skiff to floating conveyor

2012 · 1 incident

January 25, 2012 WA · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Concrete Nor'west · Struck by falling object

Employee was cleaning under the conveyor. A rock rolled off the belt and struck him on the hard hat.

2011 · 1 incident

May 5, 2011 WA · Metal/Non-Metal barge/boat/dredge/towbarge/towboat/leach operator, riverman, deck hand HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Concrete Nor'west · Over-exertion in wielding or throwing objects

Swinging a sledge hammer knocking rocks loose

2007 · 1 incident

April 27, 2007 WA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Concrete Nor'west · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Employee was pulling ladder from the rear of the service truck and felt a sharp pain in lower back. Employee first sought medical attention on May 1, 2007.

2005 · 1 incident

June 22, 2005 WA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer POWERED HAULAGE
Concrete Nor'west · Struck against a moving object

Injured employee is our full time heavy equipment operator at our Getchell Pit. Constant movement side to side created mid-back pain. He did not seek medical attention until 7/11/05.

2001 · 1 incident

February 13, 2001 WA · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Concrete Nor'west · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EE WAS USING A PRYBAR TO DISLODGE CHUTE IN CRUSHER FEEDER.

1999 · 2 incidents

December 15, 1999 WA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Concrete Nor'west · Fall down stairs

SLIPPED ON STAIRS AND LANDED ON RIGHT ANKLE.

June 9, 1999 WA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
Concrete Nor'west · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

A GRINDER WAS BEING OPERATED UPSIDE DOWN, GRINDING UNDER A FLANGE. EMPLOYEE'S HAND SLIPPED AND HIS THUMB WENT INTO GRINDING WHEEL.

1991 · 1 incident

April 10, 1991 WA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Concrete Nor'west · Struck against stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS CLIMBING LADDER ON THE 557 WHEEL LOADER AND HIS FOOT SLIPPED AND BENT BACK HIS BIG TOE.

1990 · 2 incidents

November 27, 1990 WA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Concrete Nor'west · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

REACHING TO HOOK A BLOCK SO IT COULD BE MOVED BY LOADER.

June 19, 1990 WA · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Concrete Nor'west · Struck against a moving object

EMPLOYEE WAS SITTING IN HIS TRUCK, WHEN THE LOADER DUMPED GRAVEL INTO THE TRUCK. WHEN THE HEAVY WET GRAVEL HIT THE BED OF THE TRUCK, IT CAUSED HIM TO BE JARRED, RESULTING IN PAIN TO HIS NECK, BACK AND HIPS. EMPLOYEE WENT TO A PHYSICIAN FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 6-28-90. FIRST DAY OF LOST WORK TIME WAS 6-27-90.

1989 · 1 incident

November 6, 1989 WA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Concrete Nor'west · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WHILE TIGHTENING BOLTS ON DRAGLINE,HE COULD NOT STAND UP WITHOPUT HELP.HE HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG IN THE WAY HE WAS WORKING,THIS IS A REOCCURENCEOF ANOTHER INJURY.