Mining Incidents
Search Operators Mines Alerts Research Controllers Fatalgrams About
Countries
Peru Chile
English Español
← Back to search

Kalama Quarry: 161 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Knife River Corporation
Castle Rock, Cowlitz County, WA  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 4503460

Kalama Quarry has $78K in proposed MSHA penalties and $13 outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

Watch this mine

Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Kalama Quarry.

Fatalities
0
Total incidents
6
Years on record
2016–2024
Latest incident
Jan 2024
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2002
161
citations
36
significant & substantial
$77,517
proposed penalties
$70,404
paid to date
91% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $7,113 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Knife River Corporation-Northwest's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2001
61
inspections on record
1,175
inspection hours
13.7
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.
161 citations across 1,175 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘ A Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
2
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2020-07-21.
On record since 2018.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

Kalama Quarry has $78K in proposed MSHA penalties and $13 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.
$78K
proposed penalties
$70K
current assessed
$70K
paid to date
$13
outstanding
156 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $19K in penalties contested before the Commission, $12K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2024-11-19.
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.
23.1%
significant & substantial
10.9%
high negligence or reckless
23.1%
reasonably likely or greater
68.6%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 1.3% none, 11.5% low, 76.3% moderate, 10.9% 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.
7 citations taken to the federal commission · 4% of citations on record
  • Settled 6 · 86%
  • Stood as issued 1 · 14%
100%
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 5 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
39%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$23K proposed, $14K 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 2022-09-20.
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 2021-0101 Settlement 2021 $14K → $7K
WEST 2016-0234 Settlement Barbour 2016 $3K → $3K
WEST 2022-0362 Dismissal Simonton 2022 $1K → $1K
WEST 2020-0144 Settlement Paez 2020 $405 → $405
WEST 2010-482M Settlement Lesnick 2010 $200 → $200
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: 2023-08-24, 3 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
12
samples
3
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz7
  • Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz2
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz2
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg1
Show the individual readings (12)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2023-08-24 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2023-08-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.32 Bulldozer Operator
2018-02-12 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.18 Bulldozer Operator
2018-02-12 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.67 Crusher Oper/Worker
2014-04-03 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.21 10 0.02 Crusher Oper/Worker
2014-04-03 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.26 10 0.03 Truck Driver
2003-07-23 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 1.55 Crusher Oper/Worker
2003-07-23 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.33 Backhoe Operator
2003-07-23 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.55 Truck Driver
2002-05-08 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.39 Truck Driver
2002-05-08 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.48 Backhoe Operator
2002-05-08 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.43 2.35 0.18 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.
Ownership history
  1. Harold Sorensen Trucking Inc 2000 to 2025
  2. Knife River Corporation-Northwest 2025 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2025 6
2024 6
2023 5
2022 5
2021 4
2020 5
2019 5
2018 5
2017 7
2016 7
2015 5
2014 3
2013 5
2012 6
2011 4
2010 5
2009 7
2008 5
2007 6
2006 5
2005 6
2004 6
2003 5
2002 5
2001 4
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Kalama Quarry sits in Cowlitz County, Washington, where the Census mining category is 0.2% 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.
Cowlitz County, Washington · Population 111,539
0.2%
Mining share of county employment
$72,932
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
2025 Q1 2,943 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 4,251 3 1 705.7
2024 Q3 4,000 13 2 3250.0
2024 Q2 3,073 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 3,082 4 0 1297.9
2023 Q4 3,416 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 3,256 5 0 1535.6
2023 Q2 3,767 0 0 0.0
Show 88 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2023 Q1 3,259 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 3,643 7 2 1921.5
2022 Q3 3,821 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 2,931 2 0 682.4
2022 Q1 2,731 3 0 1098.5
2021 Q4 2,555 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 2,521 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 2,295 2 0 871.5
2021 Q1 2,479 3 0 1210.2
2020 Q4 3,306 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 3,392 10 2 2948.1
2020 Q2 2,958 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 2,668 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 2,562 3 0 1171.0
2019 Q3 2,865 5 1 1745.2
2019 Q2 2,812 1 0 355.6
2019 Q1 2,519 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 2,719 3 0 1103.3
2018 Q3 2,795 8 1 2862.3
2018 Q2 800 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 919 19 7 20674.6
2017 Q4 3,682 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 3,600 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 3,320 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 4,606 1 0 217.1
2016 Q4 3,870 3 1 775.2
2016 Q3 3,705 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 4,320 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 5,120 2 0 390.6
2015 Q4 968 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 1,392 6 3 4310.3
2015 Q2 713 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 545 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 760 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 455 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 804 3 0 3731.3
2014 Q1 1,299 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 615 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 582 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 705 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 775 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 3,552 3 2 844.6
2012 Q3 1,438 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 1,086 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 1,158 4 2 3454.2
2011 Q4 1,530 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 1,379 2 0 1450.3
2011 Q2 943 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 0 0 0
2010 Q4 103 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 1,331 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 3,178 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 2,012 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 1,951 2 0 1025.1
2009 Q3 1,762 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 1,931 1 0 517.9
2009 Q1 1,601 4 2 2498.4
2008 Q4 675 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 555 3 1 5405.4
2008 Q2 160 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 1 2 0 2000000.0
2007 Q4 1,741 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 1,657 4 0 2414.0
2007 Q2 1,377 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 1,322 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 1 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 488 1 0 2049.2
2006 Q2 283 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 807 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 1,365 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 1,150 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 1,205 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 1,544 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 2,042 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 3,220 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 1,792 2 0 1116.1
2004 Q1 1,275 1 0 784.3
2003 Q4 1,535 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 1,709 5 2 2925.7
2003 Q2 1,748 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 2,364 5 1 2115.1
2002 Q4 1,954 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 1,726 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 333 1 0 3003.0
2002 Q1 2,033 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 2,565 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 2,177 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 552 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

6 on file

2024 · 1 incident

January 25, 2024 WA · Metal/Non-Metal groundman, yardman MACHINERY
Harold Sorensen Trucking Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was setting the landing pad for leveling jacks on the crusher. Making sure jack was lined up with others. As the hydraulic jacks went up a 4 foot piece of angle iron, that had been leaned up against the crusher, slid off the frame and smashed EE's thumb against the guard on the jack. Crew member had 4 stitches in thumb.

2019 · 2 incidents

July 25, 2019 WA · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Harold Sorensen Trucking Inc · Struck against a moving object

Commercial Truck Driver lost control of the vehicle on the 23% grade road. Driver ran the truck into the berm at the bottom of the hill. The driver injured EE's sternum and the truck is damaged.

June 4, 2019 WA · Metal/Non-Metal miner, prospector, nec POWERED HAULAGE
Harold Sorensen Trucking Inc · Struck against a moving object

Driver said pickup popped out of gear coming loaded downhill. No marks from trailer brakes. Lost control and loaded trailer came off pickup. Trailer rolled once staying on road. Pick up rolled and went over embankment landing on its top.

2018 · 1 incident

September 5, 2018 WA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer OTHER
Harold Sorensen Trucking Inc · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

bee sting, also stung at 3:00 pm hot weather no damage, no injury, no medical treatment, no first aid employee continued on as normal

2016 · 2 incidents

October 22, 2016 WA · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman POWERED HAULAGE
Harold Sorensen Trucking Inc · Struck against a moving object

Brake failure on truck. 13% downhill grade from stockpile to scales

October 22, 2016 WA · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Harold Sorensen Trucking Inc · Struck against a moving object

Brake failure on truck. 13 percent downhill grade from stockpile to scales. *Per question #20 person was thrown from truck.*