Mining Incidents

Monarch Mill: 64 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

QUIKRETE COMPANIES · Surface
Controlled by Quikrete Holdings Inc.
Salida, Chaffee County, CO  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 0504799

Monarch Mill has $11K in proposed MSHA penalties and $16 outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
3
Years on record
2012–2014
Latest incident
May 2014
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2004
64
citations
12
significant & substantial
$11,251
proposed penalties
$10,659
paid to date
95% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $592 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2004
25
inspections on record
369
inspection hours
n/a
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.
Rate withheld: 369 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Monarch Mill has $11K in proposed MSHA penalties and $16 outstanding across 3 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.
$11K
proposed penalties
$11K
current assessed
$11K
paid to date
$16
outstanding
64 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $1K in penalties contested before the Commission, $774 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-01-14.
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.
18.8%
significant & substantial
4.7%
high negligence or reckless
18.8%
reasonably likely or greater
39.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 6.2% low, 89.1% moderate, 4.7% 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.
3 citations taken to the federal commission · 5% of citations on record
  • Settled 3 · 100%
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 3 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
43%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$1K proposed, $774 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 2014-06-12.
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 2014-0761 Settlement Lesnick 2015 $1K → $512
WEST 2010-1759M Settlement Lesnick 2011 $162 → $162
WEST 2012-1271M Settlement Manning 2012 $162 → $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: 2015-01-15, 11 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
12
samples
7
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz5
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz3
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz2
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg2
Show the individual readings (12)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2015-01-15 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 3.03 10 0.30 Laborer, Bullgang
2015-01-15 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 1.68 10 0.17 Laborer, Bullgang
2014-06-19 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.37 10 0.04 Bagging Operator
2014-06-19 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Crusher Oper/Worker
2012-07-03 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 1.4 10 0.14 Forklift Operator
2012-07-03 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 1.81 10 0.18 Bagging Operator
2010-06-23 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.33 Laborer, Bullgang
2010-06-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.55 2.99 0.18 Laborer, Bullgang
2010-06-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.23 1.02 0.23 Laborer, Bullgang
2009-08-27 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.14 Bagging Operator
2009-08-27 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.19 Bagging Operator
2009-08-27 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Supervisor, Co. Official

Area samples (mill and shop air)

Last sampled: 2014-06-19, 12 years ago
1
samples
Show the individual readings (1)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Area sampled
2014-06-19 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 MP CRUSHING
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. Monarch Mountain Marble Company LLC 2004 to 2009
  2. QUIKRETE COMPANIES 2009 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2015 3
2014 3
2013 3
2012 3
2011 3
2010 3
2009 3
2008 4
2007 3
2006 3
2005 6
2004 7
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Monarch Mill sits in Chaffee County, Colorado, 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.
Chaffee County, Colorado · Population 19,876
0.0%
Mining share of county employment
$70,909
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
2015 Q1 1,260 3 0 2381.0
2014 Q4 1,333 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 1,253 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 1,268 4 1 3154.6
2014 Q1 1,167 7 3 5998.3
2013 Q4 1,185 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 1,517 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 1,399 3 0 2144.4
Show 34 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2013 Q1 1,385 1 0 722.0
2012 Q4 1,259 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 1,578 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 1,370 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 1,464 4 0 2732.2
2011 Q4 1,496 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 1,751 3 0 1713.3
2011 Q2 1,440 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 1,177 2 2 1699.2
2010 Q4 968 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 1,040 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 1,636 2 1 1222.5
2010 Q1 1,012 1 0 988.1
2009 Q4 1,384 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 1,436 4 0 2785.5
2009 Q2 1,497 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 1,474 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 1,408 3 0 2130.7
2008 Q3 2,200 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 1,360 5 0 3676.5
2008 Q1 1,376 1 0 726.7
2007 Q4 1,410 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 1,440 13 3 9027.8
2007 Q2 480 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 480 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 360 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 750 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 1,280 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 680 3 1 4411.8
2005 Q4 1,815 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 2,800 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 3,000 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 2,880 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 3,360 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

3 on file

2014 · 2 incidents

May 29, 2014 CO · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
QUIKRETE COMPANIES · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was cutting the bands off of a pallet. She was cutting towards herself and cut her left forearm requiring two stitches. She was allowed to return to work immediately after.

May 2, 2014 CO · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
QUIKRETE COMPANIES · Over-exertion in lifting objects

On 5-2-14 employee and a co worker were changing screens on the mill. When they were lifting off the cover plate EE felt a "pop" in her right wrist. I asked if she needed medical care. She refused. On 5-7-14 EE came into the office and said her wrist was sore and she would like to get it looked at just in case. I sent her to HRRMC in Salida Co.

2012 · 1 incident

September 21, 2012 CO · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor HANDLING OF MATERIALS
QUIKRETE COMPANIES · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Preforming bagging operation at plant, stacking 50# sacks on a pallet. Lower back strain.