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Portable Crusher #2: 1 recorded fatality Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Joshua Corey Kratofil
Centerville, Appanoose County, IA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 1302138

Portable Crusher #2 has $100K in proposed MSHA penalties and $956 outstanding across 7 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
12
Years on record
1987–2007
Latest incident
Mar 2007
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
217
citations
53
significant & substantial
$99,711
proposed penalties
$89,865
paid to date
90% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $9,846 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Cantera Aggregates, LLC.'s full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
75
inspections on record
987
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: 987 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
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.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2012-12-18.
On record since 2012.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

Portable Crusher #2 has $100K in proposed MSHA penalties and $956 outstanding across 7 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.
$100K
proposed penalties
$91K
current assessed
$90K
paid to date
$956
outstanding
212 assessments are final orders; 7 contested dockets.
Of $44K in penalties contested before the Commission, $35K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-12-17.
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.
24.7%
significant & substantial
6.0%
high negligence or reckless
24.2%
reasonably likely or greater
72.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 11.6% low, 82.3% moderate, 6.0% 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.
29 citations taken to the federal commission · 13% of citations on record
  • Settled 29 · 100%
86%
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 14 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
28%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$44K proposed, $31K 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 2022-03-06.
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
CENT 2008-493M Settlement Lesnick 2009 $19K → $16K
CENT 2013-563M Settlement Miller 2014 $8K → $5K
CENT20020273M Default Barbour 2002 $6K → $6K
CENT 2013-35M Settlement Miller 2013 $6K → $4K
CENT 2013-389M Settlement Miller 2015 $4K → $4K
CENT 2022-0097 Settlement Simonton 2022 $2K → $673
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: 2025-06-10
11%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
48
samples
35
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz313 over
  • Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz41 over
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg7
  • Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz6
Show the individual readings (48)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2025-06-10 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.44 0.86 1.67 Truck Driver
2013-09-24 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 10.35 10 1.04 Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-11-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 2.2 1.83 1.20 Drill Operator, Rotary
2004-11-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 4.92 2.43 2.02 Crusher Oper/Worker
2025-06-10 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.16 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-06-10 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.15 Front-end Loader Operator
2023-11-14 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Utility Man
2022-12-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.28 Crusher Oper/Worker
2022-12-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.35 Truck Driver
2019-04-02 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.26 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2019-04-02 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.23 10 0.02 Truck Driver
2019-04-02 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.47 Truck Driver
2017-09-13 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.75 1.79 0.42 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2017-09-13 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.25 10 0.03 Backhoe Operator
2017-09-13 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2017-05-02 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.89 2.38 0.37 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2017-05-02 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.99 2.68 0.37 Truck Driver
2015-04-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.34 0.95 0.36 Truck Driver
2015-04-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.38 1.01 0.38 Cleanup Man
2015-04-01 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.5 1.42 0.35 Truck Driver
2014-07-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.32 1.13 0.28 Truck Driver
2014-07-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.62 2.03 0.31 Truck Driver
2014-07-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.69 2.15 0.32 Front-end Loader Operator
2013-09-24 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 1.38 10 0.14 Truck Driver
2013-09-24 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 4.29 10 0.43 Drill Operator, Rotary
2013-09-24 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 4.38 10 0.44 Truck Driver
2011-04-05 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.38 1.66 0.83 Truck Driver
2011-03-16 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.37 1.13 0.33 Drill Operator, Rotary
2011-03-16 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1 1.97 0.51 Blaster, Powder Gang
2009-03-10 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2009-03-10 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.65 2.57 0.25 Front-end Loader Operator
2006-04-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.95 1.67 0.57 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2006-04-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.79 2.65 0.68 Crusher Oper/Worker
2006-04-11 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.06 1.56 0.68 Blaster, Powder Gang
2005-01-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.33 2.01 0.16 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2005-01-19 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 1.27 10 0.13 Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-11-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.97 1.53 0.63 Truck Driver
2004-11-18 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2004-11-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.53 1.63 0.33 Blaster, Powder Gang
2004-03-31 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2004-03-31 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.35 1.13 0.31 Truck Driver
2004-03-31 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.99 2.29 0.43 Truck Driver
2004-03-31 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Laborer, Bullgang
2004-03-31 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 4.35 10 0.44 Crusher Oper/Worker
2003-05-06 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.4 10 0.04 Truck Driver
2003-05-06 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 3.68 10 0.37 Crusher Oper/Worker
2003-05-06 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.28 1.57 0.18 Laborer, Bullgang
2003-05-06 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.

Portable Crusher #2 recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.

Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
No reportable injury cases in any year shown. Employee-hours were reported in each of those years, so these are true zeros rather than missing data. Citations, listed in the compliance record above, are inspector-found violations and are counted separately from worker injuries.
Below average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.65 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Iowa, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.72 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.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2025 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2016 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2015 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2012 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2011 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2010 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2009 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2008 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
* Fewer than 100,000 employee-hours that year; the rate is less stable.
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. L & W Construction Company 1986 to 1991
  2. L & W Quarries, Inc. 1991 to 2024
  3. Cantera Aggregates, LLC. 2024 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 12
2025 12
2024 8
2023 10
2022 9
2021 9
2020 6
2019 8
2018 8
2017 9
2016 13
2015 12
2014 12
2013 10
2012 12
2011 12
2010 14
2009 12
2008 14
2007 12
2006 16
2005 19
2004 19
2003 19
2002 19
2001 21
2000 21
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Portable Crusher #2 sits in Appanoose County, Iowa, where the Census mining category is 0.1% 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.
Appanoose County, Iowa · Population 12,242
0.1%
Mining share of county employment
$51,146
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 7,455 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 6,033 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 4,814 1 0 207.7
2025 Q3 9,099 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 9,882 3 1 303.6
2025 Q1 4,683 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 4,404 5 2 1135.3
2024 Q3 4,236 0 0 0.0
Show 98 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 5,307 8 0 1507.4
2024 Q1 1,943 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 3,692 1 0 270.9
2023 Q3 5,380 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 4,310 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 3,680 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 3,680 7 1 1902.2
2022 Q3 5,345 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 4,342 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 1,961 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 6,072 6 0 988.1
2021 Q3 6,325 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 4,269 3 0 702.7
2021 Q1 769 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 4,673 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 5,038 8 0 1587.9
2020 Q2 1,176 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 945 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 3,258 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 5,929 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 5,763 6 0 1041.1
2019 Q1 1,881 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 3,470 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 4,871 4 0 821.2
2018 Q2 4,365 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 1,052 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 3,062 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 5,172 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 6,787 3 0 442.0
2017 Q1 2,001 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 7,369 1 1 135.7
2016 Q3 8,680 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 7,227 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 2,325 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 7,406 4 0 540.1
2015 Q3 4,429 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 8,190 1 0 122.1
2015 Q1 1,169 8 2 6843.5
2014 Q4 4,499 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 5,721 3 1 524.4
2014 Q2 3,745 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 1,165 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 5,284 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 6,661 4 1 600.5
2013 Q2 3,590 4 3 1114.2
2013 Q1 440 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 3,797 6 3 1580.2
2012 Q3 5,685 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 6,518 2 1 306.8
2012 Q1 4,361 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 6,454 3 1 464.8
2011 Q3 7,020 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 5,742 2 2 348.3
2011 Q1 2,240 14 2 6250.0
2010 Q4 6,171 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 6,755 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 5,466 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 1,827 10 5 5473.5
2009 Q4 5,624 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 7,543 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 7,720 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 2,464 2 0 811.7
2008 Q4 6,583 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 7,969 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 6,552 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 3,991 1 0 250.6
2007 Q4 4,678 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 6,647 17 5 2557.5
2007 Q2 7,154 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 5,264 6 3 1139.8
2006 Q4 8,771 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 8,513 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 9,189 8 4 870.6
2006 Q1 8,138 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 8,407 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 13,280 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 12,505 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 10,052 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 10,059 12 5 1193.0
2004 Q3 12,516 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 10,869 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 8,769 4 1 456.2
2003 Q4 12,135 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 8,696 0 0 0.0
2003 Q2 10,264 3 0 292.3
2003 Q1 8,174 4 0 489.4
2002 Q4 12,045 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 11,541 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 9,372 21 5 2240.7
2002 Q1 9,059 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 10,842 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 12,379 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 10,484 13 4 1240.0
2001 Q1 5,850 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 12,467 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 11,632 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 9,818 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 9,083 9 0 990.9

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
October 24, 1988 IA · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
L & W Construction Company · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

CAT LOADER WAS CLEANING UP IN PIT CAT TRUCK PULLED BEHIND LOADER LOADER BACKED INTO FRONT END OF TRUCK CRUSHING DRIVER OF TRUCK BETWEEN LOADER AND TRUCK ON LADDER AS HE WAS DESCENDING LADDERWA Y

Reportable incidents

11 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2007 · 1 incident

March 16, 2007 IA · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
L & W Quarries, Inc. · Fall onto or against objects

Working on plant repairs, slipped and fell against ladder.

2000 · 1 incident

June 2, 2000 IA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
L & W Quarries, Inc. · Struck by falling object

WAS REMOVING BOLTS THAT HOLD TRANSMISSION GUARD IN PLACE ON DOZER. LOOSENED FINAL BOLT & SAW THAT GUARDS WERE STILL BEING HELD UP BY MUD & DIRT. REMOVED FINAL BOLT WITH FINGERS & PLATE FELL WH EN BOLT WAS REMOVED. CUT ON FOREFINGER REUQIRED 11 STITCHES.

1999 · 2 incidents

August 30, 1999 IA · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver OTHER
L & W Quarries, Inc. · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

CHEST PAINS, SWEATING VOMITING, SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING AT WORK PRIOR TO STARTING. AMBULANCE WAS CALLED. TAKEN TO LOCAL HOSPITAL, AIR FLIGHTED TO DES MOINES HOSPITAL. HAD BALLOON SURGERY THAT D AY FOR BLOCKED ARTERY.

March 25, 1999 IA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
L & W Quarries, Inc. · Struck against a moving object

EE STATES UPPER BACK/NECK STIFF AND SORE. STATES THAT OPERATING DOZER CONTRIBUTED TO THIS. EE TOOK DAY OFF AND CONSULTED DR. AND PHYSICIAL THERAPIST. DR. SAYS HE HAS UPPER BACK AND NECK (CERVI CAL) STRAIN.

1998 · 2 incidents

September 11, 1998 IA · Metal/Non-Metal driller, highwall operator, highwall drill operator MACHINERY
L & W Quarries, Inc. · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WHILE REPOSITIONING DRILL STEEL, LEFT HADN GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE CENTRALIZER AND IT CLAMPED SHUT ON HAND. RIGHT HAND WAS ON CENTRALIZER CONTROL. LEFT HADN BROKEN AND WAS PUT IN A CAST.

1997 · 1 incident

April 24, 1997 IA · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
L & W Quarries, Inc. · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

SPINNER IN HAMMERMILL TURNED WHILE CHANGING HAMMERS PINNING FOOT BETWEEN LINER AND SPINNER. BROKEN FOOT. CAST ON FOOT.

1995 · 1 incident

October 17, 1995 IA · Metal/Non-Metal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator MACHINERY
L & W Quarries, Inc. · Struck against a moving object

SCRAPER GOT AWAY FROM PUSH CAT.SCRAPER STOPPED AND PUSH CAT HIT BACK OF SCRAPER.

1991 · 2 incidents

1987 · 1 incident

June 2, 1987 IA · Metal/Non-Metal rock driller POWERED HAULAGE
L & W Construction Company · Struck against a moving object

EMPL TRAVELING 0ROM QUARRY SITE TO PIT AREA TO CLEAN LEDGE TO PREPARE TO DRILL ANOTHER SHOT.STEERING LOCKED UP ON LOADER CAUSING LOADER TO GO OVER 4' BERM AND DOWN 10'BANK OVERTURNING.EMPL REC D LACERATION TO3RIGHT ARM AND BRUISES TO CHEST.