A contractor who fell 400 metres to his death at the Austar Coal Mine at Paxton last month was not attached to safety equipment, an initial investigation into the accident has revealed.
Craig Hugo, 59, was part of a crew working to cover up a decommissioned mine shaft when he fell into the shaft at 12.30pm on September 17.
His body was recovered the next day.
Initial investigations by the NSW Resources Regulator found Mr Hugo was not attached to safety equipment that could have prevented his fall.
"Initial inquiries indicated that fall prevention and/or fall arrest equipment was not used at the time of the incident," the regulator's investigation information release said.
The incident occurred when contractors were preparing to attach steel plates to beams fixed to the shaft cover.
Several sections had been cut out of existing steel plates that were fixed to several beams on the shaft cover. The largest of these cuts was about one to two metres long and 0.5 metres wide.
Mr Hugo fell through the area that had been cut and into the shaft.
The Resources Regulator's investigation is seeking to determine the cause and circumstances of the incident.
It is also exploring the effectiveness of controls to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety arising from falls from heights
This includes planning and coordination, communication leading up to the incident, instruction, training, the experience and supervision of the workers and the adequacy of risk assessments, work instructions and procedures.
The mine operator Yancoal and other parties are assisting with the investigation. A report will be published
when the investigation is concluded.
Yancoal chief executive David Moult said in the days following the accident that the company was "extremely saddened" by Mr Hugo's death.
"Craig was a former long-standing and valued Yancoal employee, who was working as a contractor at Austar during closure operations when the incident occurred," he said.
"We at Yancoal extend our sincerest sympathies to Craig's family, friends and colleagues, and we have offered Yancoal's full support to them as they deal with this devastating loss."
Northern Mining and NSW Energy District President Robin Williams said Mr Hugo's death had sent shockwaves through the community.
"We extend our sincere condolences to Craig's friends, families and workmates and thank the first responders and emergency services who attended the scene," he said.
"The tragedy at Austar follows dual fatalities at Byerwen mine in Central Queensland in August. Chris Schloss was killed on 3 August while undertaking construction activities at Byerwen's camp, while John Linwood was killed when the light vehicle he was operating collided with a haul truck on 22 August."
