Contract ironworker Fred Benally, 53, was a 12-year mining veteran who worked for Rocky Mountain Steel.

He was working at the surface of Mountain Coal’s West Elk mine in Montrose, Colorado on June 9, 2011, when he slipped from an 11-inch wide steel beam and fell approximately eight feet.

The victim struck a crossbeam with his chest before landing on his back on a conveyor belt cover.

“While positioning to climb up to the floor grating above, he slipped on the beam, which was covered with loose coal, coal dust and chunks of coal, and fell,” investigators said in the report.

Through its probe, MSHA confirmed the victim was wearing a Protecta Pro full body harness, though the lanyard for the harness was not secured or tied off at the time of the incident.

Investigators inspected the personal fall protection system worn by the victim, revealing only minimal signs of wear on the unit.

“There were no indications that the harness or lanyard were subjected to an impact load caused by the fall, which is consistent with testimony from eyewitnesses,” federal officials said, adding that the contractor had a written policy requiring 100% tie-off by all personnel in an elevated location.

An evaluation of Benally’s training records revealed that tie-offs were discussed but the most recent training did not address hazards of slips, trips or falls.

In its root cause analysis, MSHA said the initial contributing factor to the worker’s death was management’s failure to assure the lanyard’s tie-off on the harness.

“Management for Rocky Mountain Steel conducted and documented a safety meeting to reinforce the regulations and company policy concerning fall protection measures,” investigators said in the report.

“The requirement [was discussed] to have a lanyard always connected to a suitable anchor and when possible, tying off above waist level were stressed.

“The requirement to inspect and check the fall protection equipment [such as a] harness, lanyards, d-ring connectors, snap connectors, tie cables, beamers and anchor points prior to use was also discussed.”

Also a contributing factor to the fatal accident was the presence of “extraneous materials” made up of coal, coal dust and chunks of coal on the top walking surface work area of a steel beam.

Rocky Mountain Steel did not assure this material, which created a slip and trip hazard, was removed from a work areas or travelway.

To rectify the issue, management conducted and documented a safety meeting with Rocky Mountain Steel employees and reiterated the need to ensure the work areas and travelways were free from extraneous materials and coal.

“Rocky Mountain Steel management has instituted a written policy, which states that all personnel will be trained prior to beginning work on any projects,” MSHA said.

“The training will teach employees how to recognize and report all slip, trip and fall hazards for corrective measures before commencing work in the areas identified with hazards.”

As a result of the investigation, Rocky Mountain Steel received a 104(a) citation for a violation of 30 CFR Section 77.1710(g), as safety belts and lines were not used to protect a contract ironworker from the danger of falling.

Also, a 104(a) citation was issued to the contractor for a violation of 30 CFR Section 77.205(b) for the presence of extraneous materials in a walkway or work area.

The West Elk mine, operated by Arch Coal subsidiary Mountain Coal, produces about 4.8 million tons of coal per year.

The longwall mine employs about 360 people, with 45 of them at the preparation plant.

Rocky Mountain Steel contracted with the mining company to do some iron work on the minesite.

At the time of the accident, an MSHA E01 inspection of the West Elk property was in progress.

The operation’s non-fatal days lost incidence rate in 2010 was 1.04, versus the national NFDL incidence rate for surface coal mines in 2010 of 3.58.