An underground mining contractor has been fined $540,000 after a rock fall at an underground gold mine in October 2022 near Kambalda killed a driller and injured his offsider.

RUC Mining Contractors pleaded guilty in the Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court to two counts of the same offence — exposing a worker to a risk of death, injury or harm to health.

“This offence does not indicate that the breach caused the fatal incident. However, it highlights a failure in relation to risk management,” WorkSafe stated.

Terry Hogan, a 37-year-old, was killed by the rock fall nearly three years ago at Gold Fields’ St Ives mine.

Mr Hogan and his probationary offsider were disassembling a reamer at the base of a ventilation shaft, which had been drilled using an underground mining technique known as raise

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