The WA Department of Mines and Petroleum issued the order as police named the man killed as 33-year-old contractor Allen Zuvela of Spearwood, Perth.

Zuvela was working on a surface miner in the mine’s heavy vehicle workshop when the accident took place on Sunday night. A workmate suffered leg injuries in the incident.

A statement on DMP’s website said: “The Department of Mines and Petroleum today issued special directions ensuring that the Fortescue Metals Group tightens safety procedures following yesterday’s fatal incident at the Christmas Creek mine.

“The direction requires that greater direct supervision and safety checks are provided across all FMG minesites.

“It requires that all isolation and lock out/tag out procedures are verified by a supervisor and, where applicable, an elected health and safety representative.”

Resources safety executive director and state mining engineer Simon Ridge met with FMG chief executive Nev Power yesterday to issue the direction in person under section 21.1 (O) of the Mine Safety Act 1994.

In a statement released following the meeting, Ridge said a program of intense auditing planned to commence in February 2014 to identify gaps in safety programs would also start as soon as possible.

“The incident, which resulted in the death of a 33-year-old male, was the second fatal incident at the Christmas Creek site in the four months,” Ridge said.

“A team of DMP inspectors have started an investigation at the site.

“The inspectorate has so far determined that a number of recent incidents at FMG minesites appear to have involved an ineffectual isolation and lock out/tag out process.

“This may or may not be a contributory factor in this most recent incident."

Ridge said the directions would remain in place until FMG was able to provide suitable reassurance that sufficient controls of any alternative nature were in place to ensure the effectiveness of isolation and lock out/tag out procedures.

The death on Sunday night was the third fatality in WA’s mining sector since the state experienced a fatality-free year in 2012.

The previous death at Christmas Creek was on August 14 this year, when Kurt Williams died after being caught and crushed by a tripper conveyor.

WA’s other 2013 fatality occurred at the Telfer gold mine tailings storage facility on December 3, when Stephen Hampton was fatally injured while working with a tailings pipe.

FMG says it is making chaplaincy and counselling services available to Zuvela’s family, employees and friends.