Pagosa Springs, CO – The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fined a Colorado ski resort $17,000 over the death of its longtime ski patrol director, Scott Kay, in an avalanche earlier this winter for what it has termed “serious” workplace safety violations.nKay was performing avalanche control operations on the resort’s Glory Hole Hollow run when he was buried in an avalanche on Nov. 22, 2010, before the ski area opened for the season. Kay had set off an explosive charge before skiing across the slope when it gave way, according to official documents released by OSHA. He was found unresponsive by fellow employees 50 minutes after the slide occurred.

Following several months of investigation the federal agency determined that Wolf Creek failed to have in place training and protocols for avalanche safety procedures, failed to require that Kay work with a fellow employee while conducting snow safety mitigation as required by Colorado state law, and for Kay not wearing a helmet at the time of his death. Fines levied for these deficiencies total $12,000.

Separately, OSHA has fined Wolf Creek’s owners an additional $5,000 for not having handrails on the stairway of its summit building.

OSHA has given Wolf Creek until May 26 to correct the deficiencies identified during the investigation. Abatement programs could allow Wolf Creek’s owners to avoid a portion or all of the fines levied by the administration.