07:13 am, Thursday 26 February, 2009

BHP Billiton’s safety procedures have been criticised after a fourth person was killed on aMining Site owned by BHP in seven months.

A Track Maintenance Worker was killed on the Tabba rail line, owned by the mining giant, 74km South Of Port Hedland on Tuesday.

The Australian Workers Union said BHP had a poor record on safety and all of its operations should be investigated thoroughly by an independent auditor.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has been urging an internal investigation since three workers on BHP sites were killed in five weeks from July last year.

BHP was accused of poor safety standards after a worker was killed and two others seriously injured at the Boodarie HBI plant in May 2004.

A lengthy investigation into the accident resulted in the company being fined $200,000 for failing to ensure A Safe Workplace.

A BHP spokeswoman said that improving safety was the company’s “number one priority.”

BHP said that port operations had resumed, while rail activity remained suspended to allow the investigation into the worker’s death.

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