Rio Tinto fined $70,000 over worker death

A Rio Tinto subsidiary has been fined $70,000 after a 27-year-old fitter died while working in 2011 at the Brockman 2 iron ore mine in Western Australia's Pilbara region.

Brent Glew and two other workers were conducting maintenance on a front end loader in the mine's workshop when a 1400kg tilt cylinder that was suspended from a crane slipped, falling and fatally striking him.

The Department of Mines and Petroleum found that none of the workers held the appropriate rigging qualifications or were properly certified for high risk work.

Pilbara Iron Company on Thursday pleaded guilty in the Perth Magistrates Court to failing to provide a safe working environment.