We believe that any fatality at operations we manage is unacceptable, yet we regret to report that there were six fatalities in 2003.

• An employee fell from a man lift basket after the basket was struck by a large rock and was killed.
• A loaded haul truck, which had broken down, ran back into another haul truck killing the driver in his cab.
• An employee and a contractor died as a result of a head on collision between a light vehicle and a personnel carrier.
• A contractor working on a demolition site was killed after a large cable he was cutting struck him and knocked him to the ground, ten metres below.
• A contractor undertaking repairs died in a man lift which was in an elevated position directly in line with a steam discharge point.

Detailed investigations into the causes of all these fatalities were undertaken and the lessons communicated throughout the Group.

Rio Tinto has a procedure for the notification and investigation of fatal and critical incidents. The procedure covers timeframes and accountabilities for:

• notifying relevant parties;
• carrying out an investigation, including appointing an incident investigation team;
• recommending and carrying out any remedial actions required to prevent a similar incident from occurring; and
• communicating causes and lessons learnt;

As in 2003, over the last five years the main causes of fatalities have been vehicles and driving, both off site and on site at our operations.