Craze costs workers jobs

Mine safety is once again in the spotlight after three workers were sacked from their six-figure salary jobs over the ice-bucket challenge internet craze.

The workers were dismissed from Mt Whaleback mine near Newman on Wednesday for breaching safety regulations and for misusing company equipment after using two onsite Hiab cranes to lift a wheelie bin containing about 100 litres of water and ice over a worker's head.

The bucket was then tipped over the man, in line with the charity fundraiser that is sweeping the globe.

More than 1.2 million people have performed the challenge around the world, but like the similar pop phenomena of planking and the Harlem Shake, the stunt ended badly for WA mine workers.

The North West Telegraph understands an electrician, an acting supervisor and a fitter were sacked over the incident which happened on August 30 at the North West iron ore mine.

A fourth worker, a fitter, is believed to have been cautioned over the incident which occurred at the end of a night shift at 5.30am.

BHP Billiton confirmed the dismissals, which came after a week-long internal investigation.

"BHP Billiton has terminated the employment of three employees from our Mt Whaleback operation who demonstrated behaviour that was in serious breach of our safety regulations," it said.

"The safety of our employees always comes first."

A source connected to the sacked workers said the men were devastated at losing their jobs over what they believed was harmless fun.

The source accused the mining giant of using the incident to further cut staff numbers after 170 recent redundancies at the iron ore mine.

Last year, up to 15 mine workers at Agnew Gold Mine in the Goldfields were sacked for safety breaches when eight men performed a 30-second dance craze called the Harlem Shake during a crib break at the underground mine.

The dancers and several onlookers were told that contractor Barminco had banned them from all of its projects for life.

In 2011 seven Pilbara mine workers were either sacked or suspended for planking, which involves somebody lying flat on their stomach in an unusual environment, at Mt Whaleback and another mine.

Only two workers planked while the others, including a supervisor, were dismissed for watching and taking photos.