Death of steelworker: £500,000 fine
Health and Safety Executive v Tata Steels UK Ltd (2012) Swansea Crown Court, August 3.
Tata Steels UK Ltd has been fined following the death of a worker.
Significant points of the case
In April 2006 Kevin Downey was working a night shift at the company’s Port Talbot plant.
He went to the cast house at the site to inspect the slag pool of a blast furnace which was due to close for maintenance.
He fell into the open section of a channel containing slag at 1500 degrees Celsius.
The company had a reporting system which showed a significant number of near misses where steam had led to dangerous situations.
It was common practice to operate the furnace with channels left uncovered without taking additional precautions to prevent workers from falling in.
Tata was fined £500,000 plus £57,400 costs for breaches of sections 2 and 3, HSW Act, for failing to ensure the health and safety of employees and non-employees.