London, Aug 1 (UNI) Tata Steel has been fined £1.5 million after a contractor was killed at work in its Port Talbot plant.
Justin Day was found slumped in a “hot rolling channel” on September 25, 2019, after being crushed by a large steel beam, reports BBC.
The 44-year-old’s family, from Llansamlet, Swansea, said they had been “shattered” by his death and were “disgusted” by a lack of support offered by the company.
The Health And Safety Executive (HSE), which brought the case, said the “long and complex investigation” had led to the “right result”.
The court heard Day worked for contractors Mii Engineering, of Bedwas, Caerphilly, and was on site at Port Talbot on September 25, 2019.
Nuhu Gobir, from prosecution, said that Day, after completing and signing off the work, went outside, leaving his radio in a shared area, before colleagues told him he had been called via the radio as an oil leak had been discovered.
Day returned to the area he had been working in, which the court heard had since been partially made “live” again.
As he walked across the floor and climbed down into a part of the machinery, it activated the sensors and a large steel beam began to move, crushing Day.
Passing sentence at Swansea Crown Court, Judge Geraint Walters said that by all accounts, Day was “well versed in work of this sort” and there was an appropriate risk assessment in place by Tata Steel for the initial repair work.
Having reviewed CCTV footage of the moments before Day’s death, Judge Walters said he believed Justin Day stepped down into the coil tilter machinery as he “knew there were men underneath” and there was “every reason to anticipate” that he would do so.
During the hearing, Judge Walters said systems in place were not “sufficiently adhered to” and “the company fell short of the appropriate standard”.
Taking into account Tata Steel’s previous record of 21 offences across 12 court appearances between 2011 and 2023, and four victim impact statements read in court, Judge Walters said no fine he could impose could “restore life”.
Describing Day as a family man “who has left many of them bereft”, the Judge turned to the public gallery and said: “No fine I impose today can alleviate the suffering of those who lose a loved one. No fine I impose today can restore life. None of that is within the court’s gift.”
Tata Steel, who had previously pleaded guilty to two offences including failure to ensure the health, safety and welfare of a contractor, was fined £1.5 mn and ordered to pay costs of £26,318.67.
