Tata Steel fined £500,000 for health and safety failings
The steel company Tata Steel has reportedly been fined £500,000 after admitting health and safety failings which lead to the death of a worker.
Tata Steel employee Kevin Downey, 49, lost his life when he fell into molten waste back in 2006. Before the accident, it has been reported that there were concerns about excess steam in the site and about leaving troughs uncovered. The troughs even had been described before the 2006 incident as ‘potential killers’.
At Swansea Crown Court recently, Tata Steel admitted the charges of health and safety failings made against the company. Mr Justice Spencer ordered the company to pay:
- A fine of £400,000 for breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- A fine of £100,000 for breaching Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- Court costs of £57,487
Commenting on what the company intends to do to avoid such tragic accidents in the future, which could include better health and safety training, Tata Steel’s director Jon Ferriman said:
“The health and safety of our employees and contractors is our most important priority. Tata Steel constantly places a great deal of emphasis on creating a strong and ever improving safety culture in the organisation and into improving our processes and procedures.”