Tata Steel (UK) ltd has been fined £1.5m and ordered to pay £26,318.37 in costs having pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 following a fatality at work.
Justin Day was working at Tata Steel's site in Port Talbort in September 2019. Earlier in the day, maintenance work had been undertaken to replace a lift cylinder on a large conveyor system. However, a hydraulic leak was discovered when the system was being put back into service and Mr Day was asked to resolve it.
Power had been isolated to part of the system, but some of it was live. When Mr Day climbed to the higher level into the conveyor system, he triggered a sensor that activated a moving beam which sadly resulted in fatal injuries.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that Tata Steel did not ensure that the system was properly isolated and guarded, nor did they take sufficient steps to manage the safety of the work. The HSE prosecuted Tata Steel for "basic" health and safety failures that led to the loss of a husband, father and grandfather.
HSE inspector Gethyn Jones said: "Justin Day’s death could so easily have been prevented. A much-loved family man is not here because of failures in health and safety basics. Employers have a responsibility to make sure sufficient procedures are in place to protect workers – both employees and contractors – and that those procedures are understood and followed.
“The dangers of moving machinery are well known. Sufficient risk assessments must be carried out and access to dangerous areas must be properly guarded and controlled. This has been a long and thorough investigation, and we believe this is the right outcome. It is clear that Justin’s death has had a devastating impact on his family, his friends and the wider community. Our thoughts remain with them.”
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