Another worker has been killed whilst working at the Corus steel plant in Port Talbot. The police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have both launched investigations into the cause of the accident. Although the company have said that the death was 'vehicle related', few details have been released. However, it is understood that a 46-year-old contract worker was operating a tipper truck, which was dumping up to 25 tonnes of coke into a vessel, when the vehicle overturned.
Corus spokesman, Robert Dangerfield said, "At the moment the whole situation is being assessed." He added that the HSE and the police, "Would have to come to some sound conclusions before we can comment on the circumstances." The tragedy occurred just days before the sixth anniversary of an explosion at the plant, which claimed the lives of three workers and left a dozen others seriously injured.
The explosion on 8 November 2001 destroyed blast furnace No. 5, lifting it off its base and blasting out 200 tonnes of steel slag and hot glass. Corus was subsequently fined £1.3 million after admitting two breaches of health and safety law. Furthermore, Justice Lloyd-Jones criticised the company's "casual" attitude to safety. Neath Port Talbot mayor, Tony Taylor, himself a steelworker, commented that this latest incident, "Is just a terrible tragedy." Unfortunately, it brings the Corus work death toll to at least 10 in the last six years.
