Steel company fined £250k over death of worker
An interlocking fence was installed around the perimeter of the machinery at Cleveland Steel and Tubes Ltd, after the investigation
- Published
A steel company has been fined £250,000 after a worker died from being trapped in a machine holding a five-tonne pipe.
The 63-year-old man was employed by Cleveland Steel and Tubes Ltd, based in Dalton, near Thirsk, when he was killed on 8 November 2022.
Yesterday, Hull Magistrates' Court heard the victim had become entangled in the machinery, which was used to strip coatings off lengths of metal pipe.
Despite efforts from paramedics and colleagues, he died at the scene.
An investigation by North Yorkshire Council found the machine did not have a suitable guard to prevent workers from coming into contact with its moving parts.
Cleveland Steel and Tubes Ltd pleaded guilty to one offence in relation to failures in their working practices.
They were served a prohibition notice at the time of the incident, preventing them from using the machine until a guard had been fitted.
As well as the fine, the company was ordered to pay costs of £9,796 along with a victim surcharge of £2,000.
The company was fined £250,000 for failures in their working practices
The council's executive member for regulatory services, Greg White, said: "Our sympathies go out to the family and friends of the man who lost his life in this incident.
"We hope the fact that we have taken the actions we have demonstrate our commitment to ensuring people can work in a safe and secure environment."
Mr White added he believed the death could have been prevented if the business had adhered to safe working practices.
"The health, safety and welfare of employees is paramount, and we would remind all businesses of their duty to ensure equipment is safe to use and the risks of doing so have been suitably assessed," he said.
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