Tata Steel fined £2m for safety failings

Two workers suffered injuries to their hands in separate incidents involving machinery with inadequate guarding

Tata Steel has been fined £1.98 million after two workers suffered injuries to their hands in two separate incidents involving machinery.

Northampton Crown Court heard that a 26-year-old employee lost two thirds of his left hand and his middle and ring fingers while trying to clear a blockage on a steel tube manufacturing line which had unsuitable guarding.

In a separate incident, a 52-year-old team leader lost part of his little finger when his left hand was caught, again in an inadequately guarded machine, while he received refresher training.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the incidents which occurred on 12 September 2014 and 19 February 2015 found that there was a failure to appropriately guard and manage the risks arising from dangerous parts of these items of machinery.

Tata UK pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £185,000 for the first offence and £1.8 million for the second offence, and ordered to pay costs of £22,500.

HSE inspector Mark Austin said after the hearing: “Guarding of dangerous parts of machinery is a fundamental of ensuring workers safety, HSE will not hesitate to hold those accountable who do not fulfil their legal obligations, especially if that results in someone receiving life changing injuries.”