Corus fined £10k over fitter death

Corus has been fined £10,000 costs after pleading guilty to failures that led to the death in an industrial accident of a fitter at its Teesside steel plant.

Bob Powlay, 54, was killed in October 2000, Teesside Magistrates Court heard, after a 3.5t steel plate fell on him. He was working at a conveyor belt when a proximity switch was activated, causing the plate to move. He died some weeks later in hospital.

Referring to this, the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Adrian Penn said: "The company knew the machinery could start up automatically and suitable, appropriate, effective preventative measures had not been taken. Employees lacked specific knowledge of the risk and how to minimise it."

Corus acknowledged that Powlay had insufficient information, but claimed that signage indicated a requirement for isolation before proceeding.