Tata Steel UK has been fined £120,000 (approx. $152,000) following a distressing incident where a worker suffered brain injury after being struck in the face by a scaffold pole, resulting in permanent brain damage. Gavin Rowlands, an employee at Monolithic Refractories Limited, was preparing to operate a paddle mixer at Tata Steel UK’s site in Port Talbot, Wales, when the incident occurred on April 3, 2017.
In an attempt to open the mixer’s door, which had become jammed due to hardened concrete, one of Mr. Rowland’s colleagues used a scaffold pole. Tragically, the force caused the pole to spin, forcefully hitting Mr. Rowlands in the face and propelling him backward, leading to a loss of consciousness and head impact. Consequently, Mr. Rowlands suffered a broken jaw and permanent brain damage.
A subsequent investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that Tata Steel UK had provided an unguarded mixer for Monolithic’s employees to use, with a history of the door regularly jamming. Furthermore, Tata Steel UK failed to implement a safe system of work for releasing the mixer’s door. The investigation also found that the unguarded nature of the mixer allowed workers to develop and adopt an unsafe method of door release, ultimately resulting in Mr. Rowlands’ injuries. Insufficient supervision of workers using the mixer was also identified.
Tata Steel UK Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay £14,138.06 in costs at Swansea Crown Court on July 5, 2023.
Similar laws and protections apply to accident victims suffering traumatic brain injuries in the United States, including California. If you or a loved one has experienced a traumatic brain injury due to an accident, contact Brain Injury Help Center for expert assistance in filing a claim and pursuing rightful compensation.
