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| Corus to pay £3m for fatal blast | Corus to pay £3m for fatal blast |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Steel firm Corus has been ordered to pay more than £3m for breaching health and safety laws at a factory where a massive explosion killed three workers. | Steel firm Corus has been ordered to pay more than £3m for breaching health and safety laws at a factory where a massive explosion killed three workers. |
| Corus had admitted at Swansea Crown Court failing to ensure worker safety at its Port Talbot plant. | Corus had admitted at Swansea Crown Court failing to ensure worker safety at its Port Talbot plant. |
| Twelve other workers were injured in the blast in November 2001. | |
| High Court judge Mr Justice Lloyd Jones fined Corus £1,330,000 and ordered it to pay £1,744,474 costs. He said Corus had "fallen short" of safety standards. | High Court judge Mr Justice Lloyd Jones fined Corus £1,330,000 and ordered it to pay £1,744,474 costs. He said Corus had "fallen short" of safety standards. |
| The explosion in 2001 destroyed blast furnace five, lifting it off its base and blasting out 200 tonnes of steel slag and hot gasses. | The explosion in 2001 destroyed blast furnace five, lifting it off its base and blasting out 200 tonnes of steel slag and hot gasses. |
| The lamentable catalogue of failures makes clear that this was an accident waiting to happen The judge, Mr Justice Lloyd Jones | The lamentable catalogue of failures makes clear that this was an accident waiting to happen The judge, Mr Justice Lloyd Jones |
| Len Radford, 53, from Maesteg, Andrew Hutin, 20, and 25-year-old Stephen Galsworthy, from Port Talbot, died in the blast. | Len Radford, 53, from Maesteg, Andrew Hutin, 20, and 25-year-old Stephen Galsworthy, from Port Talbot, died in the blast. |
| Corus UK Ltd admitted civil liability about a year after the explosion. Negotiations about compensation are still on-going. | Corus UK Ltd admitted civil liability about a year after the explosion. Negotiations about compensation are still on-going. |
| The prosecution for which Corus was to stand trial until it entered a guilty plea at the last minute followed a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation. | The prosecution for which Corus was to stand trial until it entered a guilty plea at the last minute followed a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation. |
| Prosecutor Anthony Donne QC had told the court how expert advice, which could have averted the tragedy, had been ignored. | Prosecutor Anthony Donne QC had told the court how expert advice, which could have averted the tragedy, had been ignored. |
| Stephen Galsworthy, Andrew Hutin, and Len Radford died in the blast | Stephen Galsworthy, Andrew Hutin, and Len Radford died in the blast |
| He blamed the company for "long-standing faults in company procedures" and "a pattern of failure and management" to react to warnings of the dangers faced by employees. | He blamed the company for "long-standing faults in company procedures" and "a pattern of failure and management" to react to warnings of the dangers faced by employees. |
| Mr Donne told how Corus was "well aware" of the dangers as the company had been prosecuted over an incident at its Llanwern steelworks in 2000 when there had been an explosion after water mixed with molten metal. | Mr Donne told how Corus was "well aware" of the dangers as the company had been prosecuted over an incident at its Llanwern steelworks in 2000 when there had been an explosion after water mixed with molten metal. |
| Defence barrister Hugh Carlisle QC claimed on Thursday that the company's admission should not be interpreted to mean it acknowledged it knew lives were at risk. | Defence barrister Hugh Carlisle QC claimed on Thursday that the company's admission should not be interpreted to mean it acknowledged it knew lives were at risk. |
| But the judge launched a scathing attack on the company's safety record before he passed sentence on Friday. | But the judge launched a scathing attack on the company's safety record before he passed sentence on Friday. |
| He listed a series of previous health and safety breaches that Corus had been convicted of, and said that he saw these as aggravating features. | He listed a series of previous health and safety breaches that Corus had been convicted of, and said that he saw these as aggravating features. |
| He said that the company's health and safety record was "very poor" and the management attitude to safety "casual". | He said that the company's health and safety record was "very poor" and the management attitude to safety "casual". |
| Of the November 2001 explosion, he said: "The lamentable catalogue of failures makes clear that this was an accident waiting to happen." | Of the November 2001 explosion, he said: "The lamentable catalogue of failures makes clear that this was an accident waiting to happen." |
| But he went on to say that he saw the failures as "systemic" and no individual was to blame. | But he went on to say that he saw the failures as "systemic" and no individual was to blame. |
| 'Management failure' | 'Management failure' |
| Corus said it was striving to improve safety and said its thoughts were with the families of the men killed and injured. | Corus said it was striving to improve safety and said its thoughts were with the families of the men killed and injured. |
| Rauke Henstra, executive board member, said: "We profoundly regret the tragic loss of life and grievous injuries caused by the unprecedented explosion of blast furnace No5 at Port Talbot on 8 November, 2001. | Rauke Henstra, executive board member, said: "We profoundly regret the tragic loss of life and grievous injuries caused by the unprecedented explosion of blast furnace No5 at Port Talbot on 8 November, 2001. |
| "During the hearing, Corus pleaded guilty in respect of our failings under the Health and Safety at Work Act. | "During the hearing, Corus pleaded guilty in respect of our failings under the Health and Safety at Work Act. |
| "We have always maintained that an explosion of the type and magnitude that occurred was neither foreseen nor was it foreseeable and this has been accepted by the prosecution." | "We have always maintained that an explosion of the type and magnitude that occurred was neither foreseen nor was it foreseeable and this has been accepted by the prosecution." |
| In a statement, the Health and Safety Executive's director for Wales, Terry Rose, said: "This was systematic corporate management failure at the Port Talbot works. | In a statement, the Health and Safety Executive's director for Wales, Terry Rose, said: "This was systematic corporate management failure at the Port Talbot works. |
| "Proper management attention may have broken the chain of events which led to the explosion." | "Proper management attention may have broken the chain of events which led to the explosion." |