Tata denies safety failings after toxic gases incident

STEEL giant Tata has gone on trial over alleged safety failings at its Port Talbot works.

- JASON EVANS

The prosecution follows an incident when toxic gases from a blast furnace were vented into an area where men were working, resulting in two men being taken to hospital.

Tata denies two counts of failing in its duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare and is on trial at Swansea Crown Court.

The trial is expected to last two weeks.

Rebecca Griffiths, opening the prosecution case for the Health and Safety Executive, told the jury that the case revolved around an incident on February 14, 2022, when gases from blast furnace number four at Tata's Port Talbot plant were vented into the air in an area where men were working.

She said the gases from a blast furnace are toxic and typically contain between 20% and 25% carbon monoxide, a gas which can be lethal.

A total of 15 men were working in the area at the time, two of whom had to be given oxygen and taken to hospital for checks.

The barrister said the background to the events before the court was an incident at the plant in 2007 when one of the “blowers” pushing heated air into the bottom of a blast furnace failed.

She said the drop in pressure allowed gases from the furnace to flow out of the furnace, back down the pipe and into the blower, causing “significant damage” to the unit.

The court heard that following this incident an emergency procedure was put in place to cover future failures or problems with a blower.