Tata Steel was fined £1.5 million after an awful accident at the Port Talbot facilities. Just days earlier, on September 25, 2019, 44-year-old Justin Day had been killed when a heavy steel beam fell on him. Day was employed by Mii Engineering contractors when the incident happened. It occurred in an area of the facility that had previously been cleared for foot traffic. Unfortunately, his re-entry back to this very area, which had been somewhat re-activated, led to a disastrous crash.
When the incident occurred that Day was involved in, he had just completed a shift working in the rarely seen corner of the machinery. He made his way back to the newly reactivated territory. As he crawled into the rigging through the complex machinery, his movements tripped sensors, setting a massive steel beam swinging. Sadly, the beam was not secured and it fell on him, causing fatal injuries. He was discovered asleep, or perhaps soon thereafter, slumped in a “hot rolling channel”.
During last week’s court hearing, Judge Walters reiterated the severity of the crash. He emphasized that no amount of funding could ever restore Day to life. He remarked, “It’s obvious he was trying to communicate with those beneath,” indicating the potential for miscommunication in a hazardous work environment.
Tata Steel UK said it deeply regretted Day’s death and sent its sympathies to his bereaved family, friends and colleagues. A spokesperson stated, “We wish to express again our sincere condolences to Mr. Day’s bereaved family, friends and workmates.”
Day’s wife, Zoe Day, has been vocal about the profound impact of her husband’s death on their family. She remembered him as a ‘big man,’ who was very physically intimidating but equally respected by friends and family. “He was just a typical family man, a grafter and a gentle giant,” she said. Zoe remembered Day as a loving family man with an attractive family and an 8 month old grand-daughter.
The 74-year-old couple had planned to go watch their son play rugby in their town on the day of the attack. Today, Zoe looks back on that fateful day with sadness in her heart. “Our lives were absolutely shattered and they are still shattered now, it doesn’t get easier at all,” she shared.
Zoe opened up about the emotional hell she has been going through since the crash. “It’s changed me as a person completely. I’ll never be the same person, the Zoe that was married to Justin and happy,” she said. She spoke movingly about the lack of support that Tata Steel provided after her husband Andrew’s awful death.
“It’s gone on for nearly six years now and we just want closure. It’s been extremely hard,” she added, highlighting the ongoing struggle for her family as they navigate their grief.