Tata Steel Fined £1.5 Million Over Death of Father-of-Three at Port Talbot Plant

Tata Steel UK has been fined £1.5 million after the death of contractor Jeffrey Delzer, who was crushed between two crane components while working at the company’s Port Talbot steelworks.

The 55-year-old father of three was part of a maintenance team carrying out overnight work on April 25, 2019, when he became trapped between the crane’s lifting beams. Each weighing around 30 tonnes. Mr Delzer died at the scene, despite efforts from emergency services.

A joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and South Wales Police revealed serious safety failings. The court heard that Tata Steel had existing procedures for overhead crane maintenance, but they were not properly followed or enforced. Risk assessments were found to be outdated and unclear, while isolation procedures were inconsistently applied.

Investigators concluded that those involved had not received adequate training on the specific hazards of the task.

At Swansea Crown Court, Tata Steel UK Limited pleaded guilty to breaches of Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which require employers to ensure the health and safety of their employees and others affected by their operations.

HSE Principal Inspector Llewellyn Lloyd said: “This was a completely preventable tragedy. Tata Steel had failed to ensure that robust safety procedures were implemented and followed. Their failures had fatal consequences.”

The sentencing judge noted that Tata Steel had a responsibility to enforce safe systems of work across its sites and that the company’s leadership had failed to ensure compliance.

Ray Palmer, Managing Director of Ranmoor Health and Safety, said the case illustrates the critical importance of strong leadership and accountability in high-risk industries: “Safety is not just about having policies on paper. It’s about ensuring those procedures are embedded in the day-to-day actions of every team and every shift. This tragic loss of life should act as a wake-up call to all organisations operating in hazardous environments.”

“A failure of leadership, communication, or training in these settings can, and often does, have devastating consequences. That’s why we work with companies to develop both the practical skills and the leadership behaviours needed to create a truly safety-first culture.”

In a statement following the sentencing, Tata Steel expressed remorse over the incident, stating: “We deeply regret the tragic death of our colleague Jeffrey Delzer. We have fully cooperated with the investigation and have worked hard to strengthen our safety procedures and training as a result of this incident.”

The company said it has introduced a series of internal reviews and safety improvements since 2019 to help prevent a recurrence.

Mr Delzer’s death adds to a concerning pattern of serious safety incidents in UK manufacturing and heavy industry. Industry observers note that while enforcement is a powerful tool, real change comes from cultural transformation, starting at the top.

Ray Palmer added: “You can’t inspect in a culture of safety. It has to be led. It has to be lived. If you don't build that culture proactively, you risk learning lessons the hard way.”