Goodwin Castings fined £138,000 after employee was burnt when molten slag was poured into a wet container outside

Goodwin Steel Castings Ltd., was fined £138,226 (inc.costs) for safety breaches after an employee suffered life-changing burns following an eruption of molten slag during a slag tipping procedure.

The circumstances were:

• The management of the slag containers was inadequate. 
• They were regularly stored incorrectly outside with the open face up, allowing water ingress.
• The measures in place to inspect and ensure they were free from water contamination before use were also not adequate.
• On 21 February 2020, slag was being poured into a container which was incorrectly stored outside during a period of stormy weather. 
• Water had accumulated in the container, though it was not visible to the naked eye. 
• When the molten slag was poured into the container, it reacted with the water causing a violent eruption.
• The employee, pouring the slag sustained burns to a third of his body including his face, neck, stomach, arms, legs and feet, which required multiple skin grafts.

The HSE inspector said:
“This injury could easily have been prevented – the risk should have been identified and controls implemented. Relevant industry sectors are reminded of the need to ensure that all material and equipment likely to make contact with molten material is free from water contamination as far as they possibly can.”