A Black Country steel firm has been fined £100,000 following a catalogue of health and safety failures which led to a worker being crushed to death.

“Systematic failures” at Coseley firm Interpipe meant a tragedy was “almost inevitable”, a judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court said yesterday.

West Bromwich Albion fan Paul Hopkins, aged 34, had worked at the Budden Road site for three years. He died after 40ft steel tubes fell on top of him in February 2005.

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A Black Country steel firm has been fined £100,000 following a catalogue of health and safety failures which led to a worker being crushed to death.

“Systematic failures” at Coseley firm Interpipe meant a tragedy was “almost inevitable”, a judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court said yesterday.

West Bromwich Albion fan Paul Hopkins, aged 34, had worked at the Budden Road site for three years. He died after 40ft steel tubes fell on top of him in February 2005.

The court heard how the company’s three managing directors benefited from a bumper year of £1 million profit but had poor health and safety policies. Mr Hopkins, of Ivyhouse Lane, Coseley, was one of 20 employees. 

Bosses admitted two breaches of health and safety procedures and will pay £30,618 prosecution costs and a £100,000 fine.

Judge Christopher Hodson said: “These premises were overloaded and I agree that this was not simply human error or oversight – it was complete systematic failure.”

Mr Hopkins was killed after climbing on stacks of steel stored in U-shaped frames. The court heard how this was accepted practice. 

Stephen Campbell, defending, said: “Major steps have been taken to ensure that an accident of this sort could never happen again,” he added.