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Buncefield leads to a series of safety recommendations
Page 14
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The Buncefield Major incident Investigation Board has called for a "programme of revisions" to minimise risks within the oil
industry. Chris Tindall reports.
A REPORT INTO die explosion at the Buncefield oil-storage depot in Hertfordshire has challenged the oil industry to substantially strengthen safety standards at sites handling large quantities of fuel.
The Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board (MI IB) says there is a "paramount need" for precautions to he in place to prevent fuel escaping from the vessels in which it is contained.
It stresses that further precautions are needed if fuel doesescape, to prevent it forming a flammable vapour and to stop pollutants contaminating the environment.
Ron Webb,Transport & General Workers!. inion national secretary for transport, says: "The Buncefield explosion was a shocking incident that highlighted the risks of working in the industry.
"The T&G, representing many thousands of members who work in oil refineries and as oil tanker drivers, welcomes this report, which makes a series of thorough and important recommendations for action. his now absolutely critical that this report doesn't just gather dust, but it is implemented rigorously and with urgency."
MIIB chairman Lord Newton says: "[This report] calls for a programme of revisions to guidance and standards for process safety, environmental protection and excellence in operations it also calls for amore consistent response to broadly similar major hazard risks than are the case today."
The oil depot was hit by three explosions in December 2005, creating a shockwave measuring 2.4 on the Richter scale; 60 people were hospitalised including two firefighters (CM 19 January 2006).