Fuel terminal operator fined £50,000 after petrol spill in Essex

Published: HSE, December 2009

The operator of an Essex-based fuel storage terminal has been fined £50,000 after a large and dangerous pool of petrol leaked from a road tanker while it was loading.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the road tanker overflowed in July 2007 when a shut-off valve failed. The valve was blocked by debris, preventing it from closing so a large pool of petrol formed, putting the safety of both terminal workers and tanker drivers at risk.

The terminal operator did not adequately assess and prevent the risk created by the valve failure and failed to appropriately manage the risks created by the leak.

The company appeared at Basildon Crown Court in December and admitted breaching Regulation 4 of the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999. It was also ordered to pay £19,136 in costs.

HSE Inspector John Hawkins said:

"This could so easily have been a very serious incident. Gasoline is an extremely flammable material, with a flashpoint of -40 degrees Celsius, and if ignited many lives could have been lost.

"The company failed to take all the necessary measures required to prevent this incident and failed to control the spill once it had occurred. It even failed to follow its own written procedures for handling such an occurrence.

"This case should serve as a warning to all operators of petrochemical storage sites - where there are serious failings to manage health and safety HSE will not hesitate to prosecute."

The company admitted breaching Regulation 4 of the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 by:

• Failing to provide suitable and sufficient controls to prevent a gasoline spill
• Failing to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for large gasoline spills
• Failing to provide and manage an adequate emergency shutdown procedure
• Failing to provide suitable and sufficient controls to prevent a discharge of static electricity
• Failing to provide suitable and sufficient training and information regarding gasoline spill hazards to tanker drivers.

Notes to editors

1. Regulation 4 of the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 states: "Every operator shall take all measures necessary to prevent major accidents and limit their consequences to persons and the environment."
2. Visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/COMAH/index.htm[1] for more information about COMAH Regulations as a whole.
3. A HSE Publication about Safe Unloading of Petrol Tankers is available at http://books.hse.gov.uk/hse/public/saleproduct.jsf?catalogueCode= 9780717621972[2]
4. Costs of health and safety investigations into COMAH licence holders are bourne by the licensee until summons are laid, then any future costs are decided by the court.

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