Chemical giant 'INEOS' fined £100,000 following an oil release

Date:

5 July 2011

Release No:

SCO/053/11

INEOS Manufacturing Scotland Limited has been fined £100,000 following an uncontrolled release of crude oil at their Grangemouth refinery in May 2008.

The incident happened when a pipeline containing crude oil became over pressurised as a result of a process known as thermal expansion. The failure of the pipeline caused extremely flammable crude oil to spray out across a nearby pumphouse and adjacent pipelines containing other dangerous substances.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident that happened on 7 May 2008 with the assistance of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). HSE's investigation found that INEOS were aware of the risks from thermal expansion and the need to install and use engineering controls, but instead they chose to rely on staff to manually drain crude oil from the pipeline.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard that crude oil drained from the pipeline was stored in a metal skip, not designed for the safe storage of an extremely flammable substance, so the risk of fire and explosion was increased.

INEOS Manufacturing Scotland Ltd, of Bo'ness Road, Grangemouth, FK3 9XH, was fined £100,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

After the hearing HSE's Investigating Inspector Brian Kennedy said:

"The crude oil involved in this incident was extremely flammable and had the potential to result in serious injury had there been a fire or explosion.

"Despite having recognised the need for engineered thermal relief on their crude oil pipelines following an incident at their refinery a year earlier, INEOS chose instead to rely on a manual system for managing thermal expansion. This system of work actually increased the risk of fire and explosion and ultimately failed to prevent the pipeline from becoming over pressurised.

"The risk of over pressurising pipelines and storage vessels as a result of thermal expansion are well understood, as are the required control measures.

"HSE takes breaches of health and safety legislation very seriously, regardless of whether people have been injured or there has been damage to the environment."

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. Health and safety legislation is currently under the spotlight as part of the Cabinet Office's Red Tape Challenge. To have your say on which regulations should stay and which should be scrapped, visit: http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/home/index/ and the Government will consider your views.
3. In Scotland the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has sole responsibility for the raising of criminal proceedings for breaches of health and safety legislation.
4. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."

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