Gas firm fined for workers' injuries in explosion

Date:

21 March 2013

Calor Gas has been fined for safety failings after two workers suffered severe burns when they were caught in a flashover explosion triggered by a gas leak near Bristol.

Kevin Bates, 54, from Witney, Oxfordshire, and Graham Crouch, 48, from Lymington, Hampshire, were inspecting LPG gas tanks at Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, when the explosion occurred on 14 June 2010.

Mr Crouch suffered 22% burns to his hands, face and chest and was hospiatlised for nine weeks Mr Bates suffered lesser burns to his face and hands, but also required emergency treatment.

Calor Gas, who employed Mr Crouch and contracted Mr Bates for the job, appeared before North Somerset Magistrates today (21 March 2013) in proceedings brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which investigated the explosion.

The court heard the men were carrying out a routine inspection of a large industrial gas tank at the quarry.

As part of the job, they used specialised equipment on the back of a converted lorry to remove residual gas from the tank. The gas was piped into a slops tank on the back of the vehicle and a pressure relief valve was fitted to allow excess gas to escape harmlessly into the atmosphere.

However, the men had not fully removed a tarpaulin that covered the valve, which allowed gas to build-up under the cover on the back of the truck.

Mr Bates and Mr Crouch were in a special cab attached to the back of the truck when they heard a whistling noise. As they exited the cab to inspect what was happening, the gas ignited and they were caught in the explosion.

During the emergency response to the incident, the nearby A370 was closed for a number of hours.

HSE established that Calor Gas failed to provide clear and adequate instructions about removal of the tarpaulin and should have provided more detailed training for staff.

Calor Gas Ltd, of Tachbrook Park, Warwick, was fined a total of £30,000 and ordered to pay £75,878 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

HSE Inspector Ian Whittles, speaking after the hearing, said:

"This was a very serious incident that could easily have resulted in both Mr Crouch and Mr Bates being killed. In the event, they suffered severe burns and a great deal of pain, which could have been avoided.

"Calor Gas' instructions about use of the tarpaulin were not clear or adequate and they should have provided more detailed training for their staff.

"Gas pressure relief valves must never be covered when they might be operating. Any build-up of gas, such as LPG, is potentially lethal."

Further information on safety in the LPG industry can be found on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/lpg/resources.htm

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. 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."
3. Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety."

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR (South West)