Buncefield Prosecutions
Published: 01 January, 2009
The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency (the EA) are to prosecute five companies following the explosions and fire at the Buncefield Oil Storage Depot.
On 11 December 2005, a number of explosions occurred at Buncefield Oil Storage Depot in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. At least one of the initial explosions was of massive proportions and there was a large fire and over 40 people were injured.
Criminal proceedings have been commenced against Total UK Ltd, Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd; British Pipeline Agency Ltd; TAV Engineering Ltd; and Motherwell Control Systems 2003 Ltd following a thorough and complex criminal investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency.
The initial court date has been fixed for 23 January 2009.
Total UK Ltd is facing three charges:
– Between 1/1/03 and 12/12/05 it failed to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of its employees.
– Between 1/1/03 and 12/12/05 it failed to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in their employment were not exposed to risks to their health or safety.
– Between 10/12/05 and 31/12/05 it caused polluting matter, namely fuel and firewater chemicals to enter controlled waters, namely ground waters in the chalk aquifer underlying the vicinity of Buncefield.
Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd is facing two charges:
– Between 1/1/03 and 12/12/05 Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd failed to take all measures necessary to prevent major accidents and limit their consequences to persons and the environment.
– Between 10/12/05 and 31/12/05, it caused polluting matter, namely fuel and firewater chemicals to enter controlled waters, namely ground waters in the chalk aquifer underlying the vicinity of Buncefield.
British Pipeline Agency is facing two charges:
– Between 18/11/01 and 12/12/05 it failed to take all measures necessary to prevent major accidents and limit their consequences to persons and the environment.
– Between 10/12/05 and 31/12/05, it caused polluting matter, namely fuel and firewater chemicals to enter controlled waters, namely ground waters in the chalk aquifer underlying the vicinity of Buncefield.
–TAV Engineering Ltd is facing one charge:
– Between 1/10/03 and 12/12/05, it failed to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in their employment were not exposed to risks to their health or safety.
Motherwell Control Systems 2003 Ltd is facing one charge:
– Between 28/9/03 and 12/12/05 it failed to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in their employment were not exposed to risks to their health or safety.
