Valero Energy, the world’s largest independent petroleum refiner has been fined £5 million after four people were killed in an oil explosion at a refinery in Pembrokeshire.
Dennis Riley, 52, Robert Broome, 48, Andrew Jenkins, 33, and Julie Jones, 54, all died after a storage tank exploded at the site, whilst another man, Andrew Philips sustained major injuries.
A court heard how on 2 June 2011, the workers were emptying a tank using a vacuum tanker, when the explosion and subsequent fire took place. Long term contractor at the refinery B & A Contracts Ltd were carrying out the work alongside another contractor, Hertel.
The explosion caused a fireball which severed the tank roof and projected it 55 metres into a butane storage sphere, narrowly missing a pipe track where flammable materials were carried.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found the explosion was most likely to have been initiated by the ignition of a highly flammable atmosphere within the tank, during what should have been a routine emptying operation in preparation for further cleaning and maintenance.
There were also found to have been longstanding failures within the refinery safety management systems and as a result, the risks posed by flammable atmospheres within the Amine Recovery Unit were not understood or controlled.
Valero Energy UK Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were fined £5 million and ordered to pay costs of £1 million.
B & A Contracts Ltd also pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were in turn fined £120,000 and ordered to pay costs of £40,000.
Jeremy Sirrell a partner at Palmers and health and safety expert said: “The incident, which had devastating consequences for all of those involved, was entirely preventable and highlights the importance of sufficient safety measures.
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