Factory blast was 'avoidable'

News in pictures
News in pictures
On Facebook
From the blogs

Roy Hodgson for England: A club of one

To argue against Harry Redknapp for England is akin to arguing in favour of bankers bonuses. While s...

Time for a reality check on the Sri Lankan civil war

Sri Lanka, much like Britain, has side-lined accountability long enough.

Children Of Alcoholics week: One million children may just be the tip of the iceberg

Children Of Alcoholics week starts today. So, what are the aims for Nacoa during this important week...

Review of Being Human: ‘Being Human 1955’

Following on from an episode tinged with tragedy, this week lifted the mood with something lighter.

A factory blast which killed nine workers was an "avoidable disaster", an inquiry into the tragedy found today.

Lord Gill said risks posed were "not identified and not understood" at ICL plastics in Glasgow.



A further 33 people were seriously injured in the explosion in May 2004 - caused by a build up of leaking gas which ignited.







Lord Gill called for similar metallic pipe systems - carrying the liquefied petroleum gas which ignited - to be identified as an "urgent priority" and replaced with polyethylene, a form of plastic.

The inquiry found that the underground piping, installed in 1969, was "out of sight and out of mind".



The report said: "It was inadequately protected when buried, it was subject to corrosion and ultimately it failed."



Management of ICL faced criticism over a lack of "knowledge and understanding" over the dangers leading to the explosion.



"Serious weaknesses" were found in the health and safety regime at the factory.



The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was also criticised for an oversight in "failing to appreciate" the hazards posed by the buried pipes.









The Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy, who today met relatives who lost loved ones in the disaster, said: "What is clear is that this disaster was entirely avoidable.

"It could have been avoided and it should have been avoided."



Mr Murphy said in Glasgow: "This report shows there were serious failings on behalf of the company and also the Health and Safety Executive.



"We now need to take urgent action to ensure this sort of tragedy can never be repeated anywhere in Scotland or the rest of the UK."



Mr Murphy said the Government accepted the report's recommendations.



He said: "We have asked the chairman of the Health and Safety Executive to report to Government within eight weeks, both to address the allegations of their serious failings in how they responded, and also to look at ways of strengthening the safety around liquid petroleum gas here and throughout the UK."



And Mr Murphy said: "It is clear there have been failings going back to the 1970s on this site.



"There were signs that things were wrong, things that were missed, things that were ignored.



"Work wasn't carried out properly, the site owners ignored some of the guidance," he said.



Scotland Office Minister Anne McKechin, who was with Mr Murphy as MP for Glasgow North at today's meeting with relatives, welcomed the report and its findings.



She said: "I think the key failing was over a very long period of time.



"It was the inability to keep proper records, the inability to assess properly what the risks were on the site, and the inability to keep the company to account for their actions."









Inquiry chairman Lord Gill said there should be "early inspection" of all buildings with an LPG supply to identify potential dangers.

He recommended an overhaul of safety regimes on the installation, maintenance, monitoring and replacement of all LPG systems.



This should include clear lines of responsibility between gas suppliers and users.



He found ICL did not understand LPG is heavier than air and when escaping would gather in lower areas such as drains, ducts and voids - increasing the risk of a blast.



The explosion on 11 May 2004 flattened the plant in the Maryhill area of the city in a matter of seconds.



The scene of devastation met by survivors led one worker to believe a plane had crashed into the building.



The investigation which followed was the biggest of its kind yet undertaken by Scottish authorities.



Evidence gathered in the £1 million probe, held over two sessions in July and October last year, heard the damaged pipework would have cost just £405 to replace.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus

Day In a Page

Apple admits it has a human rights problem

Apple admits it has a human rights problem

After years of complaints and workers' suicides in China the technology giant faces up to the human cost of its gadgets
Peter Moore: 'I feel guilty I'm the only one alive'

Peter Moore interview

'I feel guilty I'm the only one alive'
Sellafield faces nuclear option as overspending threatens plant's future

Sellafield faces nuclear option

Overspending threatens plant's future
Israel blames Iran for embassy bomb attacks

Israel blames Iran for embassy bomb attacks

Tehran rejects Netanyahu's 'lies' after diplomats in India and Georgia targeted
Former manager enjoying Apoel crack at the big time

Tommy Cassidy interview

Former manager enjoying Apoel crack at the big time
James Lawton: Patience may not be a virtue this time, Roman – Andre Villas-Boas looks all at sea

James Lawton: AVB looks all at sea

Abramovich's visits to training reinforce the idea of a coach feeling pressure from above and below
The 10 Best sledges

The 10 Best sledges

Not all of them require snow...
Procrastination: Not now – I'm busy

Procrastination: Not now – I'm busy

Confronting the real reasons for puttting things off can help us beat it
Fun in the sunset years

Fun in the sunset years

A new movie follows retirees moving to India for low-cost care and a culture of respect for the elderly. For many Britons, it's already a reality
Picture preview: Lucian Freud drawings

Lucian Freud drawings

Picture preview
Silent revolution at the Baftas as the French take top awards

Silent revolution at the Baftas

The Artist wins in seven categories, with Meryl Streep the other big success story
Whitney Houston: The diva who had – and lost – it all

The diva who had – and lost – it all

Nick Hasted charts the highs and lows of Whitney Houston's life
How Picasso won over (some of) the British

How Picasso won over (some of) the British

Winston Churchill and Evelyn Waugh hated his work, but Picasso provided inspiration for a whole generation of UK artists
Topshop: A Decade Of Design

Topshop: A Decade Of Design

When London Fashion Week starts on Friday, Topshop will celebrate 10 years backing its brightest young stars
John Prescott: 'My wife thought I'd just retire, but I'm not a slippers man'

'My wife thought I'd just retire, but I'm not a slippers man'

At 73, John Prescott isn't mellowing. In fact he's taking a shot at becoming a police commissioner