18 March 2010 – Action on Liquefied Petroleum Gas safety: Government responds to Lord Gill’s report
Measures to strengthen the safe operation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in small bulk installations were announced by Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper today.
The measures are part of a series of recommendations by Lord Gill into the tragic explosion at the ICL Plastics factory in Glasgow in May 2004 where nine people died and 33 were seriously injured following a leak of LPG.
The Government is already acting on many of Lord Gill’s recommendations. The programme to replace commercial buried metallic LPG pipework with polyethylene pipes is well underway alongside an inspection campaign by HSE and local authority inspectors to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Further measures being taken forward include introducing installation records for LPG users, registration of LPG suppliers, and clearer demarcation of responsibilities between users and suppliers. Suppliers will need to produce an asset register and users will receive improved guidance to ensure they meet their legal obligations.
Work and Pensions Secretary of State Yvette Cooper said:
"I would like to once again extend my condolences to the families and friends of those killed and injured in the factory explosion at ICL Plastics Ltd in Glasgow on 11 May 2004, and thank Lord Gill for his work and his considered recommendations following this tragic – and avoidable – event.
"We are taking steps to strengthen gas safety on site in future. All commercial buried metallic Liquefied Petroleum Gas pipework will be replaced. To ensure that the replacement polyethylene pipes themselves remain safe the HSE will undertake any additional research needed into the safety of these pipes and consult the LPG industry and pipe manufacturers on appropriate tests.
"We will also take steps to raise awareness amongst LPG users of their responsibilities within the existing legislative framework and ensure they comply with safety standards, underpinned by appropriate enforcement activity.
"I hope that the Government response goes some way to addressing the concerns of those who have suffered as a result of this tragic event and reassures them that the Government is determined to ensure that similar events do not happen in the future.”
The HSE is currently working with the LPG industry to develop clear and practical advice for LPG users on their statutory duties.
Notes to Editors:
The Government’s response to The ICL Inquiry Report is available at www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/icl-inquiry-response.pdf
An analysis of the responses to the preliminary consultation exercise, and other information used in developing the Government response, is now available on the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/iclresponse
The ICL Inquiry Report, Lord Gill’s report into the causes of the factory explosion at ICL Plastics Ltd in Glasgow on 11 May 2004, was published on 16 July 2009.
ICL Plastics Limited and ICL Technical Plastics Limited were each fined £200,000 at Glasgow High Court in August 2007.
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