This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/10351102.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Company guilty in Buncefield case | Company guilty in Buncefield case |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A second company has been convicted of a health and safety breach in relation to the Buncefield oil depot explosion in Hertfordshire in December 2005. | A second company has been convicted of a health and safety breach in relation to the Buncefield oil depot explosion in Hertfordshire in December 2005. |
| TAV Engineering Ltd, of Guildford, Surrey, was convicted of the offence at St Albans Crown Court. | TAV Engineering Ltd, of Guildford, Surrey, was convicted of the offence at St Albans Crown Court. |
| Motherwell Control Systems 2003, Liverpool, was convicted on Wednesday of failing to ensure employees were not exposed to risks. | Motherwell Control Systems 2003, Liverpool, was convicted on Wednesday of failing to ensure employees were not exposed to risks. |
| The blast injured 43 people and homes and businesses were destroyed. | The blast injured 43 people and homes and businesses were destroyed. |
| The explosion, which could be heard 125 miles away, happened when a massive vapour cloud ignited after 250,000 litres of petrol leaked from a tank, the court heard. | The explosion, which could be heard 125 miles away, happened when a massive vapour cloud ignited after 250,000 litres of petrol leaked from a tank, the court heard. |
| TAV Engineering Ltd had denied committing a breach between 1 October 2003 and 12 December 2005. | TAV Engineering Ltd had denied committing a breach between 1 October 2003 and 12 December 2005. |
| On Wednesday, Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd (HOSL) was found guilty of failing to prevent major accidents and limit their effects. | |
| The company pleaded guilty on Friday to allowing polluting matter to enter controlled water underlying the facility, contrary to the Water Resources Act, between December 12 and 31 2005. | |
| Total UK and the British Pipelines Agency Limited had already pleaded guilty to offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act. | Total UK and the British Pipelines Agency Limited had already pleaded guilty to offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act. |
| The Health & Safety Executive and the Environment Agency said in a joint statement: "This was the biggest and most complex criminal inquiry we have worked on together - the product of many hundreds of hours of painstaking forensic investigation. | |
| "When companies put workers and members of the public at risk and cause environmental damage we will prosecute. | |
| "When the largest fire in peacetime Europe tore through the Buncefield site on that Sunday morning in December 2005, these companies had failed to protect workers, members of the public and the environment. | |
| "The scale of the explosion and fire at Buncefield was immense and it was miraculous that nobody died. Unless the high hazard industries truly learn the lessons, then we may not be that fortunate in future." | |
| Sentencing of the companies by trial judge Mr Justice Calvert-Smith will take place back at St Albans Crown Court next month. | Sentencing of the companies by trial judge Mr Justice Calvert-Smith will take place back at St Albans Crown Court next month. |