Buncefield oil depot explosion health and safety failings admitted - 18th November 2009

Oil firm Total UK has admitted health and safety breaches after an explosion at the Buncefield oil depot that resulted in over 40 injuries and hundreds of homes and businesses damaged.

The firm pleaded guilty to two charges under the Health and Safety Act and one of causing pollution at the Old Bailey as a result of the workplace accident which occurred in 2005.

The appearance at the Old Bailey follows a hearing at the High Court in March when Total was ordered to pay the property damage bills of individual and business claimants, which amounted to £750 million.

The judge said on that occasion that sloppy practices and inadequate risk assessment at the Buncefield site had contributed to the accident. He also mentioned the negligence of supervisors and a series of failures in risk assessment and prevention.

The explosion occurred when 300 tonnes of petrol leaked from a tank at the site. A huge vapour cloud formed and ignited and the resulting blast could be heard 125 miles away.

In its plea Total admitted exposing staff and members of the public to risk, and to allowing water below the depot to become polluted after the explosion.

Four other companies, Hertfordshire Oil Storage, British Pipeline Agency, TAV Engineering and Motherwell Control Systems 2003, denied breaking health and safety laws.

Total said in a statement: "As criminal proceedings continue against a number of other defendants, it would be inappropriate to comment further, other than to say that Total UK regrets the unfortunate events at Buncefield in December 2005.”

The company is not expected to be sentenced until the trial of the other companies is completed next spring.

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