The man, in his 20s and from Ringwood, suffered burns to his face and wrist when sparks from the disc cutter he was using ignited fuel vapour in the tank. He was in intensive care for two days but has since recovered.
The incident, on 13 March 2012, was investigated by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), which prosecuted contractor Laurence Greenland, trading as Fuel Pump & Tank Services, at Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday (13th February).
The court heard how Mr Greenland had employed the young man to help him remove a pair of 20,000-litre fuel tanks from the site of a former filling station in Iwerne Minster near Blandford Forum.
Before removing the tank that exploded, fuel was emptied and the tank de-gassed so it appeared there was no flammable material or vapour left. The tank atmosphere was monitored using a gas detector until a zero gas reading was given.
Despite his concerns, the worker used a disc cutter, brought by Mr Greenland for this specific task, to cut the tank into sections so it could be removed more easily from the site. However, shortly after he started to cut the petrol end of the tank, there was an explosion, damaging nearby properties and vehicles with flying debris.
The HSE discovered a number of safety failings:
- The safety assessment carried out before the work started was inadequate and there was no safe system of work in place;
- The gas detector used to monitor the atmosphere had not been suitably calibrated and may have given false readings;
- The tank had not been properly cleaned and flammable residues remained;
- Although it would not have completely eliminated the risk of explosion, cold cutting techniques should have been used rather than a disc cutter, which generated heat and sparks, thus igniting the vapour when the tank was pieced.
Laurence Greenland, of Forest Side Gardens, Ringwood, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Regulation 6(3)(a) of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations 2002. He was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs.
HSE inspector James Powell said after the hearing: “A number of failings led to this incident, which was entirely preventable. It was only a matter of good fortune that the worker was not killed and other workers and members of the public not seriously injured.
“This case emphasises the need for employers to give proper consideration to work hazards before they place their employees in situations where they might be put at significant risk. Laurence Greenland failed to manage the risks of explosion and eliminate the risk of injury to workers and the public, and damage to property.
“People working with potentially explosive equipment should follow the safety procedures set out in industry guidance and all employees engaged in such work must be given adequate training in the risks involved and the precautions required.”
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