COURT CASE AGAINST TRANSCO - HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE

26 Aug 2005 04:45 PM

Transco PLC was today fined a total of £15m at the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh, under Section 3 of the Health and Safety etc Act 1974. The jury returned the guilty verdict today following a six month trial.

Commenting outside the court, John Sumner, Head of the Health and Safety Executive's Chemicals Unit in Scotland, said:

"This was a very detailed investigation. I would like to pay tribute to the excellent work carried out by all the investigators involved - HSE's own staff, Strathclyde police and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

"Our thoughts are with the relatives of those who died.

"With regard to pipeline safety, it should be noted that HSE served an improvement notice in September 2000 to accelerate Transco's mains replacement programme. This resulted in the replacement of all known sections of the sort of main that ruptured at Larkhall in the three years after the accident. In other words, some 2,500 km of ductile iron medium pressure gas mains were replaced by plastic pipeline.

"The conviction sends a message not just to Transco but to all operators of hazardous plant of the need to keep accurate records, operate effective management systems and properly maintain pipelines and equipment"

NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS

1. On 22 December 1999 at 5.30am a massive explosion destroyed the house at 42 Carlisle Road, Larkhall. The house had been occupied by the Findlay family, Andrew (34), Janette (37), Stacey (13) and Daryl (11), all of whom were killed in the blast.

2. There was extensive damage to neighbouring properties. A strong smell of gas in the immediate aftermath of the explosion lead to enquiry focussing upon a possible gas leak as the cause of the explosion.

3. An investigation by officials from the Health and Safety Executive showed that there were holes in the 250mm medium pressure ductile iron pipe that ran through the front garden of number 42.

4. Gas leaking form the main found its way into the under-floor void and subsequently the kitchen of the property where it ignited. The precise source of ignition could not be determined but could have been a gas hob or other source in the kitchen.

5. The subsequent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inquiry and initial police investigation were extensive. The results were reported to the Procurator Fiscal at Hamilton on 15 September 2000.

Ends

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