Buncefield Investigation Board update
“The Major Incident Investigation Board is now focusing its work on developing conclusions and recommendations for future action. “The Board continues to monitor the progress of the complex on-going work and criminal investigation, but any decisions on legal proceedings are solely for HSE and EA. In all its activities and conduct the Board is very conscious of the need to avoid any risk of legal prejudice.” Lord Newton of Braintree, the chairman of the Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board said: "In the year since the Buncefield incident, local residents and businesses have continually demonstrated strength and determination to overcome the devastation and changes to daily life which have been caused by the explosion. The Dacorum Borough Council, Business Leaders and many others have worked impressively together, not only for recovery, but also for new opportunities, renewal and growth." He continued: "The Board is aware that great uncertainty remains and continues to work extremely hard on reaching its own conclusions and recommendations. Nothing can change what happened a year ago, but the Board knows that the right lessons must be learnt to prevent any repetition of such events." The publication of the Board's Initial Report in mid July 2006 and the completion of evidence gathering on the site marked a transition point in terms of identifying issues and key areas of ongoing work. Since then the Board has focused on three main work streams comprising the lessons to be learned from Buncefield, namely design and operation of storage sites; emergency response to incidents and advice to planning authorities. It has been looking ahead at developing conclusions and recommendations for future action. The board has decided that understanding the violence of the explosions at Buncefield, which remains unexplained, should be the subject of a separate programme of research for which the Board is currently examining suitable arrangements. A review of regulatory policy and procedures of the HSE and Environment Agency (the joint Competent Authority, or CA) associated with Buncefield is also underway. Finally the primary investigation into possible breaches of the law continues to make good progress. A decision on whether to recommend proceedings will be taken by the CA once all reasonable lines of inquiry are concluded. http://www.buncefieldinvestigation.gov.uk
•Date: 12th Dec 2006• Region: UK •Type: Article •Topic: BC general |
