In mid March, the Health and Safety Executive’s Major Incident Investigation Board who are investigating the Buncefield disaster issued an interim report.
The report mainly concerns environmental issues such as the failure of the bunds – which were designed to contain spilt fuel within the site - and the loss of fuel and fire water from the site to the surrounding land. They have examined the effects of this overspill on our water supply and local land and rivers. The good news is that I have been assured the drinking water has not been affected, although clearly careful monitoring will need continue for some time to come. This is all well and good, but my primary concern, however, is that this investigation is not being carried out in an open and impartial way. It is incredible that the investigation is being carried out by the Health and Safety Executive – the very body responsible for setting and checking the safety practices at installations such as Buncefield. The HSE cannot be allowed to investigate itself in this or any other matter and as it’s the prosecuting authority as well, it could end up prosecuting itself. I cannot accept that this investigation needs to take place behind closed doors. If local people are expected to have any confidence in the findings the inquiry should be conducted in the open. There should be a public inquiry into the causes and effects of the Buncefield disaster. Not an investigation carried out by one of the parties involved, behind closed doors. The interim report can be found on the Buncefield Investigation’s website: www.buncefieldinvestigation.gov.uk.
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