On 2 May 2017 around 17 tonnes of ethylene, a flammable gas, was released from a cracked pipe at KF Ethylene Plant in Grangemouth. The leak formed a cloud of flammable gas around 65,000m³ and was seen to move through a busy area of the plant, reaching ground level.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out an investigation into the incident and found that the immediate cause was an unplanned shutdown on the compressor due to non-routine maintenance activity. This activity was related to the changeover of a redundant electronic control card in the compressor anti-surge system. This line should have been designed for all potential operating conditions and shouldn't have failed as a result of the rapid opening of the valve and the sudden inrush of hot gas.
The company responsible for the site, Ineos Chemicals Grangemouth Limited, pleaded guilty to charges under the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations SI 2015/483 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. They were fined £400,000.
HSE inspector Mac Young commented on the incident: "While there were no injuries as a result of this incident and it was brought under control relatively quickly, the level of fine reflects the seriousness of what happened. It is important that operators of high hazard sites remain vigilant and control the risks that arise as a result of their processes to prevent major incidents."
Head of the Health and Safety Investigation Unit of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), Alistair Duncan said: "Hopefully this prosecution and the sentence will remind other duty holders that failure to fulfil their obligations can have serious consequences and that they will be held to account for their failings."
