High risk industries 'ready for strike'

Firefighters are planning 36 days of stoppages

The North's nuclear and chemical industries say contingency plans are in place to cope with a national firefighters' strike.

Bosses at the Sellafield reprocessing plant in Cumbria and emergency planners overseeing Teesside's chemical operations, say they have adequate safety cover.

British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL), which operates Sellafield, says it has reviewed safety at the plant and submitted contingency plans to the regulators.

A private firm has been drafted in to cope with any chemical emergency on Teesside during Britain's first national firefighters' strike in 25 years.

'Guarantee safety'

A BNFL spokesperson said: "We have carefully reviewed all safety cases.

"Contingency plans have been submitted to the regulators.

"However, we shall review the situation during the strikes and we shall shut processors down if we cannot guarantee safety."

David Hay, from the Cleveland emergency planning unit, said: "We have hired a private company to take care of road tanker spillages during the strikes.

Hazardous spillages

"The amount of petro-chemical industries in the area means our roads are more vulnerable than most to hazardous spillages.

"The emergency cover being provided by the armed services would not extend to dealing with chemicals."

The General, Municipal and Boilermakers Union (GMB), said it was "inconceivable" that the stoppages called by the Fire Brigades Union would not hit the chemical, nuclear and transport sectors.

It has accused the government of "wanting it both ways" by urging people to work normally while warning of the dire consequences of strikes.