Blast pipes 'not considered risk'

The blast was blamed on gas escaping from corroded pipes

Safety inspectors who visited the ICL Plastics factory before it exploded did not consider underground pipework to be a risk, an inquiry has heard.

Health and safety officers had been alerted to a wrongly-placed gas tank at the factory in the Maryhill area of Glasgow.

But the public inquiry into the tragedy heard corroded underground pipes had not been identified as a major problem.

Nine people died when the factory was reduced to rubble in May 2004.

The disaster, which became known as the Stockline blast, also injured a further 33 people. The explosion was caused by liquefied petroleum gas escaping from old and corroded pipe work.

Retired factory inspector John Ives said underground pipes were not a priority for Health and Safety Executive (HSE) staff visiting the factory in the early 1980s.

'Relative priorities'

He told investigators after the blast: "At that time I don't think any of us would have seen underground pipework causing any undue risk."

Under questioning by inquiry counsel Roy Martin QC at the inquiry, he said: "I do not recall it being raised as an inspection priority along with other issues in those years.

"The location of the bulk tank was seen as a far more important issue than the pipeline.

"I'm not saying that pipework was ignored, I'm saying that in terms of relative priorities, at that time the siting of the tank seemed to be more important in the HSE's priorities."

Mr Ives said he did not recall two circulars issued to factory inspectors in 1980 and 1983 giving advice on checks to underground pipes.

The later note recommended that they were surveyed for leaks at least every three months and inspected every five years.

The inquiry, being heard at the Maryhill Community Hall, heard previously that Mr Ives wrote to ICL bosses with a number of recommendations, including the excavation of a section of underground pipework, in 1989.