Five companies appear in court over Buncefield explosion
October 5th 2009 Five companies are due to appear in court charged in connection with an explosion at the Buncefield oil depot.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency (the EA) are prosecuting five companies following the explosions and fire at the Buncefield Oil Storage Depot, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire in December 2005.
Criminal proceedings have been commenced against Total UK, Hertfordshire Oil Storage, British Pipeline Agency, TAV Engineering and Motherwell Control Systems 2003 Ltd following a thorough and complex criminal investigation conducted by the HSE and the Environment Agency.
Total UK is charged with two counts of failure to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act and one count of causing the pollution of controlled waters.
Hertfordshire Oil Storage is charged with contravening health and safety regulation and polluting controlled waters.
TAV Engineering is charged with failure to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
British Pipeline Agency is charged with contravening a health and safety regulation and polluting controlled waters.
Motherwell Control Systems is charged with failure to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
A plea and case management hearing will take place on Monday 5 October at Woolwich Crown Court, 2 Belmarsh Road, London.
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