The former owners of an oil refinery in Pembroke have been fined £5 million after four contractors died in an explosion in 2011. Dennis Riley, Robert Broome, Andrew Jenkins and Julie Jones were draining a chemical storage tank at the then Chevron refinery when flammable gases ignited. A fifth worker, Andrew Phillips, suffered life-changing burns.
At Swansea Crown Court, Mr Justice Lewis said no fine could 'reflect the value of someone's life.' The judge noted that failures by Chevron staff meant the risk of flammable vapour was not understood, and a gas test days earlier was miscommunicated. 'If the work had been stopped, the explosion would not have happened,' he said.
Specialist cleaning company B&A Contracts, which employed two of the victims, was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay £40,000 in costs for health and safety breaches. The court heard the explosion was likely caused by a spark from an unearthed hosepipe or by self-igniting substances in the tank.
Chevron said it 'fully accepts' responsibility and recognised it 'did not live up to' its own standards, adding that changes have been implemented to prevent a recurrence. B&A Contracts also accepted responsibility, stating it would 'turn the clock back in a heartbeat.'
Health and Safety Executive inspector Andrew Knowles described the accident as 'entirely preventable.' Andrew Jenkins' mother Linda said 'justice hadn't been done,' adding, 'They are all going home to their family. I'll never see my son again.'
