29th March 2007 

Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board – recommendations on design & operation of fuel storage sites

The MIIB (2) today published its report on recommendations to improve safety in the design and operation of fuel storage sites which come under COMAH regulation (3).
The recommendations cover six main aspects:
• safety level integrity for overfill prevention devices
• protecting against loss of primary containment from tanks
• engineering against escalation of loss from primary containment
• engineering against loss of secondary and tertiary containment
• developing a high reliability industry
• delivering high performance through culture and leadership

The report is available here at the Buncefield investigation site.

Chris Hunt, Director General of UKPIA commented “ We broadly welcome the recommendations set out in the MIIB’s Design and Operations report. Some of these are already being developed or put into effect as a result of the work through the Buncefield Standards Task Group (5) established in June 2006.”

He continued “The Buncefield Standards Task Group continues to do valuable work to identify and develop best practice to enhance safety at major petroleum storage terminals, particularly those receiving petrol via pipeline. The challenge for the industry, working with the Competent Authority, is to maintain the leadership that has been demonstrated through the work of BSTG by putting in place an ongoing high level leadership structure that delivers sector improvements.

Notes to editors:
1. UKPIA represents nine oil refining and marketing companies operating in the UK, which also own approximately 2,500 of the UK's 9,764 service stations, and own and operate the nine major crude processing oil refineries in the UK.

2. The independent MIIB, chaired by Lord Newton of Braintree, was set up to supervise the investigation into the explosions and fires at Buncefield oil storage terminal in December 2005. The investigation is directed by the health and Safety Commission. The MIIB’s continuing work covers:
• design and operation of fuel storage sites;
• emergency response and preparedness
• advice to planning authorities
• examination of the roles of the Competent Authorities in regulating activities at Buncefield.

3. The main process safety regulation of refineries and terminals in the UK is the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 1999. Refineries and larger oil storage terminals are categorised as top tier sites. These regulations require all such sites to have a major accident prevention plan and, in addition, top tier sites must produce a safety report to show that risks have been systematically reviewed and controlled, and necessary measures taken.

4. COMAH Regulations are enforced by a joint Competent Authority: HSE and EA in England and Wales, and HSE and SEPA in Scotland.
5. The Buncefield Standards Task Group was established in June 2006 in the aftermath of the explosion and fire at HOSL Buncefield terminal in December 2005, to make recommendations to enhance safety and environmental standards at major petroleum storage facilities. The Steering group is chaired by Ken Rivers of Shell.