Liquid petroleum gas regulation after the 2004 ICL explosion

Lord Gill’s report of the public inquiry into the 2004 explosion at ICL Plastics Ltd in Glasgow was published in July 2009 (www.theiclinquiry.org). The explosion killed nine people and injured many more. It was caused by corroded pipework which led to a build up of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the building’s basement and caused the four-storey factory to collapse.

The inquiry found many weaknesses in the existing safety regime, and proposed a new regime for the use of LPG in industrial and commercial premises. As a result of the explosion and recommendations made by Lord Gill, the HSE agreed a plan for the replacement of underground metallic service pipework carrying LPG.

Organisations with buried metallic service pipework, which can corrode over time, must replace it with more durable materials, such as polyethylene. The oldest buried metallic service pipework in the least well-maintained condition and located in the most corrosive soils is being targeted first and is due to be replaced by the end of 2013.

In 2011, the HSE conducted Liquid Petroleum Gas and Pipeline online surveys to learn more about how to prevent a repeat of the ICL Plastics disaster.