§ Mr. Evansasked the Paymaster General why no officer of Her Majesty's Industrial Air Pollution Inspectorate was available to participate in Operation Cloudburst following an incident at Hays Chemicals Ltd., St. Helens, on Saturday 28 June; and when an officer of that establishment first made contact with St. Helens metropolitan council.
§ Mr. TrippierThe Industrial Air Pollution Inspectorate did not become aware of the incident at Hays Chemicals Ltd., St. Helens, until Monday 30 June, on which date St. Helens metropolitan council was contacted.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General what information he has as to the age of the oleum tank that split at Hays Chemicals Ltd. plant, East Sutton, St. Helens on Saturday 28 June.
§ Mr. TrippierHays Chemicals Ltd. states that the tank was fabricated in 1969 and installed in 1970.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General what information he has as to what welding tests were carried out on welded seams of the oleum tank at Hays Chemicals Ltd. plant. East Sutton, St. Helens on 28 June.
§ Mr. TrippierNo tests were carried out on 28 June. Visual examination and non-destructive tests were carried out in November and December 1985.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General what information he has as to when the oleum tank that split at Hays Chemicals Ltd. plant, East Sutton, St. Helens on 28 June was last refurbished.
§ Mr. TrippierRefurbishment was undertaken following the examination in November and December 1985.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General what information he has as to what certificate was issued, and by whom, after each refurbishment of the oleum tank that split at Hays Chemicals Ltd. plant, East Sutton, St. Helens on 28 June.
§ Mr. TrippierNo information is available at present.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General what information he has as to how many tanks of oleum are on the Hays Chemicals Limited site at East Sutton, St. Helens.
§ Mr. TrippierThere are four oleum tanks on site.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General what information he has as to whether the oleum tank that split at the Hays Chemicals Limited plant at East Sutton, St. Helens on 28 June was pressurised.
612W
§ Mr. TrippierThe oleum tank is not normally pressurised. Preliminary investigations suggest that there was an accidental pressurisation on 28 June.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General (1) what information he has as to the temperature of the oleum in the tank that split at the Hays Chemicals Limited plant at East Sutton, St. Helens on 28 June at the time of the split;
(2) what information he has as to steps taken to keep oleum tanks at Hays Chemicals Limited plant, East Sutton, St. Helens within safe temperature control limits.
§ Mr. TrippierNo information is available at present.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General what information he has as to what warning devices are used on oleum tanks at Hays Chemicals Limited, St. Helens to give notice that a tank has split or is in any way in a dangerous condition.
§ Mr. TrippierA contents level indicator was fitted to the tank.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General what regulations govern pressurised and non-pressurised tanks, including those containing oleum.
§ Mr. TrippierIt is not customary to store oleum in pressurised tanks. Tanks which operate at atmospheric pressure are not subject to any specific regulations Tanks used for containing steam or air above atmospheric pressure and steam boilers are subject to sections 32 to 37 of the Factories Act 1961.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General what information he has as to what facilities there are for emptying tanks containing oleum at Hays Chemicals Limited, St. Helens.
§ Mr. TrippierRigid and flexible pipes and pumps are available for emptying oleum tanks into other static tanks or mobile road tankers.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Paymaster General (1) whether the site at Hays Chemicals Limited, East Sutton, St. Helens is governed by the Controls of Industrial Major Accident Hazard Regulations.
(2) if he has any plans to designate installations that have tanks containing sulphur trioxide under Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazard regulations.
§ Mr. TrippierThe site at present is subject to regulations 4 and 5 of the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 because an industrial activity is carried out there that involves sulphur trioxide which is a dangerous substance as defined in regulation 2(1).
A directive is expected to be adopted shortly which would require amendment to the CIMAH regulations. This would add sites with sulphur trioxide above a threshold quantity to the list of those to which the more stringent requirements in regulations 7 to 12 apply.
§ Mr. Evansasked the Paymaster General if he will hold a public inquiry into the incident at Hays Chemicals Ltd., St. Helens, on Saturday 28 June in which a tank containing oleum fractured and sent a cloud of sulphuric acid mist over St. Helens; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TrippierNo. I will write to the hon. Member when the Health and Safety Executive has completed its investigation and place a copy in the Library.