§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the Health and Safety Executive's findings over the past 10 years on the failures of non-metallic storage vessels including plastic-lined GRP storage vessels, together with relevant information on recorded failures which is contained in the HSE database of investigated incidents; and if he will make a statement. [62303]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 7 December 1998]: A research report by the Health and Safety Laboratory of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has reviewed all the failures of non-metallic vessels reported to HSE during the period 1986–1996. The report discloses that early experience with GRP storage vessels was disappointing due to poor design, poor or inadequate installation, lack of suitable testing and inspection techniques, poor fabrication or materials specification, environmental stress cracking, and user-abuse. A number of key recommendations aimed at addressing these problems are contained in the report and HSE is reviewing its guidance in the light of these. In total, the report reviews a total of 59 incidents, 7 of which involved plastic-lined GRP storage vessels. Arrangements are in hand for a copy of the report to be placed in the Commons Library.