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Stockpile tragedy families unhappy with court outcome
05/09/2007
A representative for families affected by the Stockpile tragedy said he was not satisfied with the fine that the firms responsible received for professional negligence.
The 2004 explosion at Glasgow's Stockpile plastics factory was one of the biggest tragedies of its kind ever seen in Britain and Northern Ireland, killing nine people and injuring 33 more.
After the High Court heard that gas pipes, which had corroded, would have cost only £405 to replace, Ian Tasker of the Stockline Support Group said the combined fine of £400,000 for ICL Plastics and ICL Tech was not enough.
The firms admitted four breaches of health and safety laws, including failure to safeguard employees or carry out proper risk assessments.
After the fines the firms received amounted to just £44,000 per victim, Mr Tasker said: "The current legal system is too restrictive, and until company directors face personal prosecution for their negligence, families will never receive justice."
Angus Stewart, prosecuting solicitor, confirmed that a fatal accident inquiry would follow criminal proceedings.
Meanwhile Mike Jones QC for the defence, said that the accident was due to "inadvertence rather than anything more blameworthy".
Stewart Campbell, director of the Health & Safety Executive in Scotland warned firms of the risk of work-related injuries if they were not careful with liquefied petroleum gas.
Contact us for legal advice
The 2004 explosion at Glasgow's Stockpile plastics factory was one of the biggest tragedies of its kind ever seen in Britain and Northern Ireland, killing nine people and injuring 33 more.
After the High Court heard that gas pipes, which had corroded, would have cost only £405 to replace, Ian Tasker of the Stockline Support Group said the combined fine of £400,000 for ICL Plastics and ICL Tech was not enough.
The firms admitted four breaches of health and safety laws, including failure to safeguard employees or carry out proper risk assessments.
After the fines the firms received amounted to just £44,000 per victim, Mr Tasker said: "The current legal system is too restrictive, and until company directors face personal prosecution for their negligence, families will never receive justice."
Angus Stewart, prosecuting solicitor, confirmed that a fatal accident inquiry would follow criminal proceedings.
Meanwhile Mike Jones QC for the defence, said that the accident was due to "inadvertence rather than anything more blameworthy".
Stewart Campbell, director of the Health & Safety Executive in Scotland warned firms of the risk of work-related injuries if they were not careful with liquefied petroleum gas.
Contact us for legal advice
