Summary
Shell UK Limited has been fined £450,000 following a serious safety breach at the Braefoot Bay Marine Terminal in Fife. In November 2018, a ship’s engineer, Vladimir Volkov, sustained serious cold burns to 10–13% of his body when approximately 250–300kg of liquid propane was violently released during a loading operation. The release occurred when a technician accidentally pressed a button on a remote-control handset, causing a loading arm to disconnect while still pressurised. The incident created a massive flammable vapour cloud that enveloped the jetty and the vessel, posing a significant risk of a catastrophic explosion.
Analysis
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation identifies a critical failure in Shell’s “management of change” protocols. The company upgraded its loading equipment but incorrectly categorised the project as a “like-for-like” replacement. By failing to recognise that the new remote-controlled system introduced unique risks—such as exposed buttons and different operating sequences—Shell neglected to implement basic physical or digital safeguards.
Furthermore, Shell’s formal operating procedures were found to be fundamentally unsafe, as they directly contradicted manufacturer guidance by requiring the early disarming of safety couplings. This created a hazardous window where human error could lead to a major release. The incident highlights that even for major global organisations, the failure to conduct fresh risk assessments when introducing new technology can lead to life-threatening systemic vulnerabilities.
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