Gas pipeline explosion leads to new safety measures

Safety recommendations from an enquiry into a 2004 gas explosion have been accepted by the UK government.

Improvements to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) site procedures were suggested by Lord Gill in a report following a blast at ICL Plastics in Glasgow, which killed nine people.

The detonation was caused when leaking gas was ignited in a corroded underground LPG pipeline leading into the factory's basement.

Under the proposals, the authorities will now take out all buried pipelines of this kind and replace them with polyethylene.

Secretary of state for work and pensions Yvette Cooper said: "We are taking steps to strengthen gas safety on site in future … We will also take steps to raise awareness amongst LPG users of their responsibilities within the existing legislative framework."

The Health and Safety Executive, which was formed in 1975, has also been asked to implement a new system of recording LPG suppliers' details and keeping installation registers.