Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many serious health and safety incidents at oil refineries and petrochemical plants have been reported in the UK over the last five years.

The table below shows health and safety incidents reported in the manufacture of refined petroleum products sector over the 5 years 2011/12-2015/16, for Great Britain. Each year is from 1 April to 31 March.

Source: RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations);

p=provisional

Notes:

For fatal injuries, the data provided is based on the site of where the death occurred.

For non-fatal injuries and dangerous occurrences, the data is reported according to Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), namely ‘SIC 19.2 – manufacture of refined petroleum products’. For non-fatal injuries reporting is made by the employer of the injured person.

Non-fatal injuries to workers are defined under RIDDOR, and cover specified injuries such as amputation or most bone fractures; prior to October 2013 these were known as Major Injuries. The non-fatal injury figures also include injuries resulting in more than seven days off work (the reporting threshold was over-3-days until April 2012).

Also from October 2013, some legislative changes were made to the “Types of Dangerous Occurrences” reportable under RIDDOR.

Dangerous Occurrences include incidents such as an explosion, fire or the release of flammable or other dangerous substances.

* Due to a reporting system change in September 2011, figures for Dangerous Occurrences in 2011/12 only cover seven months.