Petrol tanks were explosive risk
A garage owner whose empty petrol tanks were an explosive risk has been prosecuted after ignoring an order to decommission them Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service has announced.
Corley Ash Garage, located on Highfield Lane, Corley Ash was visited by Trading Standards Officers and three unused petrol storage tanks were found. These contained petrol vapour which is highly combustible and if ignited can cause a serious explosion.
Officers served Mr Burden (the occupier) with an improvement notice which ordered him to decommission the empty tanks. This is normally done by removing the tanks from site or filling them with concrete slurry or hydrophobic foam, releasing the petrol vapour in to the atmosphere where it safely dissipates.
However, Mr Burden failed to carry out the work and the matter was brought before the Court on 6 September 2010. The defendant asked for an adjournment and then commenced with the decommissioning process.
On his return to Nuneaton Magistrates Court on Monday 4th October he pleaded guilty to contravening a safety improvement notice which is an offence under the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £2000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1000 and a £15 victim surcharge.
Warwickshire County Councillor Richard Hobbs, Portfolio Holder for Community Protection said: “Trading Standards Petroleum Officers carry out very important work to help ensure that garages and other locations where petrol is stored are safe. I am delighted with the outcome of this case which seeks to protect the public from harm.”
In mitigation Mr Sachdev representing Mr Burden said that he had encountered difficulty with his landlord regarding the lease and in agreeing how the work should be carried out but the work had now been completed.
Warwickshire County Council were represented by Ann Belcher WCC Legal Services
Mr Burden was represented by Mr Rajiv Sachdev of Payne Skillington Solicitors
It is an offence under Section 33(1)(g) Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 to fail to comply with an improvement notice.