Corringham: Oil firm rejects safety fears

Worries about safety at the Shell Haven site in Corringham emerged amid reports that a contractor working on the site fell from a building and cut his head.

It took 20 minutes for Essex Ambulance to arrive at the site and another ten minutes to get inside.

The revelations have sparked concerns among residents that the site, which is being wound down, does not have the necessary on-site emergency services.

Fifty workers and 150 contractors remain at Shell Haven, dealing with demolition, import of petroleum and aviation fuel, and bitumen.

In its heyday the site employed workers from across south Essex.

Under health and safety regulations, companies are required to carry out a risk assessment on the safety of workers and people who are not company employees.

Shell Haven used to employ a team of fire and safety supervisors around the clock, but they were made redundant earlier this year.

A Corringham resident, who did not want to be named, said: "I'm worried that if a chemical accident was to happen over there, we are talking about a major incident.

"There are not the emergency services on the site to deal with it, and the ambulance and fire services would be called in to deal leaving local residents who may need their services in the lurch."

However, Shell has said the site is more than equipped to deal with emergencies, and that the safety of workers and people nearby is paramount.

A spokesman said: "There is no way we would ever jeopardise safety on our sites. There is a health and safety management team at Shell Haven to address that.

"The injured man was back at work the next day, albeit on light duties, and investigations into the incident are continuing.

"We absolutely refute any suggestion of inadequate health and safety measures at the site.

"There are numerous staff trained in first aid, two of which attended the accident."

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