VIC: Unions to ensure gas probe does not blame individuals

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-1998
VIC: Unions to ensure gas probe does not blame individuals

MELBOURNE, Dec 13 AAP - The Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC) is to monitor the Royal
Commission into Victorias gas crisis to ensure it uncovers the safety systems which failed,
rather than blaming individuals for the explosion that led to the deaths of two men.

VTHC secretary Leigh Hubbard said today the royal commission, which begins public hearings
tomorrow morning, must tackle one major question: "Why did something go wrong?"

He said: "Beyond the technical issue, the big question is, why did something go wrong?
What was the failure of systems, particularly if there was a history of problems over weeks or
months?".

The commission was called by the Victorian government after a September 25 explosion and
fire at Esso-BHPs Longford gas plant killed two workers and halted gas supplies to most of
the state for a fortnight.

Mr Hubbard said he expected the unions would be able to raise the issues concerning them and
be listened to, but "it depends to some extent on how Esso plays it".

"There will be a capacity for parties such as Esso and WorkCover to blame different people,
individual workers, inspectors and so on.

"We have a watching brief to ensure this does not turn into blame the individual and that
the safety systems that failed are identified."

When the terms of reference for Royal Commissioner Sir Daryl Dawson were announced in
October, Mr Hubbard said they did not tackle vital questions such as government responsibility
for ensuring security of gas supply and addressing the adequacy of legislation.

But today he said that despite those reservations he believed the commission would offer
enough scope for unions to make submissions on legislation and the enforcement of safety
standards.

Issues to be covered by Trades Halls submissions would include the role of WorkCover,
regulation and self-regulation, as well as how well the Country Fire Authority responded to
the explosion - a key issue for the firefighters union - and Essos own procedures and
preparedness.

"There is also the general matter of legislation in terms of standards for safety in
critical industries like petrochemicals and oil," Mr Hubbard said.

The commission is to report on the causes of the explosion and fire at Longford and the
failure of gas supply following the fire.

It will also investigate what steps should be taken by Esso or BHP to lessen the risk of a
repetition of the crisis.

Hearings begin at 10.15am on Level 29 of the Westpac Building at 360 Collins Street in
Melbournes CBD.

Sir Daryl has been directed to finish the inquiry no later than 15 February, 1999.

AAP sjg/ra/trm

KEYWORD: GAS COMMISSION (CARRIED EARLIER)

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