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BP agrees to pay record fine

16 August 2010

BP has agreed to pay a record fine of $50.6m (£32.5m) in relation to safety failings at its Texas refinery plant, which killed 15 people in 2005.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) originally issued BP with a fine of $87.4m in October 2009. BP has agreed to pay $50.6m, but continued to contest the remaining amount of the fine.
 
This fine can only highlight the emphasis that businesses must place on safety within their organisation. Whilst this is a US fine, its relevance to penalties for safety in the UK cannot be ignored.

This fine demonstrates that the bar is constantly being raised when it comes to protecting employees from risks to their health and safety. Levels of fine are ever increasing when compared to the seriousness of the offence and it is highly likely that comparisons will be made to this BP case in UK courts.
 
Businesses need to take action to ensure that safety procedures are well documented and regularly reviewed. Safety must be promoted actively and encouraged within an organisation with commitment from the top being the essential cornerstone to demonstrating a good safety culture.

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Hayley Saunders

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