Shell Aust faces 35 safety charges over refinery =2 Melbourne

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-1999
Shell Aust faces 35 safety charges over refinery =2 Melbourne

WorkCover ordered Shell to close sections of its Geelong
refinery last October plant after inspection teams found major
faults with its firefighting facilities.

The inspection was one of a series carried out at fuel and oil
sites around the state in the wake of the fatal explosion and fire
at Esso's Longford gas plant the month before.

State parliament was told a firefighting line at the refinery
were so badly corroded hydrocarbons had seeped into fire main
pipes.

WorkCover had warned the refinery, which is close to a major
Geelong housing estate and the Princes Highway, could be shut down
if it failed to meet its legal requirements.

Shell's moves to repair and upgrade its firefighting and safety
system have embroiled it in lengthy legal and industrial action
with maintenance contractors employed by Danham United seeking a
five per cent wage rise.

Earlier this week, police were called in to remove picketers
from the Shell plant after the company gained a Supreme Court
order that the protesters quit their action.

AAP

KEYWORD: SHELL CHARGES 2 MELBOURNE (REOPENS)

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.