Negligence caused Atomic gas explosion – Dep’t of Factories Inspectorate

Negligence is likely to be the major cause of the Atomic gas explosion which killed 7 people with 132 others severely injured, Chief Factories Inspector at the Department of Factories Inspectorate has said.

Mr Fred Ohene Mensah has revealed the rickety tanker cars - which do not go through a proper examination, as a factor.

“Just about a month, we were discussing this issue, and all of a sudden, the Atomic explosion came. Because we realized that some of the vehicles are rickety; they do not go through an examination. Their coupling systems were bad but who checks it? And someone who has no knowledge of it (the examination) seems to be doing that. But in a nutshell, it is not being done according to the law”, he said.

He made this assertion at the launch of the 4th biennial National Safety Conference at the Royal Nick Hotel on Wednesday, November 1, 2017.

Mr. Ohene Mensah added that the only precautionary measure executed was a mechanical examination by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).

“It is only the mechanical examination that was done by DVLA. But by law they are supposed to go through statutory examination where hydro test is done; a hydraulic test is done; pressure test is done; the valves, the pipelines, everything is done”, he explained.

He called on engineer surveyors to visit the Department of Factories for certification so as to assist the department in the statutory examination of vehicles and other stationary vessels.

“Things are going to change and I believe that some of you as engineer surveyors who will be doing a statutory examination on these vehicles, and not only the vehicles but also stationary vessels that have been installed and are going to be installed”.

“We will need your support, especially in this regard, the engineers among us, who will be certified to take statutory examination”, he concluded.