BP attacked over refinery death

BP was accused of failing to ensure the safety at its refineries in the United States today in a devastating blow to the oil …

BP was accused of failing to ensure the safety at its refineries in the United States today in a devastating blow to the oil giant's reputation.

An inquiry held in the aftermath of a fire at BP's Texas City refinery which killed 15 workers in 2005 found safety culture problems at the firm.

The report, by former US secretary of state James Baker, said the company emphasised personal safety "but BP did not emphasise process safety".

In response, BP said it had already taken a number of actions in line with the recommendations of the review. It will also develop plans for additional action at its US refineries.

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Chief executive Lord Browne said: "Many of the panel's recommendations are consistent with the findings of our own internal reviews.

"As a result, we have been in action on many of their recommendations for a year or more. Our progress has been encouraging but there is much more to do."