Multiple flammable gas leaks results in chemical company fined £267,000

A company company has been fined £267,000 after five leaks of extremely flammable hydrocarbons occurred at one of its plants between February 2018 and September 2019. The leaks, all linked to corrosion under insulation (CUI), were discovered following an HSE inspection that detected a strong smell of flammable gas, with one leak having continued for around four months before action was taken.

HSE’s investigation found that the company’s arrangements for inspecting insulated pipework were inadequate. Visual inspections were often carried out from ground level with limited visibility, insulation was not always removed for proper examination, and the company failed to recognise shortcomings in its inspection process despite repeated leaks across the site.

The regulator concluded that the failures exposed workers and the site to the risk of a major accident involving highly flammable substances. ExxonMobil pleaded guilty to breaches of health and safety legislation and was fined at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on 25 August 2026. HSE said the leaks were preventable and highlighted the importance of robust inspection and risk management systems at high-hazard industrial facilities.

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