Chems sector least prepared, warns UK crisis firm

27 June 2007 15:29  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--The chemicals sector is the most likely industry to face a crisis the next five years, according to a survey by a UK crisis management consultancy released on Wednesday.

 

The docleaf report said that chemicals, along with construction, appeared to be the least prepared to manage crises associated with the specific industries – including crime, litigation, natural disasters, serious accidents and terrorist attacks.

 

The chemical industry was criticised for not conducting simulations or having crisis response plans in place.

 

The number of industrial incidents in recent years also contributed to chemicals' position compared with other industries, as well as the expectations of future incidents.

 

Though the report advocated companies appointing a "director of crisis management", the UK Chemicals Industries Association (CIA) said it was more important to have a collective corporate culture of responsibility.

 

“We take the high-hazard nature of our industry seriously and appreciate the risks we face,” said CIA chief executive Steve Elliott.

 

“The industry is well qualified and quantified to deal with risks including industrial incidents,” he added.

 

The oil and gas sector was reported to be the most prepared.

 

This was "in no small part due to the severity of incidents that hit this sector and the negative fall-out that companies can suffer,” according to docleaf.

 

Elliott said the chemicals industry could also learn lessons from recent serious incidents in the oil and gas sector such as the Buncefield and Texas City explosions.

 

The data was collected during April 2007 by independent research organisation VAR International. It surveyed 100 publicly quoted UK companies in 12 sectors - including 10 chemical firms.

 

By: Mark Watts
+44 20 8652 3214

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