Teesworks was surely irresponsible when the decision was made to carry out demolition before the site was decontaminated. This decision unnecessarily endangered the safety of humans and the safety of the natural environment.
Before carrying out operations a hospital makes sure its operating theatres are sterile, if not the hospital is negligent and patients are likely to die.
In a similar way, carrying out the already complex and dangerous demolition operations in a contaminated environment was surely negligent. Teesworks is one of the most contaminated sites in the UK (Teesworks - COMAH Status) and was one of the most dangerous sites classified on a par with Bhophal and a major oil refinery by the Health and Safety Executive(COMAH (Control of Major Accident Hazards)).
By not decontaminating the site before other work commenced created two major risks:
- Firstly, carrying out demolition in the presence of pyrophilic and explosive hazards made the work far more dangerous than it needed to be. Explosions and fires during demolition would not happen if the hazards had been removed first.
- Secondly, any work on the site while it has not all been decontaminated exposes workers to the potential of chemical exposure unless extra personal protective equipment is used and exposes the environment to the potential for accidental release of contaminated material either into air or water. Exposure and release during demolition would not happen if the chemicals of concerns had been removed from site.
Instead demolition has been carried out on a very dangerous site.
In August 2019 the Environment Agency gave advice about the development of the Teesworks site and stated that “These decontamination operations should be completed prior to any demolition or longer term restoration of the site.” Teesworks has announced that all the demolition is now finished, but the decontamination operations have not been completed and in many areas of the site decontamination has yet to start.
The letter the Environment Agency was sent on 8th August 2019 in response to the outline planning application R/2019/0427/FFM for demolition, preparation and temporary storage of soils and use in remediation land at former South Bank Works, Grangetown Prairie, British Steel and Warrenby Area (most of South Tees site), which was approved on 27th September 2019.