• Accident: A Tarragona reactor cover flew three kilometers after the explosion and killed a man in his house
  • Tarragona: The missing worker is found dead after the explosion
  • Catalonia Explosion in a petrochemical plant in Tarragona

The Labor Inspectorate of Catalonia has revealed that IQOXE, the company where an ethylene oxide deposit exploded on Tuesday, has been sanctioned four times in recent years, with fines ranging between 2,000 and 8,000 euros , for various breaches of regulations, and has advanced an investigation into this accident.

The Minister of Labor of the Generalitat, Chakir El Homrani , has assured that the Labor Inspectorate will go "to the bottom to clarify the causes and responsibilities of a very serious accident" , which has caused three deaths and seven injuries.

In fact, the Labor Inspectorate of the Generalitat has already opened two dossiers to chemistry after the explosion.

The Homrani has specified that of the four files that culminated in sanction, one was imposed for working conditions and the other three for breaches of health and safety .

He has acknowledged that the process will be "long and complex" because of the state in which the Iqoxe facilities have remained, although he has warned that they will end up knowing the causes and responsibilities.

Asked about the amount of the sanction that can be imposed in the event that the petrochemical company does not follow the corresponding action protocols, El Homrani has indicated that it has to be analyzed and that they have specialists in confined spaces and explosions, although It has advanced that it can be a "very serious sanction" if irregularities are detected .

For its part, the Federation of Industry of the USOC union has demanded the revision of the protocols of action and communication of the petrochemical company of Tarragona, which revealed "some deficiencies" in its application and in the activation of alarms.

The union believes that these protocols should not only be due to the risk of toxic cloud , but also to the fall of objects with the obvious risk to workers and population, after the death of a neighbor of Torreforta (Tarragona) when the roof of its floor due to the impact of the reactor cover that flew about three kilometers.

In addition, he has requested a thorough investigation of the causes of the IQOXE accident and a total "transparency" in their conclusions and the corresponding responsibilities.

The union has demanded from the industries guarantees for the proper functioning of the equipment and its maintenance to minimize the risk of accidents.

USOC also considers it necessary to increase the programs of continuous training of the workers of the companies and of the contractors, as well as to ask, both companies and administrations, not to relax in the security measures .

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