The senate investigating committee on the fire of the factory Lubrizol, Rouen has just made public its report. The site Seveso, that is to say considered as presenting potential risks of a major accident, the manufacture of industrial lubricants and was burned on the night of 26 to 27 September 2019. The conclusions of the report are for the less severe in relation to the service of the State, both on the management of this event on the follow-up of industrial sites in general. The commission, chaired by Hervé Maurey (Union centre), denounces “blind spots unacceptable” in the risk management in France.
The Point : You have now released your report on the fire of Lubrizol. Your conclusions are hard to the place of the government…
Herve Maurey : The goal is not to be hard or complacent with the government, but to make an inventory of the dysfunctions that were noted before, during and after the disaster, as well in the service of the State in the companies. Beyond a point these shortcomings, we have established recommendations to prevent future disasters of this type.
Have you solved the major issue that works opinion on this issue, namely the health impact of this fire ?
On the health aspect, we talk about it, it is the major subject. The populations are concerned. There has been no deaths or injuries, but we can’t tell if this disaster can have an impact on the health of populations. For the moment, nothing is proven. It advocates measures such as the establishment of a true epidemiological follow-up of a cohort, including those who have been in contact with the disaster, such as fire fighters or the police forces. We also call for the opening of records of mortality, to track serious conditions. Today the government has just asked for a survey on the topic in public Health in France, the investigation that has still not been started.
It is not normal that the authorities do not know the nature of the products present on a site considered to be sensitive.
What are your recommendations ?
We have identified six areas of focus. Beyond the recommendations health follow-up that I have just mentioned, we propose to improve the risk culture so that everyone can know what risks exist next to the place where he lives. We also propose to better prevent the risks, it is not normal that the authorities do not know the nature of the products present on a site considered to be sensitive. It is not normal that when an inspection request for improvements, the work is not carried out eighteen months later.
The system of sirens is completely medieval… of the sirens that warned of the raids of the Luftwaffe !
Does it not also been a problem of communication during this fire ?
If, it is for this reason that we suggest that the communication systems are reviewed. The system of sirens is totally medieval. For more than ten years, we call for the implementation of the system “cell broadcast” (editor’s NOTE : a technology that allows you to send a same message on all phones in a geographic area). This system would still be more suitable than the sirens that warned of the raids of the Luftwaffe during the Second world War… We recommend also a better communication with neighboring towns that have been completely under-informed, it is a scandal.
Your report will be-t-he follow-up of effects ?
We will do everything for it to be. We have planned to organize a debate in the Senate to ensure that Parliament is in a situation to make a number of legislative initiatives.
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