STOP NATO: �NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor -------------------------- Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb ---------------------------------------------------------------------- <A HREF="aol://4344:30.L100c9fj.5290089.678173747"> 06/28: Esso Australia <XOM.N> guilty on Longford charges</A> Esso Australia <<A HREF="aol://4785:XOM">XOM.N</A>> guilty on Longford charges MELBOURNE, June 28 (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp unit Esso Australia Ltd was found guilty by a Victorian Supreme Court jury on Thursday on 11 charges linked to an explosion at its Longford gas processing plant which killed two people. Esso faces a maximum fine of A$2.75 million on the criminal charges under the state's Occupational Health and Safety Act, which each carry a maximum penalty of A$250,000. Esso had pleaded not guilty to all 11 charges. Justice Philip Cummins said a separate hearing would begin on Friday to set the penalty. The explosion at the Longford plant in September, 1998 killed two employees, caused others to be seriously injured, left the state of Victoria almost totally without gas for about two weeks and cut crude oil production for several months. Esso Australia chairman Robert Olsen said outside the court the company acknowledged the court's decision and was committed to continuously improving the safety of its operations. "Esso deeply regrets this accident, the tragic loss of life and the serious injuries that resulted. The safety and the well being or our employees, our contractors and the nearby community is of the highest importance to this company," he said. "This accident marks a low point in the 30-plus year history of operations that we have in this country." Esso has come under fierce criticism in Victoria for a perceived unwillingness to accept responsibility for the accident. The Victorian WorkCover Authority laid the charges against Esso after a Royal Commission inquiry into the blast criticised the company for failing to adequately train its workers. VERDICT BOOSTS CLASS ACTION Esso also faces a potential A$1 billion class-action hearing in the Supreme Court, representing businesses and individuals who suffered financial loss as well as insurance companies seeking to recover policy payouts of A$300 million. Lawyer Nick Styant-Brown, of legal firm Slater and Gordon, said the criminal verdict would assist the class action, which is likely to be go before the courts in the first half of 2002. "What it means for the class action is our case for establishing fault against Esso is very strong," he said. Unions representing employees at the Longford plant called for tougher penalties to be introduced for corporations such as Esso, whose parent Exxon Mobil in January reported a world-record annual profit of US$16.9 billion. Australian Workers Union secretary Bill Shorten said Esso should apologise to the Longford plant workers and the Victorian community. "Esso can afford to pay any fine in any jurisdiction in the world. Our concern is that Esso will just assume that they can pay the money and they can go on with their business," he said. The Longford plant is operated by Esso and is supplied from Bass Strait oil and gas fields in a joint venture between Esso and BHP Ltd <BHP.AX>. US$1=A$0.52 01:35 06-28-01 Copyright 2001 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
