Five ‘hazardous’ firms face safety charge hike

Three of the firms are based on the sprawling former ICI chemicals complex at Leeds Road, Deighton – Syngenta, Arch UK Biocides and Lubrizol Ltd.

Nearby Hanson Logistics’ warehouse at Ashgrove Road – behind the Clive Brook Volvo dealer – is the fourth.

Black Cat fireworks at Crosland Moor makes up the list of Huddersfield firms.

Surfachem Ltd based at the Ainleys at Elland and Solvay Solutions at Holywell Green, Stainland are also on the list.

The 14 West Yorkshire firms were until now charged just £1,000 a year for the preparation of a safety plan.

Fire chiefs have now decided to more than quadruple the charge to £4,100.

Upper Tier COMAH firms must also hold a disaster exercise on their site every three years, at a cost of about £13,000. Four firms are tested each year. The other Upper Tier COMAH sites in West Yorkshire are a DHL Exel Supply Chain Ltd site in Castleford, an Esseco UK Ltd site in Wakefield, Gower Chemicals Ltd at Sherburn in Elmet near Leeds, and Unilever’s huge plant on Leeds ring road at Seacroft.

None of the Upper Tier COMAH sites in Kirklees have had serious incidents in recent memory.

Meanwhile, West Yorkshire fire chiefs have been handed more than £576,000 from the Government to upgrade their communications systems.