NiQuan: Report on plant accident, death of Massy Energy worker, private, confidential

ANY report coming out of the investigation into the death of Allan Lane Ramkissoon will be private and confidential and cannot be published, NiQuan Energy Trinidad Ltd has said.

In a response to questions from Newsday, Malcolm Wells, NiQuan’s vice president of corporate affairs, said the company will, however, communicate an appropriate synopsis of the findings.

Wells said Ramkissoon was an employee of Massy Energy Engineered Solutions Ltd (MEES) and that it would be premature to disclose matters regarding his family.

He repeated expressions of sorrow to the family and regret for the unexpected tragedy.

Ramkissoon's family has been calling for answers as to the events that led to his death after being burnt in a flashfire at the NiQuan plant located on the same compound of the refinery in Pointe-a-Pierre.

Investigations have been started by both the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) and the Ministry of Energy. The ministry has appointed a team to investigate the June 15 incident in which Ramkissoon, a pipe-fitter with MEES, was exposed to chemicals resulting in severe burns to his body.

He was flown to Colombia for treatment, but the father of two died on June 18 – Father’s Day.

Wells said he was flown to Colombia as opposed to the US which is closer to TT, due to immigration requirements. He also said medical care for the injured worker was arranged by his employer, MEES.

NiQuan has been served a shutdown notice by OSHA while the investigation takes place. The Energy Chamber and American Chamber of Commerce welcomed the investigation and urged that there be a detailed, expeditious, and timely sharing of its findings.

“The safety of every employee remains a critical priority for the industry, and we hope that the outcome of the investigation will be used to enhance safety policies and practices to avoid such tragedies in the future,” the Energy Chamber said in a statement on Wednesday.

Wells said all details regarding this unfortunate incident are being investigated by NiQuan, MEES and the relevant regulatory bodies and until the conclusion of that process, nothing further can be disclosed.

Wells said NiQuan operates in complete compliance with its statutory obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and all applicable laws and regulations local and international.

Couva South MP Rudy Indarsingh said it was unfortunate that Ramkissoon died on Father’s Day and hours before the country's workers gathered at Fyzabad on Labour Day.

He called for clear and immediate answers to the many concerns raised, including the safety of the plant.

Expressing condolences to the family, Indarsingh said the reports that Ramkissoon came into contact with a faulty pipeline that spewed flammable naphtha liquid on him raised many questions.

Among them, he said, was the date of the last job-site inspection for leaks, its outcome and any report that can verify that such pipelines were approved as being of "sound integrity."

Indarsingh also questioned the functionality of fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and fire escapes as required by OSHA and why was there no indication that such were used to reach Ramkissoon or to extinguish the flames.

He said there must be clarity about reports that an ambulance arrived three hours after being called, and what medical institution the injured worker was taken to for immediate treatment.

Energy Minister Stuart Young said he is seeking advice as to whether the report of an explosion at the NiQuan plant in 2021 can be made public because it is a private institution. There have been renewed calls for public disclosure of this report since the June 15 incident and Ramkissoon's death.

Indarsingh called on the Prime Minister to state and make public the advice that he received that the report into the 2021 NiQuan explosion could, or should not be made public because it was a private entity.

“On whose advice did the Prime Minister keep this report concealed, and what was the reason for so doing? Why the cover up? We must recall that this is the same NiQuan plant which was purchased by a PNM government – in which Dr Rowley sat – under the authority of then chairman of Petrotrin Malcolm Jones.”

The Prime Minister in Parliament on Tuesday said legal factors would determine if the 2021 report could be published, as well as the findings of the latest investigations by state agencies.

In 2018, NiQuan paid Petrotrin US$10 million cash for the plant and US$25 million to be paid in preference shares. Petrotrin's assets are now under Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Co Ltd, since it was restructured when the refinery was closed.