BP to Be Critisized for its Safety Practices

Oil company BP is expected to face criticism over safety practices at its US refineries.

An independent panel has looked into an explosion at the company's Texas City refinery in March 2005 that killed 15 workers and injured hundreds during maintenance work to increase the octane level of petrol.

The panel report will be published by former US secretary of state James Baker and it will call on the group's board to take the lead in improving standards.

BP was fined $21 million by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSAH) which said it discovered more than 300 wilful or serious violations of federal health and safety regulations.

BP has maintained that spending on maintenance at the Texas refinery was above the industry average.

The company has set aside $1.6 billion for compensation claims from victims of the explosion and their families.

Some of these claims have been settled but others are outstanding.