Both BP-house experts as well as various authorities and committees investigated the explosion in relation ot technical, organizational, and safety culture aspects. The results of the technical investigation of a team of BP-experts were summarized in the so-called Mogford report, the findings with regard to the organizational aspects and the responsibility of management in the so-called Bonse report. The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board examined both the technical aspects and the responsibility of the supervisory authorities. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reviewed in the aftermath the compliance in relation to the various legal requirements.
Organisational failings included corporate cost-cutting, a failure to invest in the plant infrastructure, a lack of corporate oversight on both safety culture and major accident prevention programs, a focus on occupational safety and not process safety, a defective management of change process (which allowed the siting of contractor trailers too close to the ISOM process unit), the inadequate training of operators, a lack of competent supervision for start-up operations, poor communications between individuals and departments and the use of outdated and ineffective work procedures which were often not followed. Technical failings included a blowdown drum that was of insufficient size, a lack of preventative maintenance on safety critical systems, inoperative alarms and level sensors in the ISOM process unit and the continued use of outdated blowdown drum and stack technology when replacement with the safer flare option had been a feasible alternative for many years.