St. Petersburg, Russia 19 March 2013 -- Ilim Group has finished investigation of the process condensate tank accident of January 18th at its Bratsk mill when two construction contractor employees working in the area were injured. The investigation was carried out by a specially formed commission including mill and contractor specialists.

The commission concluded that the main reason for the accident was a violation of established rules regulating the access and permitting of hazardous work in operating process areas. According to the commission the accident was provoked by number of factors occurring at one time: inside the tank were flammable vapors, oxygen from the atmosphere was present, and there must have occurred an ignition source such as a lighted cigarette or spark.

To prevent future incidents Ilim Group has tightened control over construction works being carried out in the mill operating areas and has implemented additional pre-start up safety checks in all areas. Also smoking regulation rules were enforced: number of smoking areas was decreased, control over compliance with non-smoking rules is tightened, additional signage installed.

The company held additional meetings with all its contractors to draw additional attention to the industrial safety rules and requirements obligatory for all the companies working on the territory of Ilim mills. The company is now carrying out additional raids in all its mills to monitor compliance of industrial safety regulations by contractors working at its production sites.