The head office of Northgate Information Solutions, which provides HR software to some of the UK’s largest employers, has been seriously damaged following the weekend’s massive blast at the Buncefield oil depot in Hemel Hempstead.
Four Northgate employees were on site at the time of the explosion, which happened shortly after 6.00am on Sunday morning, blowing out windows for miles around and sending a massive plume of black acrid smoke into the air. All four employees are safe. Three were taken to hospital but have since been discharged.
The company, which provides HR and payroll services across the public sector and to organisations such as Sainsbury’s and the London 2012 Olympics team, said: “The fabric of the building and the fixtures and equipment inside have been badly damaged.
“The back-up systems that were in place have also been rendered inoperable. Northgate’s ability to service its customers has therefore been temporarily affected.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
“As a result, its well-developed and previously-rehearsed business continuity plan has been initiated. This will allow Northgate to restore its services using remote data centres and the other offices it has around the country.”
