HSE - Chemical and Downstream Oil Industries Forum (CDOIF) - Meeting 18 June 2002

02/06 Mins

Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 18 June 2002 at HSE, Room 1102, Daniel House, Bootle

• HSE industry and topic advisory groups

Present:

Chair:	Dan Mitchell	HSE, HID
Secretariat:	David Kyle	HSE, HID
Advisor:	Ron De Cort	HSE, HID
Members:	Kevin Dixon-Jackson Martyn Lyons Brian McCay Jim Mowatt Mark Scanlon Clive Sheil Wayne Smith Mike Wood Ron Wood	CIA TSA Pains-Wessex TGWU IP UKPIA BCF BCDTA TGWU
Speakers:	Chris Flanagan Margaret Gregson Mark Lawton Peter O’Grady Chris Quarrie	HSE, HID HSE, TD HSE, HID HSE, HID HSE, HD
Minutes Secretary:	Gill Chambers	HSE, HID

1. Welcome and introduction

1.1. The Chair opened the meeting by offering his congratulations to Nigel Bryson on the award of the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The Chair then welcomed everyone present and in particular Ron De Cort who has been appointed as Head of Unit in LD6, Mike Wood who has replaced John Holding as BCDTAs representative, Margaret Gregson from TD5 for item 6, Chris Flanagan and Peter O’Grady from CD2 for item 5 and Chris Quarrie from HDD2 for item 8.

1.2. Apologies were received from Roger Alesbury, Malcolm Bonnett, Nigel Bryson, Duncan Foster, Roger Jeary and Doug Russell.

2. Minutes

2.1. There were no amendments to the minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2002.

2.2. Matters arising:

2.2 – Revitalising Health and Safety – a report was forwarded to the HSC secretariat following the receipt of two further submissions from members.

3.1– OIAC – a letter has been sent to the secretariat of OIAC expressing the views of the members of CIF on the production of joint guidance.

3.2 – Hot Work Guidance to be considered under agenda item 5.

3.3 – CHIP 3 – members were shown a chart showing the effect of the application of COMAH compared to Seveso II. A response is awaited from the Minister. Members will be advised if there will be any change in the application of the regulations.

3.5 - Loss of containment from storage tanks – there are no new developments on this subject.

3.6 - Substances dangerous to the environment – a detailed question had been asked about the Preparations Directive and a response was prepared for this meeting. Charts were shown illustrating the effect dilution and quantity had on the application of the regulations.

4.4 – Emergency services – an invitation will be offered to a Chief Emergency Planning Officer to address the next meeting of the Forum. The Chemical Strategy and Support Unit is currently developing guidance in respect of on-site emergency plans. The Forum will be updated on progress on this.

Action: Secretariat

4.5 – Safety reports – to be considered under agenda item 7.

8 – Agenda item review – to be considered under agenda item11.

9.1 – Passport training scheme – a response has been received from the Institute of Petroleum.

10 – 'Chemicals Essentials guide' - a project team has been set up. It is hoped that the specification for the electronic system will be available in March 2003.

3. Members issues

3.1. Safe working on top of tankers – a meeting has been arranged on 2 July 2002 between the CIA and HSE to discuss issues relating to safe working on top of tankers. If members wish to be involved in the meeting or have any concerns they should advise the CIA or HSE. Members of the Forum will be kept informed of the result of the meeting.

Action: Secretariat

4. Guidance

4.1. Current/proposed guidance - A list of guidance under revision and proposed guidance by HSE was produced for the members.

4.2. Hot work guidance – there will be consultation on the draft in July.

4.3. Joint guidance with the Environment Agency – it is expected to have joint guidance on some common issues.

4.4. ROSOVs – guidance on ROSOVs is currently under development. Members were informed that their views on the guidance would be welcomed and that the Forum would have the opportunity to endorse the proposed guidance.

5. Hydrochloric acid and nitric acid guidance

5.1. Following a paper in October 2000 guidance has been drafted for hydrochloric acid and nitric acid and relevant parties have been consulted. It has not yet been agreed if the guidance should be in the form of joint or separate documents. The guidance is scheduled for publication in 2003.

6. Safety reports

6.1. The members considered how information within Safety Reports might be disseminated to the public, taking proper account of the very low risks due to the provision of control measures.

6.2. The HSE leaflet ‘Major Hazard Sites and Safety Reports’ is due to be revised giving an opportunity to explain more clearly that the Safety Report needs to identify the potential consequences of a major accident.

6.3. Work on a press release is to be undertaken by HSE in preparation for Safety Reports being placed on the public register in the event of the current restriction being lifted.

Action: Secretariat

7. Manual handling

7.1. A risk assessment tool involving weight and frequency of operation has been developed for manual handling. A draft booklet was circulated to members showing how to apply this risk assessment tool. Members congratulated HSE on the development of this tool, which provides a simple way of assessing a complex matter. Members requested copies of the booklet when they become available.

Action: Secretariat

7.2. Members requested feedback on the 2000 Benchmarking exercise.

Action: Secretariat

8. Review of permissioning activities

8.1. Views of stakeholders have been obtained on HSC/Es approach to permissioning. The output of the review will be revised principles and criteria for the application of permissioning regimes. The key issues are:

8.1.1. How the permissioning regimes fit with other regulatory tools

8.1.2. The form of the permissioning

8.1.3. The extent of stakeholder involvement in preparing safety reports

8.1.4. Benefits of safety reports

9. Incidents and events

9.1. Members were advised on recent significant incidents and events.

9.1.1. April 2002 – a major fire at a sub-COMAH solvent recovery and recycling site. A major emergency was declared by the local authority and houses evacuated to 800m.

9.1.2. April 2002 – a laboratory technician disposing of concentrated sulphuric acid waste at a pharmaceutical company received severe injuries when a bottle exploded.

9.1.3. April 2002 – there was a hydrogen release and fire during recommissioning of the hydrocracker unit at a refinery following a six week major shutdown.

9.1.4. June 2002 – a fire at a COMAH lower tier site involving blended sodium dithionite. The off site emergency plan was initiated. Nineteen fire brigade officers attended hospital for the effects of exposure to fume/smoke.

9.1.5. June 2002 – a road tanker carrying 30,000 litres of petrol caught fire at junction 18 of the M4. There were no injuries but severe damage was caused to the roadway and street furniture. The immediate cause was a tyre fire.

10. Agenda items review

10.1. The remit of the CIF has changed from its inception to include the onshore oil industry. A discussion took place on sectors of the industry not represented on the Forum at the present time and if they receive feedback from organisations that are represented. Following receipt of information about this feedback the topic will be reconsidered by the Forum, together with any changes that may be necessary to the terms of reference and name.

Action: All

11. Waste seminar –

11.1.Feedback was given on a waste seminar given by HSE and the Environment Agency with members of the waste industry present. This was the first time such an event had been held and was useful for learning about the difficulties faced by the industry.

12. Strategic plan 2003 and beyond –

12.1.The Plans of Work for the Land Division will be formulated shortly. Members were advised that this was an opportunity to have some influence over the proposed strategy. Any suggestions by members should be forwarded to the secretariat as soon as possible.

Action: Members

13. Insertion of documents on the internet –

13.1. Members agreed that the agenda and minutes of meetings of the Forum may be placed on the HSE website with reports as appropriate.

Action: Secretariat

14. Information items –

14.1. UHP Water Jetting

14.2. Disposal of LPG cylinders.

Members commented that they found the information items useful.

15. Any other business

15.1. DSEAR – an update on this will be given at the next meeting.

Action: Secretariat

16. date of next meeting – Tuesday 22 October 2002 in London.