European Union Regulators are now obliged to close down chemical plants that fail to comply with new, goal-oriented legislation aimed at improving safety in the European chemical industry.
Publicity to reduce the risks
The EU has now gone one step further, making the Seveso reports public and obliging chemical plants to test in practice their internal and external emergency plans. Under the new Seveso II Directive, operators and local authorities must notify everyone liable to be affected by a major accident, with information on safety measures and actions in the event of an accident.
It is a challenge for the chemical-plant operators and the authorities to retain their grip of the safety management system that is a core part of the new Directive, says Jürgen Wettig, environment directorate-general in the European Commission. It is not good enough to write down our intentions of emergency preparedness, we must prove that they work. Every part of the new Directive is only as good as its enforcement.
Risk assessment
This is our chance to prove to the public that our emergency contingency plans work, says Mike Dodson, safety manager of BG Storage Ltd. Dodson has been responsible for co-ordinating the preparation of the Seveso II Safety Reports for a number of gas storage sites, including the LNG Storage site at Partington, near Manchester, England. Until recently, LNG Storage was part of BG Storage Ltd, but is now the responsibility of BG Transco plc, a sister company in the BG group.
Classified as a major hazard site, the former British Gas site stores 80,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the U.K. gas transmission system. In order to meet our duties under the Seveso II Directive, says Dodson, we are required to conduct an assessment of accident hazards arising from the storage of gas and other materials used on the site. The assessment considers potential effects on both people and environment.
DNV has assessed the on-site risks, and performed studies to minimise the human causes of accidents and to ensure that site personnel can control or mitigate any incidents occuring. The results of the studies are part of a mandatory safety report that each chemical plant subject to the regulations has to submit to the authorities in due time before the deadline. As soon as it is confirmed by the authorities, each report will be made public.
The challenge facing chemical plant operators is to use this as an opportunity for an effective dialogue between themselves and their neighbours, says Andy Franks, coordinator for DNVs Seveso II work in Europe. The process of safety report preparation makes an operator think carefully about potential major accident hazards and how each of those hazards is controlled. Doing this on a regular basis contributes to this being a living document.
Challenge ahead
It is expected that the number of European chemical sites to implement the Directive will increase sharply as most operators begin to prepare for the first deadline in February 2001. This is a significant responsibility and a challenge for the chemical industry throughout Europe.
The challenge for the EU Commission will be to ensure a consistent and effective implementation and application of the Seveso II Directive during the next two years.