DOMINO EFFECTS & OTHER SAFETY CHALLENGES IN INDUSTRIAL PARKS PETER BAKER Health & Safety Executive United Kingdom 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

SUMMARY Implementation of Article 8 in Great Britain through COMAH Regulation 16 Use of ‘consultation distances’ to identify domino groups Practical problems – case-studies Definition of ‘control’ in Article 3 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Implementation of Article 8 Control of Major Accident Hazards 1999 ‘COMAH’ – Regulation 16 HSE - as part of COMAH Competent Authority - designates domino groups Methodology involves use of consultation distances Domino group members notified in writing with copies available on public registers 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Operators’ duties Pass appropriate information to other establishments in domino group Co-operate with each other regarding preparation of offsite emergency plans and provision of public information 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Operators’ duties (2) ‘Appropriate information’ Initiating event need not be a major accident In writing Details of types of activities and means by which they could trigger major events at other establishments Details of substances and their properties 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Designating domino groups Use consultation distances – CDs -established for advising planning authorities on developments near to major hazard sites CDs based on: risk for toxic substances hazard for flammables and explosives, or a combination of both 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Domino groups A CDA CDB B CDC C CDD D 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Using CDs Advantages Limitations Early initiation of process CDs well understood by parties Limitations Focus on risks of people Does not cover wide-range of major accident initiators Some very large CDs - based on significant quantities of generic substances 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Using CDs (2) Balanced approach Avoids unnecessary delays in designating dominos and preparing off-site plans Ensure operators fully consider implications of domino effects in MAPPs/safety reports Opportunity for deeper analysis of significance of activities as a source or target of accidents, eg. Toxic effects on operators in safety critical functions Environmental effects 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Designating Groups c.1100 COMAH establishments 66 domino groups (at Dec 2002) Average 3.5 establishments each group Range 2-10 each group Much good practice before COMAH 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Domino groups A CDA CDB B CDC C Fig 1 - Domino Groupings 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Implementation challenges COMAH establishments without CDs Interim distances: Flammables/explosives: 500m Toxic hazards: 1000m Reviewed when CDs set Water-borne domino effects Safety report review and revision 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Other challenges Not necessarily discrete sites Change of ownership of installations within establishment Often continued reliance on services, feed-stock, emergency response Scope for lack of coherence and inconsistency regarding MAPPs, safety reports and on- and off-site emergency plans 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Case Study 1 Establishment B Refinery A 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Case Study 2 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Operator ‘control’ Article 3 definitions Establishment: “…whole area under the control of an operator where dangerous substances are present…” Operator: “…any individual or corporate body who operates or holds an establishment or installation…” COMAH operator: “...person in control of the operation of an establishment or installation...” 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

Operator ‘control’ (2) Extent of ‘control’ Parent company –v- business units Business direction –v- day-to-day operations European impact Lines to take, or countermeasures? Impact on protection afforded workers and public? 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

QUESTIONS? 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia

DOMINO EFFECTS & OTHER SAFETY CHALLENGES IN INDUSTRIAL PARKS PETER BAKER Health & Safety Executive United Kingdom 1Oth CCA Meeting Cagliari, Sardinia