Freight Week 2009 Emergency Response for Dangerous Goods Presented by Chris Watt

BURNLEY TUNNEL – Melbourne 2007

Combined meeting with NBTA on a National Emergency Response concept Feb 2009… Transport Emergencies Scope for NBTA to self-initiate Clean-Up resources by initiatives to pre-arrange contractors without legal onus. National approach to transport of DG should include standard of recovery after accidents supported by nationally consistent training and resources.

Combined meeting with NBTA on a National Emergency Response concept Emergency Plans are enforceable nationally by Competent Authorities / Worksafe BUT action is needed to ensure Emergency Plans are suitable and can be implemented. ACTDG / ADG 6 & 7 emphasise provision of equipment and materials, capably trained personnel and maintenance of response equipment-: see s156 – Emergency Plans (DG Regulations Victoria 2008). NBTA commitment & action as alternative to legislation ??????????????

Victorian Dangerous Goods (Transport by Road or Rail) Regulations 2008 PART 14 – EMERGENCIES Division 2 – Emergencies involving placard loads 156 Emergency plans: 1. In this regulation – Emergency plan, for the transport of a placard load, means a written plan, for dealing with any dangerous situation arising from the transport of the goods, that is prepared having regard to any guidelines approved by the Australian Transport Council.

Victorian Dangerous Goods (Transport by Road or Rail) Regulations & 158 Consignors & Prime Contractors – information and resources This regulation applies if a vehicle transporting a placard load is involved in an incident resulting in a dangerous situation. As soon as practicable after being asked by an inspector or an officer of an emergency service, the consignor of the goods must provide any information and resources that the inspector or officer requires about –;

Victorian Dangerous Goods (Transport by Road or Rail) Regulations 2008 Information:  The properties of the dangerous goods being transported;  Safe methods of handlings the goods; and  Safe methods of containing and controlling the goods in a dangerous situation Equipment and Resources:  To control the dangerous situation; and  To contain, control, recover and dispose of dangerous goods that have leaked, spilled or accidentally escaped.

Cataby truck crash and fire  Mixed DG load included paraquat  Remote area  Small transport company  No clean up contractor  DEC called in by FESA, arrived by chopper  Ordered clean up  Clean up crew arrived next day, could not start work until contract signed  Contract not signed for two days  Major highway closed for four days  No storage for the waste/ship of shame carcass

The Problem Hazmat incidents requiring specialist clean ups:  High level liability for Fire and Emergency Services  Confusion/argument on responsible party  Delays in finding clean up crews  Delays in contracts being signed to clean up  Lack of competencies in clean up crews  Long clean up timeframes (roads closed, fire service doing clean up, political pressure)  Poor completion/remediation of property/road  No temporary storage facilities for relocated products  No ability to implement a DG emergency plan  Political & Media scrutiny

Tanker Rollovers

Who Cleans up? We have all been there, right?:  Hazmat incident  Stuck on the side of the road in no man’s land  No clean up crew  No one to hand over to  Crew shifts to sort out  Emergency response appliances tied up for days  Clean up crew look like Dodgey Brothers

Hazmat RTAs

HAZMAT Response Requirements  Need to have professional hazmat clean up crews on stand by for all hazmat transport, with pre-existing contracts  Quick response times / competent team  Temporary storage for recovered product  Disposal arrangements  Sustainable industry, and  Legislative penalties

The Solution – Transport Industry A Transport Emergency Response Plan (TERP):  PPE … fit for purpose  Baseline medicals for response team  Chemist available  Equipment (earthmoving, containment, confinement, clean up, transport and storage)  One hour response time (plus travel time)  Insurance

Australasian Inter – Service Incident Management System - AIIMS The Fire and Emergency Services Plan:  Incident Control: Management of all activities necessary for resolution of an incident…legal responsibility  Planning: Collection, analysis & dissemination of information and development of operational plans.  Operations: Tactical tasking & strategic application of resources according to the plan.  Logistics: Acquisition & provision of human & physical resources, facilities & services.

Questions