What's new at HSE » COMAH

Hazards XXI – Process safety and environmental protection

HSE — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Three-day symposium and exhibition 9–12 November, Manchester. The event will include a variety of workshops and several speakers from HSE will be presenting, including Judith Hackitt, HSE Chair, who will be giving an after dinner speech.

Find out more about the Hazards XXI - 3 day symposium

Development of sites at which natural gas is stored in depleted/partially depleted reservoirs

HSE — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:40:25 +0000

This SPC provides guidance on the application of Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) and Pipelines Safety regulations (PSR) to the development and operation of sites at which natural gas is stored in depleted (or partially depleted) reservoirs.

It applies to establishments consisting of a single depleted reservoir, import and export process plant and interconnecting pipework (i.e. the pipeline(s) within the COMAH establishment that connect the depleted reservoir and the process plant).

View in full the application of the COMAH and PSR to the storage of natural gas at depleted reservoir sites

Corrosion fatigue failure of tubes in water tube boilers

HSE — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:00:41 +0000

Chemicals Industries Division of HSE is aware of three relatively recent failures associated with water tube boilers. Each of these appears to have been caused by corrosion fatigue of the outer water wall tubes. This alert, which is targeted in particular at the chemical industries sector, describes the incidents and outlines the action that should be taken by duty holders.

View corrosion fatigue failure of tubes in water tube boilers alert

Principles of process safety leadership

HSE — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:00:22 +0000

Representatives of Britain’s high hazard industries, regulators and the unions have published a set of principles for ‘process safety leadership’ – top-level engagement in dealing with significant risks to people and the environment.

Process safety leadership principles

Analyses of overfill of fuel storage tanks

HSE — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 07:00:54 +0000

In response to the Buncefield incident, the Major Incident Investigation Board (MIIB) made recommendations to improve safety in the design and operation of fuel storage sites. Two recommendations were that loss of primary containment (tank overfill) should be prevented, and that industry should agree to undertake an assessment of safety integrity levels.

Find out more about this research report

Changes to COMAH arising from CHIP 2008

HSE — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:35:53 +0000

This Local Authority Circular (LAC) alerts inspectors to changes to the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999, as amended (COMAH) arising from the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (CHIP 2008), which have the potential to bring sites storing preparations containing relatively low concentrations of strong biocides (including large retail and wholesale warehouses) within scope of COMAH for the first time.

View Changes to COMAH arising from CHIP 2008 details

RR718 - Buncefield Explosion Mechanism Phase 1 (Volumes 1 and 2)

HSE — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:41:24 +0000

The Buncefield explosion (11 December 2005) resulted in tremendous damage to the outlying area and huge fires involving 23 large oil fuel tanks. One important aspect of the incident was the severity of the explosion, which would not have been anticipated in any major hazard assessment of the oil storage depot before the incident.

The Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board (MIIB) invited explosion experts from academia and industry to form an Advisory Group to advise on the work that would be required to explain the severity of the Buncefield explosion.

RR718 - Buncefield Explosion Mechanism Phase 1 (Volumes 1 and 2) research report

The use of floor scanning techniques for the examination of storage tanks

HSE — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:35:19 +0000

This SPC draws inspectors’ attention to a contract research report (RR4811) on the use of floor scanning for the examination of atmospheric storage tank floors. It also uses the results of consultation with industry on this subject to give HSE’s opinion on good practice.

View use of floor scanning techniques for the examination of storage tanks circular

COMAH / Gas Cost Recovery Review Group

HSE — Wed, 13 May 2009 09:30:24 +0000

Agenda and minutes for the meeting on 30 October 2008 in Rose Court, London are now available.

View COMAH / Gas Cost Recovery Review Group agenda and minutes

Societal Risk: Initial briefing to Societal Risk Technical Advisory Group

HSE — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:30:54 +0000

The Societal Risk Technical Advisory Group is made up of a small number of academic, industry and government specialists who have been asked to advise HSE and departments on matters identified by respondents to the consultation exercise CD212 (Proposals for revised policies to address societal risk around onshore non-nuclear major hazard installations’) on the estimation of societal risk from on-shore, non-nuclear, major hazard installations. This report captures some of the technical matters relating to societal risk methodology and presents the technical issues which need to be resolved prior to the development and implementation of any system for explicit attention to societal risk in the application of the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH) and land-use planning (LUP).

RR703 - Societal Risk: Initial briefing to Societal Risk Technical Advisory Group

Changes to the regulation of underground gas storage

HSE — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:46:57 +0000

A change in the regulation of underground gas storage has taken place. Gas storage in depleted reservoirs is now within the scope of the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH). Previously, storage has been regulated by HSE under the Borehole Sites and Operations Regulations 1995.

Read the changes to the regulation of underground gas storage press release in full

Changes to COMAH - gas storage

HSE — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:29:45 +0000

COMAH Regulations now apply to underground gas storage in natural strata.

Changes to COMAH - gas storage

Audits: semiconductor manufacturing plants

HSE — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:00:58 +0000

Information for HSE staff - plans to audit all semiconductor manufacturing plants in Britain, concentrating on the management of hazardous substances.

View information for HSE staff

Operation of auger feed devices

HSE — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:00:12 +0000

Guidance circular for HSE staff following a recent serious accident which occurred while an operator was working on a Mobile Explosives Manufacturing Unit (MEMU).

View guidance circular for HSE staff

Updating and improving the National Population Database

HSE — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:50:25 +0000

In 2004 Staffordshire University delivered the National Population Database for use in estimating populations at risk under the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH). In 2006 an assessment of the updating and potential improvements to NPD was delivered to HSE.

Read RR678: updating and improving the NPD research report

Buncefield Investigation Board publishes Final Report

HSE — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:12:26 +0000

The Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board published its Final Report today. The report is presented in two volumes: the first contains some new elements, for example on economic impact and the explosion mechanism. It also summarises the incident and the work of the Board in an accessible way, and brings all of the Board’s 78 recommendations into one place which demonstrates the close relationship between them.

View the final Buncefield report

Amendment to the enforcement provisions of COMAH

HSE — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:49:58 +0000

This Semi-Permanent Circular (SPC) provides guidance for inspectors on a change to the enforcement provisions in regulation 20 of Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH).

Read Amendment to the enforcement provisions of COMAH

Implementing the Buncefield MIIB Emergency arrangements report

HSE — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:54:26 +0000

The guidance in this report, on Major Incident Investigation Board (MIIB) recommendations 1 and 3-6, aimed at “Buncefield-type sites”, applies to all sites defined in the Buncefield Standards Task Group (BSTG) initial report. Recommendations 7 and 8 apply to all sites regulated under the Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1999 (COMAH).

Initial guidance on implementing the Buncefield MIIB Emergency arrangements

New chemicals at work portal

HSE — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:19:00 +0000

There is a new chemicals portal page to help users navigate quickly to their area of interest. The page provides a simple signpost and direct link to the different parts of the website covering health and safety in chemical manufacturing, marketing and supply, carriage or use of chemicals as well as latest news.

Chemicals at work portal

British Safety Council Conference

HSE — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:45:53 +0000

Hilton London Euston, December 4 – 09:00 to 12:40. The conference will share the results of BSC commissioned research examining how organisations can benefit from creating and maintaining a positive safety culture. Includes a presentation by Ian Travers, Buncefield Response Programme Manager, HSE.

Find out more about BSC Conference