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2004 Global Forecast

5.  Emergency

Introduction

2002 regulatory review

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Chemicals restrictions

Climate change

 Safety at work

 Waste minimisation

 Emergency planning and response

Air quality

Use of water resources

Noise at work

Transparency

Management systems

Emergency planning and response

>> Introduction

>> Regulatory developments

>> Web links

Full report (Pdf 82 KB)

Introduction

“Of all the social and natural crises we human face, the water crisis is the one that lies at the heart of our survival and that of our planet Earth”, UNESCO Director-General Koοchiro Matsuura.

The increased regulatory attention to emergency planning and response identified for 2002 persists for 2003.  Industrial facilities are required to make more information available to the public and face more stringent enforcement by the authorities with respect to emergency planning and response. The Figure below provides an overview of the 10 countries with the most chemical accidents and the Top 10 chemicals involved in reported chemical incidents in the Chemical Incidents Report Center (CIRC) database in 2002.

*This number may be an estimated amount. Number in brackets gives no. for 2001. † Denotes information not available for 2001

It is evident from the figure above that there has been a steep overall increase in number of reported accidents.  The reasons for this increase can be due to one of two reasons: either there has been a severe deterioration of accident management in the countries in question and in relation to the chemicals concerned, or, and which is more likely, increased reporting and enforcement procedures in the aftermath of major accidents in e.g. Toulouse, France; Baia Mare, Romania; and Enschede, The Netherlands.

This increased awareness and impetus to prevent and control major accident hazards involving chemicals has resulted in greater transparency and an increase in available information on chemical accidents. This is likely to affect industries with high chemical use, as they will need to invest more time and money in ensuring they have the correct emergency procedures in place, etc. It is also interesting to note that the accident statistics relating to specific chemical types refer to widely used chemicals, which are often used in bulk.

Seveso II Revision to affect more facilities, but seeks to encourage R&D (ID 286)

It is expected that the proposed revision of European Directive 96/82/EC (the “Seveso II” Directive) will be adopted in June/July 2003. In February 2003 the Council of Ministers and the European Commission reached a Common Position on the proposed amendments. At the time of going to press, the proposed amendments are awaiting their second reading in the European Parliament.  The Seveso II revision would, amongst other things:

- Introduce reduced threshold quantities for explosives and pyrotechnics;

- Add 8 carcinogens but increase qualifying quantities (to the benefit of research facilities);

- Broadened to include medium and heavy oil distillates with reduced qualifying quantities; and

- Reduce qualifying quantities for R50 substances (Very toxic to aquatic organisms).

As a result of these developments, an increasing number of facilities will fall within the scope of the Seveso II Directive. In the UK, the Government estimates that an extra 220 sites are expected to come within its scope for the first time or will move from the lower to the higher tier of control. A variety of Seveso II related regulatory activity occurred throughout Europe in 2002 and is likely to continue throughout 2003 and 2004. For example, legislation in this regard was strengthened in Austria (ID 5427); Belgium (ID 4661); France (ID 5042 + ID 5666); Hungary (ID 4416); Italy (ID 643 + ID 5123); Netherlands (4981); Sweden (ID 1626) and the United Kingdom (ID 5370).

Substantial Regulatory Activity identified in relation to occupational H&S incident/accident reporting

Throughout the course of 2002, ENHESA has noted a significant amount of regulatory activity in relation to the notification and reporting of occupational accidents. The developments have been identified globally, which indicates an overall tendency to improve notification of occupational accidents.

Developments of note include, amongst others:

- the adoption in Denmark of a Statutory Order on the notification of occupational accidents, short-term injuries and sudden lifting injuries (ID 2786);

- the adoption in South Korea of amendments to the Industrial Safety and Health Act  which newly inserts requirements on record-keeping on industrial accidents (ID 5572);

- the adoption in the Netherlands of an Act where under information regarding the unsuitability of work places at large facilities will be made public; (ID 5570)

- the adoption in Puerto Rico of legislation on occupational safety and health requiring notification of accidents (ID 5632 & ID 5633);

- the adoption in China of Measures for Investigation and Handling of Occupational Illness Incidents (ID 5298); and

- the adoption in South Africa of an amendment to the occupational health and safety reporting form (ID 5034).

The Figure below highlights the occupational accident statistics as collected by the ILO during 2002. It is evident from this that reporting of accidents is generally much more advanced in America and Europe than in Asia, Africa or Oceania. However, with the global development of regulations and increased awareness of reporting obligations, the difference between the developed and developing worlds is likely to be reduced in the coming years.

ILO Occupational Accident Statistics 2002 (2001)

2002-2003 Regulatory Developments

The following is a list of regulatory developments related to emergency planning and major accident hazards that occurred in 2002 and the first half of 2003 in addition to those cited above.  The overview is taken from the EPC-Update.  The ID-number after each reference refers to the corresponding database record of the EPC-Update.  For more details on any of these developments one can subscribe to the “EPC-Update” which provides an abstract of each development.  A more detailed two-page summary and analysis of each initiative is also available via this service.

EPC-Update Record ID • Country • 2002-3 Regulatory/Policy initiative

ID 4852 – Australia - Second Edition of the Control of Major Hazard Facilities National Standard [NOHSC:1014(2002)]

ID 3432 – Australia-Victoria - Occupational Health and Safety (Major Hazard Facilities) (Amendment) Regulations 2002

ID 5560 – Austria - Ordinance on Liquid Gas

ID 5677 – Brazil - Ordinance 38/2002 containing a proposal for an overhauled Regulatory Norm (NR) 20 on Combustible Liquids, Flammable Liquids and Gases

ID 5015 – Brazil - CONAMA Resolution 293 on Individual Emergency Plans for the Petroleum Industry

ID 5385 – Canada - proposed Environmental Emergency Regulations

ID 5603 – China - Implementing Measures for Hazardous Chemicals Registration Management regarding the emergency number and the conditions for the emergency phone

ID 5605 + ID 5604 – China - Measures for Hazardous Chemicals Sales Permit Management

ID 5518 – Colombia - Decree 1609/2002 establishing the technical operational and safety requirements for handling and transporting dangerous goods by road

ID 5666 – France - Decrees relating to the prevention of explosion

ID 4935 – France - revised draft law on the control of technological and natural risks and on the compensation for damage

ID 5402 – Hong Kong - Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance (Ord. No. 21 of 2002)

ID 4217 – Hungary - Joint Decree 25/2000 on Chemical Safety at Work

ID 5568 – Hungary - Decree 208/2002 on Fire Protection Fines

ID 5225 - Hungary – Amendments to the 1996 Decree concerning on facility fire brigades

ID 5384 – Malaysia - Fire Services (Fire Certificate) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (P.U.(A)334)

ID 5582 – New Zealand - draft New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy

ID 3344 – Norway - Regulation relating to flammable goods

ID 4835 – Norway - Act No. 20/2002 on protection against fire, explosion and accidents with hazardous materials

ID 5198 Portugal - Decree-Law 139/2002 establishing safety requirements for the production and storage of explosives

ID 5557 – Portugal - Ordinance 1276/2002 on fire safety requirements for administrative buildings

ID 5230 – Singapore – Amended Code of Practice for Fire Precautions in Buildings 2002

ID 5642 – South Korea - Amendments to the Regulation on the Technical Standards for Fire Prevention

ID 5624 – United States – Revised OSHA requirements for exit routes, emergency action plans, and fire prevention plans

ID 5461 – United States – OSHA directive for inspectors for the uniform application of the OSHA standard on emergency action plans and fire prevention plans

Web links

The quantity of interesting information that is being made available on internet is growing every day. For the EHS Professional internet has become an important tool for finding more information on the issues of concern. The following overview of interesting websites is not intended to be exhaustive. It is however intended to point at some of the more interesting websites on emergency preparedness and response.

UNEP APELL

http://www.uneptie.org/pc/apell/home.html

The UNEP site on Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL) provides information on some 20 major accidents that occurred in the last two years, as well as a database on some 200 major accidents from the last decades.  It also provides handbooks and technical reports on emergency prevention and response.

Chemical Incidents Report Center (CIRC) database

http://www.csb.gov/circ/

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board promotes the prevention of major chemical accidents at fixed facilities.  The site provides access to a database with records of some 1500 chemical accidents worldwide.

Emergency Events Database (EMDAT)

http://www.cred.be/emdat/intro.html

EMDAT contains essential core data on the occurrence and effects of over 12,500 mass disasters in the world from 1900 to present (updated weekly).  Database search possibilities and Country Profiles.

OECD Page on Chemical Accidents

http://www1.oecd.org/ehs/accident.htm

The site provides a chemical accident thesaurus, an online version of the OECD Guiding Principles for Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and Response, a description of the work programme, several reports on the issue and a list of internet links to national and international sites.

US National Response Centre

http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/foia.htm

The National Response Center recently implemented an on-line query system that makes all oil and chemical spill data in the US since 1982 available on the internet.  One can query by company name, city, type of incident, etc.

French Inventory of Accidents

http://aria.environnement.gouv.fr/ (In French)

Provides an updated database with a description of some 1800 industrial accidents and an analysis of some 13900 accidents, both in France and worldwide.  Looks at accidents by subject and by industrial sector.

UNECE Convention on Industrial Accidents

http://www.unece.org/env/teia/welcome.html

The UNECE site on the Helsinki Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents provides background information on how the Convention is being implemented: industrial accidents notification system, preparatory work for a civil liability agreement, an overview of the regulatory framework in all the participating countries, etc.

US-OSHA Emergency Response Website

http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/emergencyresponse/

Guidance and information on Emergency Response requirements.

European Commission site on Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and Response

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/seveso/

Detailed and background information on Seveso II Directive 96/82/EC.

EU Major Accidents Hazard Bureau

http://mahbsrv.jrc.it/

The site provides access to the Major Accident Reporting System database, as well as to the Community Documentation Centre on Industrial Risk.  Numerous guidance documents available and access to chemicals database.

Environment Agency (UK) website on Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH)

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/netregs_new/275207/275408/?version=1&lang=_e

Guidance on UK legislation which seeks to ensure that businesses take measures to prevent major accidents and to limit the consequences should an accident occur.

Hazardous Installations Directorate (HID) of the Health and Safety Executive (UK):

http://www.hse.gov.uk/hid/index.htm

Provides guidance and information on HID's work on the management of health and safety in high hazard industries and the control of major hazards events. HID manages this area of work through proactive/reactive inspection, the assessment of safety cases/reports, the provision of technical advice and input to national/international standards and by the development and maintenance of publications, procedures and guidance.

International Labour Organisation - Safework

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/accidis/globest_2002/reg_world.htm

Provides a summary by ILO region of occupational accident statistics.

US Department of Labor Accident Reports

http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/toc_FatalFacts.html

A database of 73 fatal accidents, how they arose and how to avoid similar incidents in the future.

Health and Safety Executive (UK) – Incident Contact Centre

http://www.riddor.gov.uk/#

Website enabling on-line reporting of occupational incidents/accidents, as required by the RIDDOR Regulations 1995. Statistics to be included.

European OSH Statistics

http://europe.osha.eu.int/statistics/index2.php3

In 1990, the European Commission launched a scheme to harmonise data on health and safety at work, known as ESAW ("European Statistics on Accidents at Work"). Provides a variety of links to European health and safety statistics.

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For further Information:

To be kept updated of the EHS regulatory changes impacting industry worldwide, one can take a free subscription to the EPC-Flash at http://www.enhesa.com/EN_version/newsletter.htm

For an interview or further information please contact:
WASHINGTON DC: Mr Paul BEATLEY, Tel +1-301-530.13.92
BRUSSELS: Mr Thierry DUMORTIER, Tel +32-2-775.97.97

NOTE: both the Executive Summary and the study may be reproduced in part or in whole, provided credit is given to "ENHESA – Environmental Policy Centre", the web-site  www.enhesa.com is mentioned and a copy is emailed or sent to ENHESA.