Experience on inspection and audit of Emergency Response System

Transcription

1 Experience n inspectin and audit f Emergency Respnse System Fabrizi Gambetti ENI R&M Via Laurentina 449 pal. A Rma Emergency respnse is nly ever effective if ptential, credible emergency incidents are pre-planned and exercised. There is a need fr effective respnse training that cnsiders the site specific incidents that culd ccur and prvides respnders with a clear view f the scenari. Hw is it pssible t estimate the perfrmance f an Emergency Respnse System (ERS)? This paper resumes the past experience n the inspectins and audits f ERS carried ut and discuss abut the weak pints met t achieve an effective respnse in case f emergency. The management team identified in the ERS shuld be able t demnstrate really their capabilities t manage an emergency frm bth the lw frequency event that has either escalated r has the ptential t escalate int a majr accident r envirnmental incident. The ERS must reflect the ability t withstand an emergency, using identified scenari (frm COMAH, QRA etc.), training and assessment techniques. 1. Emergency Respnse System We knw that the bjective f the management f emergency respnse is t safeguard the health and safety f persns n/r near an installatin in the event f an emergency. Such management system ensures that the installatins are prepared fr any emergency that might arise and cntrl, r help t cntain, such events t safeguard persns wh might be affected and t minimise damage. Hw much cnfident are yu abut the capability f yur Emergency Respnse System (ERS) t manage a real emergency? D yu believe that all the risks have been identified? D yu believe that all the envirnmental cnditins have been cnsidered (day, night, wind, rain etc.)? All the safety barriers will prtect yur plant and help yu t manage the undesired event? Experience indicates that managers frequently cmplain abut the cst f safety. What they never cnsider are the lsses t the rganisatin as a result f accidents! The ERS is the last trump may be played by managers t cntain lsses. Histry shws that fr all industries, as the length f time frm the last majr accident increases s des the prpensity t allw slippage t ccur in the imprtance affrded the maintenance, develpment, testing and assessment f ERS. The temptatin t be simplistic and superficial in verifying ERS may becme the nrm. It shuld be useful at

2 this stage remember that studies frm experts in management shw that less than the 15% f the prblems in an rganizatin culd be checked frm the wrkers, while the 85% culd be cntrlled nly frm management. 2. Emergency Preparedness Let me resume quickly the main feature f the emergency preparedness that is a cmbinatin f tw interdependent different factrs like: The characteristics f an installatin that influence the emergencies. That means fr example: The risk assessment that shuld identify the freseeable events that need t be cvered by the ERS The wrkplaces r wrk activities that culd pse additinal risks Plant and arrangements fr the preventin and mitigatin f fire (i.e. layut, fireprfing, detectin system fr flammable and txic gases, safe escape, safe prtectins, safety devices etc.) The pre-arranged ERS that becme perative in the event f an emergency likes. Fr example: Prcedure which deals with the management and set ut rles, respnsibilities f the cmpetent persns t implement the detailed actins. Prcedure which deals with the prvisin f equipment and plan t facilitate the peratin and evacuatin. The characteristics f an installatin determine: The likelihd f an emergency arising, The existence and capability f the system t detect the undesired event, The ability t withstand fr the perid f time required t effect the safe peratins, evacuatin and escape f the persn. The main elements f an ERS are: Identificatin f reasnably freseeable emergencies. The Emergency Respnse Plan (ERP). This details the rganisatin and arrangements fr handling any emergency including wh des what and the prcedures t be fllwed in different circumstances. Cmmand structure. The cmmand structure shuld be clearly established and shuld take int accunt the selectin criteria, training and develpment f plans and assessments fr persns ccupying emergency cmmand and ther critical psts. It culd be useful t remember that the first actin that ccurs at an incident is cmmand actin. This prcess ensures that peratins start under cntrl, remain under cntrl, and that cntrl is never lst frm the very beginning f the event. The manager in charge f cmmand shuld have the respnsibility t: Assume and cnfirm cmmand and take an effective cmmand psitin Perfrm situatin evaluatin that include risk assessment Initiate maintain and cntrl incident cmmunicatin Develp an verall strategy and attack plan and assign units t peratins

3 Develp an effective incident rganisatin by managing resurces, maintaining an effective span f cntrl, and maintaining direct supervisin ver the entire incident Review and evaluate and revise the attack plan as required Cntinue, transfer and terminate cmmand Cmpetence f persnnel in Emergency Respnse. The rle, leadership, training and cmpetence assurance arrangements fr the emergency team and the emergency supprt team. Incident detectin and assessment. Cmmunicatin systems. Cmmunicatin system including internal and external systems. Exercises and drill 3. Principles f inspectin and audit The inspectin r audit shuld assess the verall r ne f the fur stages f an emergency: a) Preparedness. Preparedness takes the frm nt nly n the availability f plans and prcedures but with the familiarisatin f every emplyee thrugh: Training and drills with the details f plans and prcedure and, in particular the key persnnel. Drills and simulatin are essential elements f preparedness Prgramme f inspectin f ptentially hazardus areas, testing f warning/detectin systems. Peridical updating and revisin f the ERP. b) Respnse. Respnse is defined as the actins taken t save lives and prevent further damage in an emergency situatin. Respnse is putting preparedness plans int actin. Inspectin r audit shuld ensure that emergency key persnnel will be able t prvide the best respnse pssible. Respnse activities may include: Risk and damage assessment. Identifying the need fr mutual aid and requesting aid thrugh apprpriate channels. Advising any threatened emplyee/ppulatin f the emergency and apprising them f safety measures t be implemented Search and rescue, Fire fighting, and sheltering victims When a hazard is imminent, actins are precautinary and emphasize prtectin f life. c) Mitigatin is the crnerstne f emergency management. Mitigatin effrts ccur bth befre and fllwing disaster events. Eliminating r reducing the impact f hazards which exist and are a threat t life and prperty are part f the mitigatin effrts. Pst-disaster mitigatin is part f the recvery prcess. d) Recvery. Recvery is defined as the actins taken t return the plant and cmmunity t nrmal fllwing an emergency. Repairing, replacing, r rebuilding assessment and prperty are examples f recvery. Experience shws that a dcument review alne is a misleading indicatr f emergency preparedness and must be backed up by site inspectin. At this stage, there are several imprtant indicatrs f emergency management perfrmance.

4 Observing an emergency exercise is nt a sufficient indicatr t be used in islatin, as it nly prvides a snapsht f ne particular team s perfrmance. The exercise must be cnsidered alngside the verall emergency preparedness f the site perfrmance. The level f senir management cmmitment, in terms f invlvement, leadership and financial supprt fr emergency preparedness training and exercising is strngly reflected in team perfrmance. A realistic and risk-based site emergency respnse philsphy is indicative f strength in depth acrss the site emergency arrangements as a whle. Given effective resurces, a team with defined rles and mandates, in a structure that prmtes fluid infrmatin management and a reliable leadership structure, can be expected t demnstrate a rbust chance f managing a site emergency successfully. The prcess f handling infrmatin and presenting it as a basis fr decisin-making is a key factr in emergency team perfrmance. The frequency, realism and detail f emergency exercises have als an impact n perfrmance. A defined structure f frequent small scale drills with less frequent large-scale simulatins based n the site safety case r actual incidents is a gd practice. Factrs which mst influence the quality and the perfrmance f team preparedness are: training in cmmand and cntrl techniques; cmpetence assurance f emergency managers; prfessinal caching f emergency management teams during exercises; and cntinuity in membership f emergency teams. Inspectrs shuld lk fr strng links between installatin safety cases and emergency respnse plans. The structure f an emergency respnse plan reflects the type f installatin and the range f hazards. There is n ne crrect structure but whatever structure is adpted, the result shuld prvide a cncise surce f infrmatin that wuld be readily accessible and retrievable in the event f an emergency. Inspectrs shuld cmpare safety case endurance times fr escape rutes and temprary refuges and the times fr muster, evacuatin and escape with what appears in the emergency respnse plan and, where apprpriate, with the achievements in drills and exercises. Any discrepancies in which the emergency respnse plan r the utcmes f drills r exercises exceeds the safety case perfrmance standards shuld be pursued. Inspectrs shuld cnsider the safety culture that exists n the installatin with a view t assessing if this is cnducive t the ttal wnership f the emergency respnse system by all persns. Culture is difficult t define but it embraces such issues as rganisatinal structure, the degrees f recgnitin given t each level f management r individuals, the values and respect attached t individuals, the degree f reliance n individual cmpetencies and mtivatins, whether r nt an rganisatin is an pen and listening rganisatin, etc. All f these factrs have influence n health and safety in the wrkplace but are particularly relevant in the event f an emergency. The emergency respnse system fr a particular installatin will be set ut in sme detail in the safety case. Inspectrs shuld familiarise themselves with the relevant part f the safety case and then enquire f the general apprach t emergency respnse being fllwed by the duty hlder. Any discrepancies with the safety case shuld be pursued. Inspectrs shuld enquire f designated site main cntrllers, that is the persn in verall cmmand in the event f an emergency arising and is the leader f the emergency team, t test whether r nt they are clear abut their rles, hw they wuld

5 undertake their duties in the event f an emergency and, in the case f cmbined peratins, are the tw managers invlved clear abut the scpe f their respective respnsibilities in the event f an emergency arising. Inspectrs shuld enquire f designated peratins crdinatrs whether r nt they are clear abut their rles, hw they handle infrmatin verlad, whether they wuld be cmfrtable perating as the site main cntrller in the event f the installatin manager nt being available etc. 4. Cnclusins Emergency preparedness, which embraces the characteristics f an installatin t withstand an emergency and the emergency respnse system, remains a central part f the prtectin in depth philsphy applied t safeguarding the health and safety f persns. With the passage f time frm the last accident it is apprpriate fr a stimulus t be given t the ttal prvisin f emergency respnse capabilities f installatins; The perfrmance standards in design and peratinal safety cases relating t the endurance times f escape rutes and temprary refuges, and muster, evacuatin, escape and rescue times, all f which are based n ALARP cnsideratins, are imprtant inputs int the preparatin f an emergency respnse plan but, shuld be peridically revised; Emergency respnse system shuld be audited in bth its tw parts, first the cmmand capabilities f the management team and, secnd, all the ther supprt systems and hardware; Emergency cmmand capabilities f management teams is f vital imprtance and, as in ther fields invlving the pssibility f lw frequency, high cnsequence events, prfessinally rganised scenari based training and assessment is the nly way f develping and assessing individuals likely t be engaged in emergency cmmand activities. 5. References 1.- Management Systems fr Safety, Jeremy Stranks, Pitman Publishing 2.- Safety Audits. A guide fr the Chemical Industry, CIA 1977, The Chemical Industry Safety and Health Cuncil f the Chemical Assciatin, Guidelines fr hazard evaluatin prcedures, CCPS 1992, American Institute f Chemical Engineers 4.- Why exercise yur disaster respnse?, HSEUK 1998