How to achieve best practice spill control in the haulage logistics and distribution industry

Response to the Environment Agency / British Safety industry Federation Report in July 2010

A new survey and report by the Environment Agency & the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) has shown that over 50% of transport, logistics and distribution operators have suffered a serious environmentally hazardous spill because of their operations.

The report brings together 8 of the UK's leading spill prevention experts in these areas to overcome the key problems in aim to create an effective spill prevention plan.

This report will help any operation to better understand their legal responsibilities and guide them to implementing a spill prevention plan that is relevant to their business operations.

The Report

The Environment Agency, British Safety industry Federation and leading companies in the Industry have addressed the issues relating to spill control in the Haulage, Logistics and Distribution Industry. The Industry has been surveyed for their views.

Environment Agencies Concern

The Environment Agency has identified this industry as being responsible for one of the greatest number of spills and pollution incidents of any industry in the UK.

The spills relate to:

• Fuel, oil spills in depot
• Spills of polluting liquid cargoes in handling at depot (e.g. milk, soft drinks, chemicals)
• Fuel and oil spills on the highway

They wish to work with the industry to create and adopt best practice to mitigate these spills.

Industry Collaboration and Investigation

The Environment Agency and the British Safety Industry Federation have conducted an investigation with Directors and Senior Managers, from leading companies where logistics and distribution is a key activity, in tackling the key issues of spill prevention and response within their industry. These companies included Wincanton, Azkso Nobel, Sainsbury’s, United Biscuits, USB, Kuehne and Nagel, BP. This was complemented by a survey of a wide range of haulage and distribution companies to solicit their views.

Relevant Legislation and Best Practice

• Groundwater Protection
  
• Control of Pollution (Fuel Storage)
  
• ADR Legislation
  
• Environment Agency 10 Point Guidelines
  

Relevant PPG's:

• PPG 1 - General guide to the prevention of pollution
  
• PPG 2 - Above ground oil storage tanks
  
• PPG 3 - Use and design of oil separators in surface water drainage systems
  
• PPG 7 - Refuelling facilities
  
• PPG 8 - Safe storage and disposal of used oils
  
• PPG 10 - Highway depots
• PPG 18 - Managing fire water and major spillages
• PPG 21 - Pollution incident response planning
• PPG 22 - Dealing with spillages on highways
  
• PPG 26 - Storage and handling of drums and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs)
  
• PPG 27 - Installation, decommissioning and removal of underground storage tanks
  

Free Survey Spill Risk Assessment

The key to any individual companies own circumstances is to conduct a Spill Risk Site Assessment.

Fosse Liquitrol can help by offering a Free Spill Risk Site Assessment (more details).

A spill risk site assessment will involve creating a report tailored to the company's key spill risks and highlight any areas of concern based upon any information provided.
Companies that are considered a serious risk will be visited by one of our experts in spill control to conduct a full site survey and will be made aware of any spill risk issues in a site assessment report.

Bae Systems at Warton in Lancashire specify Fosse Liquitrol spill control equipment, purchased through their preferred supplier, throughout their plant. They decided that with the development of the BSIF Accredited Spill Training Courses, it was imperative to train their workforce up to standard. However with the numbers of people on site who would need training the most sensible way to go about this would be to train the trainers. Fosse Liquitrol laid on an Accredited Training course and provided the Trainers with an in depth session, Spill Awareness videos and Powerpoint Presentation. The Fosse Liquitrol Spill Awareness video is now part of the induction programme of every new employee to Bae at Warton and the trainers are systematically training the workforce in spill risk. Graham Evans says “This was a well presented course with some good key points that brought the message home, backed up with some good practical training including a very useful video showing the effects of spillage to the environment and dangers at work”