A Guide to Contingency Planning for Marine Terminals Handling Liquefied Gases in Bulk Second Edition - 2001 A Guide to Contingency Planning for Marine Terminals Handling Liquefied Gases in Bulk First Published in 1989 Second Edition 2001 © Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators Ltd Published & Printed by WITHERBY& CO. LTD 32/36 Aylesbury Street, London EC1R OET, England Telephone: +44 (0)20 7251 5341 Fax: +44 (0)20 7251 1296 E-mail: books@witherbys.co.uk www: witherbys.com ISBN 1 85609 215 1 Second Edition 2001 The Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators is a non-profit making organization dedicated to protect and promote the mutual interests of its members in matters related to the safe and reliable operation of gas tankers and terminals within a sound environment. The Society was founded in 1979 and was granted consultative status at IMO in November 1983.The Society has over 100 companies in membership who own or operate over 95% of the world’s LNG tankers and terminals and over 55% of the world’s LPG tankers and terminals. Acknowledgement The SIGTTO Secretariat would like to acknowledge and thank the International Chamber of Shipping, (ICS) and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, (OCIMF) for their help and guidance in producing the first edition of "A Guide to Contingency Planning for Marine Terminals Handling Liquefied Gases in Bulk" upon which this updated and enlarged edition is based. Notice of Terms of Use While the information given in this guide has been developed using the best advice available at the time of publication, it is intended purely as guidance to be used at the owner's risk. No responsibility is accepted by the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators Ltd, or by any person, firm, corporation or organisation who or which has been in any way concerned with the furnishing of information or data, the compilation, publication, or authorised translation, supply or sale of this guide for the accuracy of any information or advice given herein or for any omission herefrom or for any consequences whatsoever resulting directly or indirectly from the compliance with or adoption of guidance contained herein even if caused by a failure to exercise reasonable care. SIGTTO February 2001 iii Contents Page No. FOREWORD 1 1. PREVENTION OF MAJOR ACCIDENTS 3 Safety management systems 3 Identification of potential hazards 3 Control of potential hazards 6 Safety auditing 11 2. EMERGENCY PLANNING 13 On-site emergency plan 13 Emergency response manuals 14 Emergency services and off-site emergency plans 15 Interaction and liaison between emergency services 15 Mutual aid schemes 17 Public relations 17 Periodic reviews 18 3. INCIDENT CONTROL 19 Activation of the marine terminal emergency plan 19 Establishing incident control 19 Role of key personnel during an incident 20 Communications 21 Termination of incident 27 4. INCIDENT FOLLOW-UP 23 Incident investigation 23 Reporting and lessons learned 24 Re-commissioning of plant after a major incident 24 5. THE ORGANISATION OF A MAJOR EMERGENCY EXERCISE 27 Creating an exercise culture 27 Exercise constraints 27 Defining exercise objectives 28 Exercise planning 29 Starting an exercise 30 Exercise levels 30 APPENDICES 33 ILLUSTRATION OF TYPICAL EMERGENCY PLAN CONTENTS LIST 33 SIGTTO iv February 2001 INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES 35 APELL: 35 General 35 Objectives 35 Philosophy and general approach 35 APELL for Port Areas 35 Seveso directives: 37 General 37 GLOSSARY OF TERMS 39 REFERENCES 41 SIGTTO February 2001 1 FOREWORD This second edition of "A Guide to Contingency Planning for Marine Terminals Handling Liquefied Gases in Bulk" was originally prepared in 1989, by a joint industry working group consisting of members of the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, the International Chamber of Shipping and the Society of International Gas Tankers and Terminal Operators. It has now been revised and expanded to include "Guidelines for Preparing and Co- ordinating a Major Ship/Shore Emergency Exercise" published by SIGTTO in 1994. It is the third guide of a series. The first, Contingency Planning for the Gas Carrier at Sea and in Port Approaches, was first published in 1983 and updated in 1998 and the second, Contingency Planning for the Gas Carrier Alongside and Within Port Limits, was published in 1987 and also updated in 1998 [Refs 1 and 2]. The document is intended to relate specifically to the safe storage and transfer of liquefied gases at marine terminals. It can however, be adapted for use at any terminal handling hazardous substances in bulk. It provides terminal management with guidance on contingency planning, including the identification and control of potential hazards, the control of incidents and review periods. Further information on accident prevention and response for hazardous substances in general may be obtained from the OECD publications "Guidance Concerning Chemical Safety in Port Areas" and "Guiding Principles for Chemical Accident Prevention Preparedness and Response" [Refs 19 and 20] In 1996 a joint action by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the Environment Office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP IE) adapted an existing process, Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL) to port areas. The APELL process has been developed in response to various industrial accidents in both developed and developing countries, which have resulted in adverse impacts on the environment. Its main goal is to prevent, prepare for and respond to technological accidents and their impacts. APELL for Port Areas [Ref 3], provides comprehensive technical information on contingency planning for maritime emergencies, including the recently updated and expanded documentation related to oil pollution, prepared with oil industry organisations and other institutions. Consequently, many of its conventions, agreements, regulations, manuals and other guidance documents have great relevance to shipping operations in port areas, including comprehensive technical information on contingency planning for emergencies. The main recommendations of APELL for Port Areas have been incorporated into this book. The Seveso II Directive, referred to in the UK, as the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH) [ref 5] is a European Directive applicable to all sites where a certain quantity of dangerous substances are located. It is a mandatory requirement for on and off-site emergency plans to be available at sites within the European Union, where this Directive is applicable. It is hoped that the philosophy behind these regulations may be of assistance to operators of terminals when devising contingency plans in States where no such legislation exists. The definition of the term "major accident" used throughout this book has been adapted from the Seveso Directive. "An occurrence will be a major accident if it meets the following conditions: (a) That it leads to a serious danger to man or the environment, and (b) That it results from uncontrolled developments in the course of an industrial activity, and (c) That it involves one or more dangerous substances." In all cases where a major accident could occur proper planning will assist in minimising the consequences and optimise the use of resources. SIGTTO 2 February 2001 This guide is not intended to cover all types of major industrial accidents; nor is it a Code of Practice. In using the guide the need to comply with local and national legislation should always be taken in account. Much of the guidance given here has been drawn from existing contingency plans, national legislation and industry guidance on the subject. This is gratefully acknowledged. The following quotation from "Fire Protection Manual for Hydrocarbon Processing Plants" [ref 25] sums up the objectives of this book. "No matter how efficient the precautionary measures, disaster may strike at any moment -without warning. Experience has shown that it is economically and physically impossible to eliminate all the hazards posed by the three "culprits" of disaster: people, equipment and weather. Any one of these factors can destroy or seriously cripple the operations of your plant by fire, explosion, wind, flood, sabotage or direct attack. Although elimination of all these disaster hazards is impossible it is possible to prepare for disaster. Advanced planning is the key."