Buncefield joint Task Group calls for action.

A joint Industry and COMAH Competent Authority (CA) Task Group today called for industry to take immediate measures to implement eight key action points at major petroleum storage facilities.

The actions to further improve safety and environmental standards can be found in the Buncefield Standards Task Group: Initial Report at: www.hse.gov.uk/comah/alert.htm.

The actions, provide a significant challenge to industry, and are in response to findings contained in the Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board's (MIIB) initial report published in July.

These recommendations, based on the latest information available, are believed to be precautionary and prudent to offer worthwhile additional public and environmental protection.

The actions relate to: Pipeline transfers; Tank overfill prevention; operating safety margins and level alarms; Fire safe shut-off valves and remotely operated shut off valves; Containment, bunds and other measures; and shift handover.

The CA are also reviewing the emerging outcomes from the safety and environmental reviews of fuel depots carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Environment Agency (EA) and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) earlier this year.

The CA will report their findings later this year.

These may well include the need for industry to take further measures.

The Task Group recommends and the CA requires sites that have bulk tanks storing petroleum that could be overfilled leading to a significant vapour cloud to take immediate action.

These sites will now have to implement the recommendations by the deadlines set out in the report.

Industry representatives have agreed to complete them and the CA will be monitoring industry progress closely to ensure the enhanced safety standards are introduced on time.

Under the CA's direction, the Task Group set out to undertake a comprehensive and thorough review of facilities like Buncefield to ensure they operate correctly.

The actions detailed above are the first results of this work.

The Task Group will make final recommendations to industry aimed at enhancing safety and environmental standards by July 2007.

The CA acknowledges the commitment industry members of the Task Group have shown.

It is important that these changes to further improve safety are implemented by the deadlines stated.

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