IMPLEMENTING COMAH – 16TH JOINT HSE/SIESO WORKSHOP

COMAH REMODELLING

EXERCISING ON/OFF-SITE RESPONSE - PLANS

9/10 MARCH 2010

 at the

MANCHESTER CONFERENCE CENTRE

 

BACKGROUND

Changing the approach to COMAH regulation.

In 2008, the COMAH Competent Authority (the Health and Safety Executive and its regulatory partners, the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) embarked on an extensive review of its regulatory approach to the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH). Although the law won't change, the Competent Authority has remodelled the way it carries out its responsibilities, especially in the areas of priority setting, safety report assessment and inspection. The changes identified by the review will begin to take effect from April 2010.

You will have the opportunity to hear how you could be affected by the changes at first hand from the Head of the Competent Authority’s COMAH Remodelling Programme.

You will also get an opportunity, via the workshop, to feedback to the Regulator how the changes will impact on the real world.

 

A Nationwide Approach to Exercising Response Plans.  

Local authorities, the blue light services and COMAH sites are all concerned at the difficulties they encounter in accommodating the diverse requests to provide assistance in exercising emergency plans.   As this is a requirement of the Regulations, the conference will hear the latest thinking on this topic by drawing on the experience of the way in which the major COMAH counties have tackled the problem.  Might it be possible to develop a nationwide procedure that would be acceptable to all?

Thoughts on EU Directives, Societal Risk and the CCA.  Delegates will hear the HSE’s interpretation of the latest EU thinking on matters that are relevant to their activities and the view from the other side from a member of the European Process Safety Centre. While societal risk could form the basis of a conference in its own right, there will be at least one session to inform delegates of the current situation. The current Cabinet Office thinking on the any changes to the CCA will also be aired

  

AIM

 By the end of the Workshop, delegates should be aware of the COMAH remodelling changes undertaken by the COMAH Competent Authority and the effect that the change of responsibility for issuing Special Premises Fire Certificates will have. They will also know current views on CCA, COMAH emergency plan testing, EU directives and societal risk.

 

PROCESS

 

 Structured syndicate sessions will be used to explore specific issues associated with the topics.   Participants will have plenty of opportunities to question the speakers and give feedback on best practice.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

While the workshop will be of particular interest to all top tier COMAH site operators, the presentations will also make it highly relevant for local authority emergency planners, the emergency services and operators of all chemical sites.

 

CHARGES

Workshop, accommodation at Days Hotel within the Conference Centre on Tuesday evening and all meals from lunch on Tuesday to lunch on Wednesday

En-suite accommodation will be provided either in Days Hotel or, if necessary, in comparable hotels in the immediate locality. Charges may be reduced if overnight accommodation is nor required; please contact the Membership Secretary (see below).

LOCATION AND DIRECTIONS

The Manchester Conference Centre enjoys a privileged position only minutes away from the newly refurbished Piccadilly Station with its 15-minute rail shuttle to the airport, just 8 miles away.  As well as being conveniently situated in Manchester city centre, the Manchester Conference Centre is a compact self-contained site with ample local parking.  Days Hotel is located within the conference complex and further details can be found at

http://www.manchesterconferencecentre.co.uk/uploads/Finding_the_MCC.pdf

 

APPLICATION FORMS

Each delegate must complete a separate application form which can be downloaded from the Events section of www.sieso.org.uk .  

It should be forwarded with a cheque payable to “SIESO” to the Membership Secretary:

Chris Pilgrim, 7, Hardbarrow Woods, High Bar Lane, Thakeham, Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 3ES

Telephone No:   01798-812922                 E-mail:   siesomem@googlemail.com

Payment by BACS can be arranged by contacting the Membership Secretary.

Applications will not be actioned until full payment by cheque or BACS has been received; the return of the application form without payment will reserve a place until 9 February 2010.

NOTES

Delegates may be changed at any time; please inform the Membership Secretary.

Cancellation must be confirmed by letter or e-mail to the Membership Secretary.  The following costs will be incurred:

-cancellation before 9 February 2010 will result in a charge of 75% total cost

- cancellation after 9 February 2010 will render the total cost payable.

Joining instructions and further details will be forwarded to delegates by 16 February 2010.

 PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME

 

Day 1

Tuesday, 9 March 2010

 

12:00

 Lunch

 

13:00

 Welcome

Ken Readman  SIESO

13:10

HSE’s Revised approach to COMAH regulation: the COMAH Remodelling Programme

Sarah Shore HSE

 - changes to the management of the COMAH  

    Competent Authority        

  - assessment of safety reports

  - inspection regime

  - enforcement action

  - operational intelligence

14:10

  Testing COMAH plans – latest thinking

Peter Metcalfe/Denis Hampson - Cleveland

Norman Powell  - Cheshire

 

 

 

15:10

 Refreshments

 

15:40

 New role for Fire & Rescue Services on COMAH sites - special premises fire certificates

Gary Underhill

Haz. Installations Officer

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

16:10

  Societal risk

Dr Ju Lynne SAW   HSL

 

16:40

  Revisions to the CCA

Julie Jones

Cabinet Office

17:10

  Questions

 

17:45

  End session

 

18:30

  Dinner

 

20:00

  Mutual aid – Essex to Hertfordshire (Buncefield)

Mark Samuels

Petrochemicals Officer

Essex Fire and Rescue Service

 

 

 

Day 2

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

 

08:30

 Latest from the EU – HSE view

  • revised Seveso Directive
  • impact of GHS on COMAH
  • critical infrastructure directive

Sandra Ashcroft / Paul Edwards  - HSE

09:00

  Latest from the EU – View from the other side

Richard Gowland, EPSC Technical Director

09:30

  Syndicates

 

10:30

  Refreshments

 

11:15

  Syndicate feedback

 

12:00

  Questions on the workshop

Ken Readman - SIESO

12:30

 Finish