Safex Newsletter No.80 May 2024

Welcome to the 80th SAFEX Newsletter. A third of the year has already sped past and SAFEX has been very busy serving the industry.

  • GPG 12 has been completed and posted on our website : English version - Spanish version
  • Webinar 6 – Management of Change – was successfully hosted by EPC Groupe and an article by Thierry Rousse explains the outcome of the Webinar in this Newsletter.
  • A new eLearning Module in Conjunction with ENAEX in Chile, ‘Why we need to do Periodic Hazard Studies on existing plants’ has been developed and now been launched on the SAFEX website.
  • The date and place for the SAFEX Congress XXI was pinned down: Please note this important event, hosted by ORICA, in your calendar.
  • A new GPG on Management of Change is under preparation. The development of an ESP eLearning Module is well advanced, which will also result in the update of the current ESP GPG on the Website. Work has also been initiated on an Explosives Security GPG.

The global explosives industry plays a crucial role in various sectors, including mining, construction, and military operations. However, working with explosives also carries significant risks, which is why safety measures are of utmost importance. SAFEX International is a leading organization dedicated to promoting safety within the explosives industry. With our expertise and resources, we provide training programs, guidelines, and support to ensure that companies and individuals adhere to best practices when handling explosives. By partnering with SAFEX International, businesses can enhance their safety protocols and minimize the risk of accidents or mishaps. So, whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the field, SAFEX International is there to assist you in maintaining a safe work environment while maximizing efficiency and productivity.

I hope with this Newsletter that SAFEX manages to assist you to improve your safety offering to our industry !

Parameters to Improve Transportation Safety

By Marion Lovgren

Orica has seven Expert Panels covering the product manufacturing areas, applications, and distribution. This article describes activities by the Distribution Expert Panel (DEP).

The DEP has identified that to improve transportation safety the age of the fleet must be addressed, and modern technology should be applied to transportation. The DEP proposes a layered approach on technology, processes and people to reduce the probability of accidents and security incidents. This layered approach was the result of a study that was carried out on past incidents during distribution. Many of the equipment recommendations from this study align with recommendations made in the investigation report by the Department of Mining, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) following the tanker explosion in Laverton, Western Australia.

The layered approach is proposed to reduce risks in transport and to prevent more severe incident outcomes. The study was based on past years’ internal incident statistics and identified the importance of layering of several independent elements. Statistically the increase of rollover and collision events were related to inadequate control of speed on the road, driver fatigue, and no effective test and inspection on brakes and tires. Many of the basic causes could have been eliminated with extended use of modern truck safety technologies. Several of the findings and recommendations from this study also link into the recommendations in the DMIRS report. The three layers of control are:

1. Technology - A strong enabler of safety is technology, which is automated, always available to support when a process fails or when human error occurs and delivers the same quality on each demand. Technology is at the back and stopping an incident from happening as an important layer of defense. The study suggests that trucks transporting dangerous goods should include safety technology such as In Vehicle Monitoring Systems, EBS braking systems, Tire Temperature Monitoring Systems, Fixed Fire Suppression Systems for engine and tire fires, Blind Spot Warnings system, Fatigue Systems, spoken Route Risk Assessments and alcohol ignition interlock. Further, the study featured security functions such as alarms in the loading compartments for Class 1 goods and immobilizers should be included as a standard.

2. Processes - Key processes to improve carrier safety were identified such as identifying improvement potential proactively with audits and performing prestart safety check prior to departure. Procedures with the requirements of seatbelts, proper speed on the road, and route risk assessments are fundamental.

3. People - A culture change mindset is necessary in which Safety is seen as a Priority.

From the study a suggested maximum age of 8 years for the fleet has been imposed as an important enabler to smoothly onboard modern safety technology. It was noted that the older age of the trucks and trailers is the strongest indicator of the risk of a major non-conformity. This risk could create a significant concern of the safety of a vehicle. Older trucks do not have the integrated safety functions that exist on newer vehicles. Retrofitting these older trucks with modern equipment is not always possible, and it can also be very costly to upgrade. Newer vehicles in the fleet will bring down the average age of the fleet and will help reducing carbon emissions.

Based on the findings from the study, the different regions in Orica have implementation plans in place to take road safety and security to the next level.

Of note, SAFEX has three good practice guides related to transport, namely, for TGAN, AN solution, and most recently for ANEs.

Author: Marion Lövgren
2024-03-27