EDITIONNO.1JUNE2007INDUSTRYGUIDEYourhealthandsafetyguidetoMajorhazardfacilitiesIfthisIndustryGuidedoesnotcontainanup-to-dateMoreinformationsheet,pleasegotowww.worksafe.vic.gov.autodownloadthePDForcontactuson1800136089torequestaprintedcopy.There’splentymoreinformationabouthealthandsafety...www.worksafe.vic.gov.au1800136089Certaintypesofincidentsatmajorhazardfacilitiescanbecatastrophicforworkers,thecommunityandtheenvironment.Majorhazardfacilitiesareanessentialpartofthestate’sinfrastructure,providingimportantproductsandservicestoVictorians.However,thesesiteshandlepotentiallydangerousquantitiesofchemicalsandothermaterials.Amajorincident,suchastheonethatoccurredattheLongfordgasplantin1998,canresultinlossoflifeandpropertydamageonaverylargescale.Thisguidewillhelpyouunderstandtherisksassociatedwithmajorhazardfacilities,andwillexplainwhatyouneedtodotomakeyourworkplacesafe.5276MajorHazardFacGuide.indd115276MajorHazardFacGuide.indd1129/5/073:34:08PM29/5/073:34:08PMInthisguideAbouttheindustry•Whatisamajorhazardfacility?•Whataretherisks?•WhatisaSafetyCase?•Whoelsehasroles?Yourlegalduties•Thelaw•Informationforlicensedoperators•Informationforemployees•ComplianceandenforcementHowtocomply•Consult•Find•Fix•ReviewGlossary2INDUSTRYGUIDE/MAJORHAZARDFACILITIES5276MajorHazardFacGuide.indd225276MajorHazardFacGuide.indd2229/5/073:34:08PM29/5/073:34:08PMWhatisamajorhazardfacility?Majorhazardfacilities(MHFs)areindustrialsiteswhichstore,handleorprocesslargequantitiesofchemicalsanddangerousgoods,includingpetroleumproducts.Examplesincludeoilrefineries,chemicalmanufacturingsites,gas-processingplants,LPGfacilitiesandsomewarehousesandtransportdepots.Victoriahasapproximately45ofthesesites,whichmustcomplywithstringentlegalrequirements,includingpreparationofaSafetyCase,toensuretheyareoperatedsafely.VisittheWorkSafewebsitewww.worksafe.vic.gov.auforacompletelistingofVictoria’smajorhazardfacilities.Whataretherisks?Majorhazardfacilitiesuselargequantitiesofhazardouschemicalsandotherpotentiallydangerousmaterials.Ifsomethinggoeswrongatamajorhazardsite,theconsequencescanbecatastrophicforemployeesandthesurroundingcommunity.Whilemajorincidentsareuncommon,theydooccurandcanresultinfire,explosionorthereleaseofhazardouschemicals,puttingpropertyandlivesatrisk.WhatisaSafetyCase?MHFshavetodemonstratetheiroperationalsafetythroughaSafetyCasedevelopedspecificallyfortheiruniqueoperationsandsituation.TheSafetyCasesetsouttheadequacyofthesite’ssafetymanagementsystembyspecifyingpreventionmeasures,aswellasstrategiesforreducingtheeffectsofamajorincidentifonedoesoccur.Itcanonlybepreparedfollowingafullexaminationofasite’sactivitiestoidentifymajorincidenthazardsandallpotentialmajorincidents,andtodeterminethenecessaryriskcontrolmeasures.TheSafetyCasemustbepreparedwiththefullinvolvementofemployeesandtheirhealthandsafetyrepresentativesfromallofthedifferentworkgroupsandfunctionalareasatthesite.Therelevantemergencyservicesshouldbeconsultedonemergencyplanpreparation,andlocalmunicipalcouncil(s)shouldbeconsultedonactionsrequiredforthesafetyoflocalcommunitymembersintheeventofamajorincident.Abouttheindustry3INDUSTRYGUIDE/MAJORHAZARDFACILITIES5276MajorHazardFacGuide.indd335276MajorHazardFacGuide.indd3329/5/073:34:09PM29/5/073:34:09PMWhoelsehasroles?ThelocalcommunityAsaresident,worker,businessoperatororotherpersoninvolvedintheloc...
