Plan For Disaster; Avoid Catastrophes

Editor Anamika Talwaria speaks to industry leaders about the importance of emergency response planning Terminal facilities storing hazardous goods such as petrochemicals, fossil fuels and other bulk liquids need to take extra care when it comes to potential fires. As well as fire suppression systems installed on site, a robust emergency response plan is key to stay safe and prevent losses on site in the event of an incident. Safety Planning On Site Proper safety planning needs a two- pronged approach: prevention and mitigation. Starting with the design of a tank terminal, it’s crucial to properly consider the assets and processes that will be taking place, and the best way to control and manage these. Tank owners must consider technologies such as alarms and sensors, and also what level of operator involvement and intervention there needs to be – how much can be automated to keep workers safe? For each process, owners also need to consider the safety systems in place, and what instruments and technologies can be used to prevent (and mitigate) incidents focused on loss of containment, such as explosion and fire. But even the best-laid plans can fail, and if an incident does...