The Department of Employment and Labour is organising a workshop to share best practices on the application of the Major Hazard Installation (MHI) Regulations in order to raise awareness and promote public safety against encroachment, vandalism and theft at MHI infrastructures.
The workshop’s purpose is to advocate on the application of the Major Hazard Installation Regulation and also to share good practises and lessons learned in adhering to the MHI Regulations. It further seeks to empower the respective co-regulators and inspectors on the provisions of MHI Regulations.
A Major Hazard Installation refers to an installation where a substance is produced, processed, used, handled or stored in such a form and quantity that it has the potential to cause a major incident or an occurrence of catastrophic proportions, resulting from the use of plant and machinery, or from activities at a workplace. Some of these substances may include Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), petrol and ammonia.
Department of Employment and Labour Specialist Inspector: Major Hazard Installations, Rachel Aphane said the gathering was part of the Department’s Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch’s pillar to provide advocacy on the legislations.
“In essence it is part of the Departmental work plan, to raise awareness and educate stakeholders on the provisions of the legislations.
“The workshop is an annual event. In this financial year we have targeted pipelines because of increased encroachments, tapping of pipelines, vandalism, thieving and increased need to transport substances on road due to energy crisis,” Aphane said.
According to Aphane, South Africa has experienced some small accidental release of substances such as ammonia at some refrigeration plants and over fillings at petroleum Depots.
“The most recent incident was the MHI in transit on the Boksburg road. The incident, is outside of our scope as it was in transit, however it is an MHI at a point of departure and arrival. An analysis was done and the surface emissive power of the Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion fireball flame was calculated to be in the region of 260 kW/m2, as such nearby public members (up to a distance of 20 metres) would be exposed to extremely high level of thermal radiation.
“However, the dispersion of flammable vapour from the catastrophic rupture of the tanker reached a radius of more than 70 metres and the repairable damage estimated up to 110 meters. The fire was started by the tanker rubbing on the bridge and causing a spontaneous spark. The incident is still sub judice. The matter is also under discussion in the national Dangerous Goods Supply Chain Task Team composed of SAPS and Department of Transport. The Team is, meant to harmonise the control of substances in all spectrum. The Department is a member of the DG SC task team,” remarked Aphane.
The MHI is a high risk industry and needs to be regulated strictly as a breach or non-compliance not only adversely affects the employees but also the public members.
The Department, Aphane said ordinarily conducts routine inspections to monitor compliance with legislations. The breach consequences depends on the findings made, as such different non-conformances have different litigations and notices are issued or motion of actions are then referred to National Prosecution Authority (NPA), argued Aphane.
The workshop was arranged in partnership with Sasol Satellite Operations: Germiston and stakeholders including officials dealing with MHIs at provincial and local government (Metropolitans and municipalities in the land zoning, disaster management, and emergency services units), MHI facilities, inspectors, dangerous goods officials as well as any other interested parties are expected to attend.
Source: Government of South Africa