Safety Cases – identifying and controlling hazards
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A Major Hazard Facilities (MHF) licence requires an operation to identify its major hazards and risk control measures, as well as to provide a summary of the safety management systems that are in place. This is known as a Safety Case.
When the new OH&S (Major Hazard Facilities) regulations were first promulgated in 2000, authorities sought case studies to help them frame the new legislation. Australian Vinyls volunteered to act as an Exemplar in producing a Safety Case for the Laverton plant. This involved nine months of intensive preparation, consultation and documentation.
Laverton's first Safety Case was finalised and submitted to WorkSafe in December 2001. A summary of our Safety Case is distributed to key stakeholders, including local residents, schools and libraries, to raise awareness of the safety of the company’s plant in our local community.
Under the MHF regulations, our Laverton resin plant received its first 5 year licence as a Major Hazard Facility from the WorkSafe Victoria in June 2002. We shared the learning gained from our initial Safety Case research with other companies in public forums. We participated in WorkSafe training sessions, local chemical industry meetings, conferences and at a number of meetings with companies in one-on-one sessions. We also played a key part in reviewing WorkSafe's Guidance Notes before these were published.
In December 2005, work began on the re-submission of AV’s Safety Case in order to renew our MHF licence expiring in June 2007.
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