fertilizer handling code of practice

Fertilizer Australia Incorporated Registration No. A0025290C ABN 71 395 757 876 ARBN 106 743 015 Z:\1 Data\Member Documents\Codes of Practice\Fertilizer Handling Code of Practice.docx

Status: Date: Review Date:

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Fertilizer Handling Code of Practice

1. Introduction

The purpose of this code of practice is to establish appropriate standards for operators and service providers within the fertilizer industry when handling fertilizer products in public areas and company storages. The fertilizer industry recognises its obligations to comply with legislative requirements and to eliminate as far as practicable the hazards resulting from the transport, storage and associated handling of fertilizer products. Industry participants also need to be aware of other obligations and associated Fertilizer Australia codes of practice including DoA Biosecurity requirements, Fertilizer Australia Security code of practice and Fertilizer Australia Purchasing code of practice which may be applicable to a particular operation. Fertilizer Australia members are committed to complying with the codes of practice as a condition of membership. Members who store, transport or physically handle fertilizer products should implement this code of practice. Where members use third parties to store, transport, or physically handle fertilizer products, then implementation of the codes of practice by the third party should be part of the contractual arrangements. Where applicable, members should ensure that the code of practice is adopted by their supply chain partners.

The code of practice is publicly available so that all participants in the industry can have access to this resource.

2. Scope The code of practice covers all types of fertilizers, including solids and liquid formulations, and both bulk and packaged products. The primary focus of the code of practice is management of product loss and the associated environmental hazards; it should be used in addition to procedures to manage cross contamination (i.e. contamination of agricultural produce resulting from fertilizer treatments eg. flutriafol and occupational health and safety issues.



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This code covers workplaces that transport, store and handle fertilizers, including bulk port facilities, major supply warehouses and up country storages. 3. Interpretations

3.1. This document is drafted to establish a risk assessment approach which will help achieve the required standards of applicable legislation, and should not be construed in any way to circumvent or replace these laws.

3.2. The code has been written with specific reference to the fertilizer industry, but may also be applicable to other industries with similar storage hazards.

4. Implementation The code of practice provides a risk assessment and treatment approach to managing issues associated with loss of product containment. As each worksite is different, the code of practice should be used to develop a risk management plan appropriate to the worksite. The risk management plan should be documented and include procedures to manage and monitor consistent implementation. The Fertilizer Australia document “Cracking the Nutrient Code” provides details on the key components of a risk management plan. These include: 1. Know what to look for: Awareness of all potential nutrient risk categories i.e. leach, load,

run and blow. 2. Evaluate current activities: Given an understanding of the potential nutrient management

risks, thinking about current practices helps to focus in on key risks and improvement opportunities.

3. Consider the environmental context: take stock of the environment in and around the storage area to identify those places potentially impacted by fertilizers practices e.g. groundwater, waterways, soils, neighbors, native fauna and flora and air.

4. Prioritize risks: Having identified risks associated with current activities and their environmental context, evaluate the importance of each of these risks. Clearly high and very high risk categories need to be given management priority.

5. Identify best management practices: Best management practices need to be identified and in some cased developed to minimise these risks.

6. Foster continuous improvement: Implement the four steps of Plan, Do, Measure and Improve.

7. Identify appropriate management tools: Management tools are techniques and technologies which enable both the implementation and the monitoring of best management practices e.g. water, air and soil sampling and analysis.

Appendix 1 summarizes the typical activities and their associated hazards, product loss risks and control options for a range of operations including fertilizer port operations, transport and storage. This may be useful in developing individual site risk management plans. Simple check lists can be a useful tool in implementing risk management procedures and ensuring compliance. Each site risk management plan should be reviewed at regular intervals and whenever changes are made to the systems or procedures in use.



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5. Fertilizer Storage Operations Many bulk products including fertilizers are imported or moved domestically either in bulk cargo ships or shipping containers. These dispatch and cargo operations result in the movement of large volumes of product in short periods of time. As part of these activities, fertilizer importers and their contractors have obligations to control and monitor their operations to ensure compliance to applicable legislation. Fertilizers are also stored at many sites across the country in bulk and / or various sized packages. Storage operations include receiving product, any associated handling and dispatch of the product. Due to the nature of the storage method, bulk fertilizer storage facilities generally involve greater potential for loss of product containment compared to packaged fertilizer storages. For this reason, bulk fertilizer storage will be given particular focus. The fertilizer industry does not support the storage of solid fertilizer in silos or field bins. Where customers choose to use these storage methods, silos must be designed to accommodate the physical properties of the fertilizer being stored (refer to Australian Standards AS 3773 – Bulk Solids Containers Safety Requirements and AS 3774 - Loads on Bulk Solids Containers). Issues of product segregation can be greater with packaged fertilizers particularly when fertilizer is place in a warehouse with other products e.g. agricultural chemicals. Site managers need to be aware of potential risks, any regulatory compliance issues and implement sound operating practices. As part of these activities, fertilizer organizations and their contractors have obligations to control and monitor their operations to ensure compliance to applicable legislation and minimal off site impact.



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5.1. Port Operations General Port operations for bulk fertilizer products involve receiving from bulk ships as follows.

For each of these activities a number of controls must be set to ensure that vehicles:

are in fit condition to be loaded;

are loaded within legal weight requirements; and

have loads fully secured and covered.

Bulk ship berths

Truck tarping

Hopper operation and truck loading

Crane and/or self discharge operations

conducted

Truck weighing and either tip off / or

approval for despatch

Truck tips off over-weights

Truck tarps removed and tailgate

confirmed as fastened

Truck drives to storage on public

roads

On initial entry, trucks checked for cleanliness.



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5.2. Receiving Bulk Solid Product The procedure for receival of bulk solid fertilizer varies from site to site depending on factors such as type of bulk storage (i.e. silos v bulk bays) and the materials handling equipment available (i.e. multiveyors v front end loaders). A generalized procedure is illustrated below.

Driver receives delivery instructions including weighing if appropriate and follows approved internal route within

store

Truck tarps removed, documents checked, load checked for cleanliness,

tailgate opened and load is tipped

Where practical, loose fertilizer is removed from truck prior leaving the

tipping point. If this is not possible truck driven to blow-down point, where

compressed air & / or brooms are used to remove loose fertilizer

Truck driver refits tarpaulin and fastens tailgate

Where rumble strips are available, truck driver drives over onsite rumble strips to

remove any residual fertilizer

Site bulk handling equipment moves product to the storage space



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5.3. Receiving Bulk Liquid Product The generalized procedure for receival of bulk liquid fertilizer is illustrated below.

Driver receives delivery instructions including weighing if appropriate

Truck follows approved internal route within store

Tanker vents are opened, discharge hoses connected at the

designated spot

Hoses are drained in an approved manner. Valves & tanker vents

closed, discharge hoses are disconnected

Truck exits the site following approved internal route

Site bulk liquid handling equipment moves the product to the storage

tank



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5.4. Dispatching Bulk Solid Product The generalized procedure for dispatching of bulk solid fertilizer is illustrated below.

Truck tarp removed, checked for cleanliness and tailgate confirmed

as fastened

Approved site weighing methodology followed

Site bulk handling equipment moves product from bulk storage

space into the truck

Truck tarps are secured

Driver receives dispatch instructions including weighing if

appropriate



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5.5. Dispatching Bulk Liquid Product The generalized procedure for dispatching of bulk liquid fertilizer is illustrated below.

Distribution site activities should be designed to receive and dispatch bulk vehicles in an efficient and safe manner ensuring that empty vehicles are fully discharged and loaded vehicles have tailgates, tarpaulins fully in place and valves and vents closed before departure.

Road tanker & dispatch equipment checked for cross contamination & cleanliness

Approved site weighing / measuring methodology followed

Relevant vents are opened, filling hoses connected at the

designated spot

Hoses are drained in an approved manner. Valves & tanker vents

closed, filling hoses are disconnected

Truck exits the site following approved internal route

Site bulk liquid handling equipment moves the product to

the tanker

Driver receives dispatch instructions including weighing if

appropriate



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For each of these activities, a number of controls must be set to ensure that bulk storage device, handling equipment and vehicles:

are fit for purpose

are in sound operating condition with minimal potential for product loss or degradation;

have appropriate guarding in place around moving parts

are operated / loaded within specification / legal requirements; and

loads have been fully secured and covered.

6. Bulk fertilizer operations – Critical Control Points Each site should make an assessment of where risks of product loss could occur. These are areas where sites should establish critical control points where actions should be targeted to minimise the risk of losses and to detect and rectify losses that may occur. Examples of common critical control points are listed below, however sites may also have specific issues not listed which should also be identified.

6.1. Port Operations Grabbing off ship

Overfilled grabs

Overspill when emptying grab into hopper

Excavator / bobcats when lifted into / out of ship hatches

Hopper operations – spills to roadway and truck body

Spill on to truck cabin, tarps or chassis

Spills to the waterway

Over filled trucks

Leaking hopper discharge valves

General wharf hygiene Over filled trucks

Tipping in tip-off bays - fertilizer build up on chassis

Overfill caught on tarps Weighbridge

Over loaded trucks

Vehicle leaks

Tarpaulins damaged or not in place

6.2. Port to Store transit

Tailgate leaks

Tarpaulin not in place or leaking

Spill from tarp

Spill from body of truck

Spills from rough road surfaces

Spills from corners and roundabouts on route

6.3 Bulk Solid Unloading Operations

Truck tipping with axles covered by fertilizer pile

Sufficient capacity in the bulk storage space to take the load

Bulk storage space loss of containment



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Fertilizer dust generation and air movement

Cross contamination issues in handling equipment and bulk storage space

Containment of fertilizer spills

Tailgates not closed and sealed

Driving through spilled fertilizer

Cross contamination issues in the unloading equipment

Bulk handling equipment loss of containment

Residual fertilizer on chassis

Tipping truck overturns

6.4 Bulk liquid Unloading Operations

Sufficient capacity in the bulk storage vessel to take the load

Ventilation of bulk tank and road tanker during discharge and filling

Cross contamination issues in the unloading equipment

Cross contamination issues in the bulk storage space

Containment of liquid in discharge hose when making & breaking connections

Hose / connection loss of containment

Pump loss of containment

Bulk storage vessel loss of containment

Valves not closed and sealed 7 Prevention For each critical control point identified in point 6, an appropriate prevention action or strategy should be identified. Likely controls for the common critical control points are listed below, however other controls may be suitable for specific circumstances.

7.1 Prevention of spillage and tracking of fertilizer residues during shipping operations at Ports can be controlled by implementing some or all of the following:

Well maintained equipment – grabs and hoppers suitable to the task

Use of spill plates to cover gaps between vessel and hopper

Trained and competent grab and weighbridge operators to prevent over flow and over filling equipment

Good housekeeping practices on weighbridges and internal roadways

When rainfall occurs during discharge, consider storm water containment, recovery and disposal in an approved manner

Prevention of trucks from driving through fertilizer residues

Use of ropes and / or cattle grates to shake excess product and dust off the truck body, tarps and chassis before leaving the Port

Preparation and inspection of truck before loading - tailgates and grain hatched closed

Vehicle Inspections for damaged seals or potential leaks

Tarps clear from hopper chute when loading

Tarps secured before leaving Port

Rumble ropes positioned for trucks to travel over before they leave the Port

Inspection and clean down areas prior to entering any public roads



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Traffic management route between Port and store that minimizes sharp turns, round-abouts and stop / starts

7.2 Transport Operators Transport companies engaged for bulk transport operations must ensure that they take all reasonable steps to prevent the spillage of fertilizer onto roadways. The following conditions and activities should be put into operation as part of their chain of responsibility.

Trucks suitable to task, all grain doors and tailgates with effective seals

Staff and contractors engaged for 12 months or longer are Fertcare Level A trained (Product Knowledge and Transport), licensed and competent truck drivers. Casual staff who do not provide advice to end-users must be managed by a Fertcare trained supervisor and be briefed by the supervisor about the environment, food safety and OH&S risks associated with fertilizers.

Following site rules / and road rules – traveling over rumble ropes

Tarp all loads before leaving sites

Travelling agreed route during shipping activity

Undertaking appropriate site inductions

Training in this code of practice

Not clean out truck bins on the side of public road

Reporting spills and incidents Private operators have the same responsibilities as company engaged transport companies.

7.3 Preventing solid fertilizer loss of containment at storage sites can be

controlled by implementing some or all of the following:

Staff and contractors engaged for 12 months or longer are Fertcare Level A (Product Knowledge and Storage) trained and competent depot staff

Staff and contractors engaged for 12 months or longer are Fertcare Level A trained (Product Knowledge and Transport), licensed and competent truck drivers.

Casual staff who do not provide advice to end-users must be managed by a Fertcare trained supervisor and be briefed by the supervisor about the environment, food safety and OH&S risks associated with fertilizers.

Well maintained bulk storage space e.g. sheds, bays, silos etc and packaged solids storage suitable for the products / task are located and constructed to avoid loss of fertilizer to waterways, groundwater and minimize dust generation and drift.

Site storm water management with appropriate infrastructure and operating procedures

Appropriate site security infrastructure and product security procedures.

Bulk and packaged goods handling equipment suited for the task

Well maintained bulk and packaged goods handling equipment

Appropriate product segregation

Good housekeeping practices in storage, unloading / loading area, weighbridges and internal roadways



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Cross contaminated product and housekeeping waste disposed of in an approved manner

Appropriate dust management practices in place

Labelling of bulk storage spaces

Develop and implement site traffic management plans

Prevention of trucks and materials handling equipment from driving through fertilizer residues

Clean edges to stockpiles

Use of mechanical cleaning equipment – front end loader, skid steer or sweeper

Site truck bin cleaning waste and empty package waste is contained and disposed of in an approved manner

Documented emergency response management plan

Emergency response equipment fit for purpose and maintained in working order

7.4 Preventing liquid fertilizer loss of containment at storage sites can be

controlled by implementing some or all of the following:

Well maintained bulk storage tanks and packaged liquids storage suitable for the products / task

Appropriate tank and unloading / loading bunding in place

Site storm water management with appropriate infrastructure and operating procedures

Appropriate site security infrastructure and product security procedures

Bulk and packaged goods handling equipment suitable for the task

Well maintained bulk and packaged goods handling equipment

Appropriate practices for handling residual liquid in transfer hoses, pipes and storage vessels

Labelling of bulk storage tanks

Develop and implement site traffic management plans

Prevention of trucks and materials handling equipment from driving through fertilizer residues

Site equipment and tanker rinse water is contained and disposed of in an approved manner

Appropriate product segregation

Good housekeeping practices in storage, unloading / loading area, weighbridges and internal roadways

Cross contaminated product and housekeeping waste disposed of in an approved manner

Documented emergency response management plan

Cleanup and emergency response equipment appropriate for the products being stored and in good working order

7.5 Spill Clean Up Site managers and transport operators should have procedures in place to effectively clean up any identified spills and dispose of all waste in an approved manner.



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8 Training The employer must ensure that workers are either sufficiently experienced to do their work safely and without harm to the environment or supervised by an experienced person. In addition, the worker must be provided with adequate information and training in the safe and appropriate use of equipment in the workplace, including hazards in the workplace, personal protective equipment and safe systems of work. Information and training on the hazards associated with the storage of fertilizer and the controls to be implemented shall be provided to workers. 9 Cross Contamination & treated fertilizer handling 9.1Transport and handling equipment Bulk trucks, handling equipment and storage vessels e.g. silos are sometimes used for both food (e.g. grain) and fertilizer. Fertilizer is sometimes treated with other chemicals such as fungicides which can be a potential source of unacceptable pesticide residue in farm produce. Cross contamination events regularly occur throughout Australia and are a major risk to market access for grain growers if unacceptable residues are detected. Dedicated transport, handling and storage equipment for treated fertilizer is ideal. If this is not achievable, attention needs to be paid to equipment hygiene when changing between product (e.g. fertilizer to grain) even for non-treated fertilizer. The goal of cleaning is to remove any fertilizer dust or chemical residues. Please refer to the product label for specific guidance on individual pesticides or products used to treat fertilizer. In the absence of specific hygiene guidance, two methods of cleaning are suggested:

Sweeping or using compressed air followed by washing. The addition of Truck Wash to water may assist with removal of residues. This is the preferred option for grain transport and storage equipment; otherwise

Compressed air by itself as an absolute minimum. Note that just sweeping with a broom or compressed air by itself is unlikely to adequately remove fertilizer dust and chemical residues to the extent that thorough wash-down with water achieves. When such clean down procedures are followed, take care to dispose of rinsate / dust in an approved manner. For more information refer to the GRDC Grain Marketing and Pesticide Residues Fact Sheet (July 2014). 9.2 Blending equipment Consider potential cross contaminate issues with blending and handling equipment used to treat fertilizer with pesticides / other chemicals. Could the next non treated fertilizer batch contain the previous pesticide and be used on a non-target (off label) crop / stock feed? Are appropriate clean down and waste disposal procedures in place?



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Appendix 1. Activity Assessment and Controls

ACTIVITY HAZARD POTENTIAL CONTROL OPTIONS

Port Operations

Crane operation - Grabbing fertilizer from ship.

Overfilled grabs increased chance of spilling fertilizer on to truck body.

Overspill when emptying grab into hopper.

Well maintained equipment – grabs and hoppers suitable to the task.

Trained and competent operators to prevent over flow and over filling equipment.

Exactor / bobcats when lifted into / out of ship hatches.

Spill to roadway. Clean down roadways and equipment

Hopper operation and truck loading. Spills to roadway and truck body.

Spill on to truck cabin, tarps or chassis.

Spill to waterway.

Over filled trucks.

Leaking hopper discharge valves.

General wharf hygiene.

Well maintained equipment – grabs and hoppers suitable to the task.

Use of spill plates.


Truck weighing and / either tip off or approval for dispatch.

Over loaded trucks.

Vehicle leaks.

Tarpaulins damaged or not in place.

Trained and competent operators.

Calibrated equipment.

Vehicle inspections for damaged seals or potential leaks.

Tarpaulins pulled back away from hopper chute.

Over filled trucks. Tipping in tip-off bays - fertilizer build up on chassis.

Overfill caught on tarps.

Rumble ropes positioned for trucks to travel over before they leave the port.

Prevention of vehicles driving through fertilizer residues



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Transit between Port & Store

Truck travels to store. Tailgate leaks.

Tarpaulin not in place or leaking.

Spill from tarp.

Spill from body of truck.

Spills from rough road surfaces.

Spills from corners and roundabouts on route.

Traffic management route between Port and store that minimizes sharp turns, round-abouts and stop / starts.

(At Port controls to prevent spills)

Truck returns to Port for next load. Tailgate not sealed.

Spills from fertilizer on tarp.

Spills from chassis of truck.

Residue tracking.

Direct trucks over rumble strips and / or cattle grates to shake off loose product.

Clean under rumble strips and cattle grates to eliminate residue tracking.

Trucks departing store take the longest route before entering public roads.



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Bulk Solid Unloading Operations

Truck driver removes tarpaulin, opens tailgate and tips off.

Truck tipping with axels covered by fertilizer pile.

Residual fertilizer on chassis.

Fertilizer dust on truck body.

Tipping truck overturns.

Where practical, loose fertilizer is removed from truck prior leaving the tipping point. Trucks fitted with rubber cover strips across rear to prevent product build up on axles and chassis. Direct trucks over rumble strips and / or cattle grates to shake off loose product. Clean under rumble strips and cattle grates to eliminate residue tracking. Trucks departing store take the longest route before entering public roads. Source tip friendly trucks. Site staff supervise truck drivers throughout tipping process. Correct load distribution prior to unloading. Ensure area where tipping takes place is level. Minimize time product is in the truck to reduce potential for product “hang ups.”

Handling equipment used for product stacking e.g. bins, conveyor, multiveyors & augers.

Cross contamination issues.

Incorrectly positioned and / or overfilled product catching tray / bin.

Dust generation and potential off site impacts.

Inspect equipment prior to use and take appropriate action.

Correct positioning of the tipping truck relative to the catching tray / bin.

Appropriate control of the flow rate from the truck to the catching tray / bin.

Spills are contained and cleaned up.

Choose appropriate equipment to minimize dust generation.

Conditions at the time of unloading e.g. wind direction and strength.



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Filling of the bulk solids storage space e.g. storage bay, silo etc.

Inappropriate storage space for the product being stored e.g. single super in a silo.

Silos toppling over due to product hang up inside silos.


Bulk solid storage space leaks allowing loss of containment to waterways, groundwater and air.

Overfilling of the bulk solids storage space.

Storage space fit for purpose, designed and constructed to relevant standards.

Minimise storage period in silos and conduct regular stock rotations.

Receival area clearly signposted with product identified.

Inspect bulk storage space prior to use and take appropriate action.

Well maintained bulk storage spaces.

Fertcare Level A trained site staff who are competent operators to prevent over flow and over filling equipment.

Truck drives to cleaning point before exiting site.

Driver does not go to cleaning station before exiting.

Driving through spilled fertilizer.

Residue tracking.

Tailgates not closed and sealed.

Truck drivers Fertcare Level A trained, licensed and competent

Avoid driving through spilled fertilizer.

Clean up spilled fertilizer immediately and dispose of correctly.

Tailgates closed and sealed.

Tipping trucks should be cleaned with compressed air and or brooms before leaving the depot.



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Bulk Solid Dispatch Operations

Presentation of empty truck for loading.


Tailgate / vehicle leaks.

Tarpaulin not in place or leaking.

Spill from tarp.

Spill from body of truck.

Truck inspection prior to loading and take appropriate action.

Handling equipment used to load product e.g. front end loader, bins, screens, conveyor, multiveyors & augers.


Overfilled bin.

Screen chooks / blocks.

Leaking hopper discharge valves.

Dust generation and potential off site impacts.

Spills to roadways and truck body.

Spills onto tarps or chassis.

Overfilled truck.

General site handling area hygiene.



Regular cleaning of screens.

Choose appropriate equipment to minimize dust generation.

Conditions at the time of unloading e.g. wind direction and strength.


Regular use of street sweeper to ensure site roadways are clean.

Truck weighing. Over loaded trucks.

Vehicle / tailgate leaks.

Tarpaulins damaged or not in place.

Tailgates not closed and sealed.



Vehicle and tarpaulins inspected for leaks.



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Bulk Liquid Unloading Operations

Handling equipment used to unload tanker e.g. hoses, pipes, pumps & valves.


Hose / connection leaks.

Hose bursts.

Liquid losses when making and breaking connections.

Pungent vapor losses.


Well maintained equipment.


Conduct transfers in an appropriate bunded area.

Valves and vents correctly positioned for transfer.


Consider wind direction and strength.

Filling of bulk storage tank. Cross contamination issues.

Bulk tank leaks allowing loss of containment to waterways and groundwater.

Overfilling of the bulk storage tank.

Inspect bulk tanks prior to use and take appropriate action.

Effective tank gauge operating e.g. filling monitored by level probes connected to alarm system.

Appropriate tank bunding in place.

Well maintained bulk storage tanks.


Trained and competent operators to prevent over flow and over filling.

Tanker rinsing before exiting site. Rinse water not contained allowing losses to waterways and groundwater.

Driving through spilled fertilizer.

Residue tracking.

Valves and vents not closed and sealed.

Rinsing operation conducted in an appropriate bunded area.

Rinse water collected and disposed of appropriately.

Avoid driving through spilled fertilizer.

Valves and vents closed and sealed.



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Bulk Liquid Dispatch Operations

Presentation of empty tanker for loading.


Tanker / valves leak.

Truck inspection prior to loading and take appropriate action.

Handling equipment used to load tanker e.g. e.g. hoses, pipes, pumps & valves.


Hose / connection leaks.

Hose bursts.

Liquid losses when making and breaking connections.

Pungent vapor losses.


Well maintained equipment.


Conduct transfers in an appropriate bunded area.



Consider wind direction and strength.

Truck weighing. Over loaded trucks.

Valves and vents leak.



Valves and vents inspected for leaks.



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Packaged (palletized) Fertilizer Unloading

Truck unloading and loading operations

Forklift operation punctures a fertilizer package.

Incorrect or no load restraint

Unstable loads

Choose an appropriate smooth and level site to unload.

Well maintained forklift.


Ruptured packages are either patched or transferred to sound packaging, labeled accordingly and / or disposed of appropriately.


Approved load restraints

Pallet stacking in warehouse Forklift operation punctures a fertilizer package.

Unstable pallet stack leading to package rupture and loss of containment.

Liquid fertilizers are stored in an appropriate bunded area.

Well maintained forklift.


Good warehouse management e.g. appropriate limits on stack height and product segregation.

Ruptured packages are either patched or transferred to sound packaging, labeled accordingly and / or disposed of appropriately.
