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Oil Spill Contingency Plan

Halley VI Research Station

BAS Environment Office

1st Edition, 2015 Revision 2

British Antarctic Survey,

High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, UK, CB3 0ET.

OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN HALLEY VI RESEARCH STATION

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 8

1.1. AIM OF THE OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN ................................................................. 8

1.2. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES .................................................................... 8

1.3. BAS POLICY ON OIL POLLUTION ................................................................................... 8

1.4. THE SCOPE OF THE OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN ..................................................... 9

1.5. HOW TO USE THE CONTINGENCY PLAN ....................................................................... 9

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ................................................................................. 12

2.1. HALLEY VI RESEARCH STATION ................................................................................... 12

2.2. PHYSICAL LAYOUT OF THE STATION ........................................................................... 12

2.3. THE AREA COVERED BY THE OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN ..................................... 12

2.4. FUEL STORAGE FACILITIES .......................................................................................... 13 2.4.1. Bulk Fuel Storage .......................................................................................................................... 13 2.4.2. Pumps and Hoses .......................................................................................................................... 13 2.4.3. Small Fuel or Oil Storage Tanks..................................................................................................... 14 2.4.4. Fuel Drum Depot ........................................................................................................................... 14

2.5. THE EXPECTED PROBABILITY, SIZE AND TYPE OF OIL SPILLS ...................................... 15

2.6. THE LIKELY MOVEMENT AND FATE OF OIL SPILLS ..................................................... 16

2.7. THE CLASSIFICATION BY BAS OF OIL SPILLS ................................................................ 16

2.8. RESOURCES AT RISK .................................................................................................... 17 2.8.1. Flora and fauna ............................................................................................................................. 17 2.8.2. Snow Blocking Areas ..................................................................................................................... 17 2.8.3. Scientific monitoring sites ............................................................................................................. 17

2.9. PRIORITY FOR PROTECTION ........................................................................................ 17

2.10. GENERAL SPILL RESPONSE STRATEGY ........................................................................ 18

2.11. TRAINING .................................................................................................................... 18

3. ACTIONS AND OPERATIONS ..................................................................................... 20

3.1. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PERSONNEL .......................................................... 20

3.2. ACTION PLANS ............................................................................................................ 21

3.3. CLEAN-UP RESPONSE .................................................................................................. 22 3.3.1. Emergency shutdown .................................................................................................................... 22 3.3.2. Rapid initial assessment ................................................................................................................ 22 3.3.3. Station response team .................................................................................................................. 22 3.3.4. Initial notification & logbook ........................................................................................................ 24 3.3.5. Emergency communications centres ............................................................................................ 24 3.3.6. Response strategies ...................................................................................................................... 25 3.3.7. Site management .......................................................................................................................... 27 3.3.8. Situation reports ........................................................................................................................... 28 3.3.9. Photographic and video record ..................................................................................................... 28

3.4. HEALTH AND SAFETY .................................................................................................. 28 3.4.1. Fire and explosion ......................................................................................................................... 28 3.4.2. Inhalation of fumes ....................................................................................................................... 28 3.4.3. Skin irritation by fuel ..................................................................................................................... 29 3.4.4. Contamination of drinking water by fuel ...................................................................................... 29 3.4.5. Slips and Trips ............................................................................................................................... 29

3.4.6. Advice on health effects ................................................................................................................ 29 3.4.7. Material Safety Data Sheets ......................................................................................................... 29

3.5. EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS .................................................................................. 30 3.5.1. Informing FCO and COMNAP ........................................................................................................ 30 3.5.2. Staff information and public relations .......................................................................................... 30

3.6. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING................................................................................ 30 3.6.1. Sampling of snow/ice .................................................................................................................... 30

3.7. WASTE DISPOSAL ........................................................................................................ 30 3.7.1. Storage of waste fuel and water ................................................................................................... 30 3.7.2. Transport and disposal of waste ................................................................................................... 31

3.8. TERMINATION OF OIL SPILL RESPONSE ...................................................................... 31

3.9. REPORTING ................................................................................................................. 32 3.9.1. AINME ........................................................................................................................................... 32 3.9.2. Final report.................................................................................................................................... 32

4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................... 36

4.1. OIL SPILL REPORT FORM ............................................................................................. 36

4.2. PPE & SPILL RESPONSE EQUIPMENT .......................................................................... 37 4.2.1. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ........................................................................................... 37 4.2.2. Equipment on base ....................................................................................................................... 37 4.2.3. Equipment for Ski-way .................................................................................................................. 38 4.2.4. How to use the equipment ............................................................................................................ 39

4.3. MAPS AND PLANS ....................................................................................................... 42 4.3.1. LOCATION MAP ............................................................................................................................. 42 4.3.2. HALLEY VI SITE PLAN ..................................................................................................................... 43 4.3.3. DEWREY BUILDING........................................................................................................................ 45 4.3.4. GARAGE......................................................................................................................................... 46 4.3.5. FUEL TANK POSITION -Module 1 ................................................................................................... 47 4.3.6. FUEL TANK POSITION – Module 2 ................................................................................................. 48 4.3.7 FUEL SCHEMATIC .......................................................................................................................... 49

4.4. CONTACT DETAILS ...................................................................................................... 50 4.4.1. British Antarctic Survey (BAS) ....................................................................................................... 50 4.4.2. The British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit (BASMU) ..................................................................... 51 4.4.3. Polar Regions Unit, Foreign & Commonwealth Office .................................................................. 51 4.4.4. External Advisors ........................................................................................................................... 51 4.4.5. Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP) ........................................... 51

4.5. BAS SPILL RESPONSE STRUCTURE .............................................................................. 52

5. APPENDICES ............................................................................................................... 54

5.1. APPENDIX A - ACTION PLANS ..................................................................................... 54 5.1.1. Action Plan 1 – Station Leader ...................................................................................................... 55 5.1.2. Action Pan 2 - Operations Manager/Operations On-Call.............................................................. 57 5.1.3. Action Plan 3 - Head of Environment Office .................................................................................. 59 5.1.4. Action Plan 4 – Head of Estates .................................................................................................... 61

5.2. APPENDIX B – MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS ........................................................ 63

5.3. APPENDIX C – RISK ASSESSMENT ............................................................................... 97

AMENDMENT PROCEDURES

Amendments to the Halley VI Research Station Oil Spill Contingency Plan will be issued as necessary by the BAS Environment Office. The OSCP will be updated online, and a notification sent to those on the distribution list informing them of the update. Existing copies of the OSCP must be destroyed, and replaced with the updated version. Confirmation must be provided to the Environmental Office that this has been completed.

LIABILITY LIMITATIONS

This document is produced for internal management purposes by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Its publication and/or sale do not constitute endorsement of any of the companies or products mentioned herein. BAS do not accept any responsibility or legal liability for any actions undertaken, on the basis of the advice in this document, by individuals not employed by BAS, or by organisations or companies not contracted to BAS in the field of oil spill response. Any liability of BAS to its own employees or to companies contracted to it will be limited to that under UK Health and Safety legislation or contractual agreement.

Copy No. DISTRIBUTION LIST

1. Operations Manager, BAS Cambridge

2. Station Leader’s Office, Halley

3. Station Leader’s Office, Cambridge

4. Head of Environment Office

5. Head of Estates

6. Halley Station Operations Manager

7. BAS Library

8. Head, Polar Regions Dept, FCO

Also available on BAS intranet site (Manuals) at

http://basweb.nerc-bas.ac.uk/information/manuals/index.html

http://basweb.nerc-bas.ac.uk/information/manuals/index.html

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Section 1

INTRODUCTION

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. AIM OF THE OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN The aim of this Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP) is to describe the procedures that will be used by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) to enable a timely, effective and co-ordinated response effort in the event of an oil spill at Halley VI Research Station, Brunt ice Shelf, Coats Land, Antarctica.

1.2. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (1998) contains stringent and comprehensive regulations to prevent and combat pollution. Article 15 of the Protocol requires Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties (ATCPs) to provide for prompt and effective response action to incidents with potential adverse effects on the Antarctic environment, and to establish contingency plans for emergencies. The UK has enacted domestic legislation to enforce the provisions of the Protocol through the Antarctic Act, 1994, Antarctic Act 2013 and the Antarctic Regulations, 1995/490 (as amended).

The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP) has adopted a set of recommended guidelines for oil spill contingency planning to help national operators comply with the requirements of the Environmental Protocol. These guidelines have been used to help develop the Halley VI OSCP.

1.3. BAS POLICY ON OIL POLLUTION BAS generally prohibits any deliberate discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixtures from either its research vessels or stations. BAS also makes every effort to prevent accidental oil spills through careful attention to fuel management and transfer operations, and by maintaining storage facilities and pipelines to a high standard. Nevertheless, BAS recognises that even with the best precautions, accidents can still happen and oil spill contingency procedures are required.

BAS views an oil spill which might occur from its stations and vessels as extremely serious and will seek to minimize the environmental impact as far as possible. Given the severe operational and climatic restraints of operating in Antarctica, any spill response by BAS will seek to complement and make use of natural processes whenever possible.

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1.4. THE SCOPE OF THE OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN This plan describes the response procedures to be used at Halley Research Station in the event of an oil spill resulting from:

failure of bulk fuel storage tanks.

failure of pipes, valves, joints, small fuel storage tanks, vehicle fuel & oil tanks and fuel drums at the station (including the skiway);

refuelling of day tanks, vehicles and aircraft. Response to any spills that occur during BAS ship to shore (transit tank) refuelling operations are the responsibility of the BAS vessel. These response activities are covered by the relevant Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP).

1.5. HOW TO USE THE CONTINGENCY PLAN

The plan comprises three further parts:

Section 2 - Background information and outline plans This section contains a description of Halley VI Research Station and its facilities and the area covered by the contingency plan. The probability, size, type, movement and fate of oil spills are predicted. The resources at risk around the station are examined, and the priority for protection is established. Finally, the general BAS strategy for oil spill response and the training of spill response personnel is outlined.

Section 3 - Actions and operations This section describes the emergency procedures to be followed when a spill occurs, and is set out in the expected chronological order of events. Instructions are provided on how to make an initial assessment and reporting requirements. Advice is given on the response strategies, managing a spill site, situation reports, health and safety requirements, external communications, environmental monitoring, waste disposal and the termination of an oil spill response. Finally, instructions are given for preparing the final spill report.

Section 4 – Additional Information This contains the ‘Oil Spill Report Forms’, a list of PPE and spill equipment on site and an overview of how to use it appropriately In addition maps, plans, and fuel system diagrams are included as well as a contacts list. Action plan flow diagrams for key personnel are included in Appendix A. MSDS can be found in Appendix B and a risk assessment is included in Appendix C.

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Section 2

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

2.1. HALLEY VI RESEARCH STATION Halley VI Research Station (Lat. 75° 36'S, Long. 26°11'W – (February 2011 position on moving ice) is located approximately 27 km from the seaward edge of the floating Brunt Ice Shelf, Coats Land. The ice shelf flows at approximately 850 metres per annum. It is the sixth Halley station to be built on the Brunt Ice Shelf, and became fully operational in February 2012.

Studies at Halley VI principally focus on atmospheric research. The station operates throughout the year with a maximum population of 52 in the summer and an average of 14 over winter.

Mid- summer average temperature is -5° C and in winter the monthly mean temperatures are in the region of -30 ° C. Prevailing winds are from the east-north-east. Mean annual wind speed is 13 kts and an extreme maximum of 80 kts has been recorded. In winter (May-August), the sun does not rise above the horizon for 105 days. Snow accumulation on site is approximately 1.2m per annum.

2.2. PHYSICAL LAYOUT OF THE STATION Section 4.3 shows the physical layout of the station and the facilities plans. The main station structure is held off the snow surface on hydraulic legs, where ancillary structures are either mounted on permanent steel legs, or are skid based. The main structure, CASlab, and science cabooses are jacked annually to keep clear of accumulating snowfall.

The garage and the Drewry (an accommodation building), are mounted on skis so they can be are towed out of accumulating snow each year. There are also several large aerial and radar arrays for atmospheric research located close to the station. In addition there are storage areas for fuel, waste and supplies as well as a number of storage containers around the station. A ski-way is located to the NE of the main station.

2.3. THE AREA COVERED BY THE OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN The OSCP covers BAS activities at Halley VI (see Section 4.3).

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2.4. FUEL STORAGE FACILITIES

2.4.1. Bulk Fuel Storage Bulk fuel at Halley is stored in 10 x 22,000 litre containerised stainless steel fuel flasks. The tanks are double-skinned, and constructed to TUV road transport standard. The tanks are mounted upon heavy duty sledges and can be moved when full. The station tanks are refilled annually from the RRS Ernest Shackleton, using 4 x 5000 litre transit tanks to traverse the seasonal sea ice. The Shackleton carries bulk AVCAT, with a supplement of AVTUR held in drums. Once the AVCAT has been discharged from the RRS Ernest Shackleton, the transit tanks are towed from the shelf ice-edge to the station. Bulk fuel tanks are sited outside the station perimeter (see Section 4.3). E1 and E2 modules contain the station duty fuel supply. The fuel is contained within 3 tanks. Each tank is linked by either a steel pipe network, or heavy duty aviation grade hose. Each tank is fully bunded and all draw fittings are on the top surface of the tank. Two of the tanks feed the station power generation system, the third is a buffer tank where reserve fuel is stored and deployed to the duty tanks as they run down.

2.4.2. Pumps and Hoses All static and mobile fuel equipment is connected and disconnected via Avery Hardall dry-break valves. Pump and manifold designs incorporate high pressure by pass devices and all hoses are ‘double band’ aviation quality.

Operating procedures and risk assessments for refuelling activities at Halley VI are available on the BAS intranet (Halley Station Procedures).

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2.4.3. Small Fuel or Oil Storage Tanks

Table 1.

Tank Fuel Capacity (litres)

Energency Generator Tank

AVTUR/AVCAT 1800

Drewry Building boiler tank

AVTUR/AVCAT 1000

Garage day tank AVTUR/AVCAT 5000

Waste Management Sledge/ Incinerator

Lubes and oily wastes

1400

Waste oil tank (garage) Lubes and oily wastes

1200

E1 Module Duty tank AVTUR/AVCAT 10,000

E2 Module Duty tank AVTUR/AVCAT 10,000

E2 Buffer tank AVTUR/AVCAT 10,000

Mobile fuel bowser (x2) (Skidoos)

Petrol

400 each

Mobile fuel bowser (x2) (Veh)

AVTUR/AVCAT 5000 each

Jacking system legs (one per module)

Hydraulic oil 320 each (blue modules), 400 (red module)

All the above tanks are internally bunded.

2.4.4. Fuel Drum Depot

The location of the fuel drum depot is shown in Section 4.3. Lubes and oils are stored inside the garage building and in containers on the winter dump line.

Type of fuel Maximum no. of drums

Maximum quantity of fuel (litres)

AVTUR 2000 (205 l) 4,100

Petrol 125 (205 l) 25,625

Other oils and lubes

400 (205, 100 & 25 l) 4400

During the summer months up to a maximum of 100 drums of AVTUR are stored adjacent to the skiway.

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2.5. THE EXPECTED PROBABILITY, SIZE AND TYPE OF OIL SPILLS

A number of spill scenarios can be generated for Halley which range from the very low probability of a large oil spill if a vessel were to go aground, to the high probability of very small spills during refuelling operations and the handling of fuel drums (see Table 2). Table 3. Expected probability, maximum spill size and fuel type for a range of possible scenarios at Halley VI.

SPILL PROBABILITY MAX. SPILL SIZE (litres)

FUEL TYPE

Collision or grounding of BAS vessel at ice shelf

Very low 600,000 MGO, AVTUR and other petroleum Products

Catastrophic failure of a bulk fuel tank

Low 22,000 AVTUR/AVCAT

Failure of fuel line whilst refuelling

Medium 1000 AVTUR/AVCAT

Loss of transit tank loss through sea-ice


Rupture/overflow of garage day tank


Rupture/overflow of E Modules Duty and Buffer tank

Medium 10,000 AVTUR/AVCAT

Rupture /overflow of Drewry boiler tank


Rupture/overflow of waste management sledge/incinerator

Medium 1400 Waste oil and lubes

Rupture/overflow of garage waste oil tank

Medium 1200 Waste oil and lubes

Pipeline break or leak during refuelling (ship to transit tank)


Rupture/overflow of Emergency Generator tank


Damaged drum during drum raising

High 205 AVTUR

Oil leak from module leg jacking tank

Medium 400 Hydraulic oil

Oil/fuel leak from generator

High 20

AVTUR/ Lubricating Oil

During refuelling (vehicles or aircraft) minor spills may occur from drums or bowser

High 5 AVTUR Petrol Lubricating Oil

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2.6. THE LIKELY MOVEMENT AND FATE OF OIL SPILLS

Spills are most likely either at the station itself or during refuelling from ship to shore. Most spills at the station will be of AVTUR/AVCAT or petrol. Spills in the garage building (e.g. from waste oil tank, or from vehicles) will be contained in the garage floor sump. Spills from the bulk storage tanks, E Module tanks, and site vehicle tank will be contained within the tank bund. Bunds are inspected regularly as part of the Station maintenance tasks. Small spills inside the buildings will mostly be contained by floors and walls, although if the spill is extensive the fuel will rapidly move into the under-croft and drain out of the module. The under-croft internal fibreglass construction is ridged which prevents the spill from travelling the length of the under-croft confining it to the area under the tanks and module leg cones. Spills occurring in (or that have drained into) the under-croft will leak to the outside down the module legs and through the seams in the under-croft floor. Spills outside are likely to seep through the snow very rapidly to an irrecoverable depth. Some fuel will be absorbed at the snow-surface, which may be recoverable.

2.7. THE CLASSIFICATION BY BAS OF OIL SPILLS Oil spill incidents within the British Antarctic Survey are classified as

follows:

Tier 1 Small local spills that can be dealt with immediately by one person or a dedicated station response team.

Tier 2 Medium spills that require the full resources of the station and assistance from BAS Cambridge. All spills in the under-croft should be considered Tier 2 and advice from Cambridge sought.

Tier 3 Large spills which exceed the resources of the station and BAS Cambridge, and which require outside assistance.

Spills may not always fall neatly into the above classes. It is therefore important to be prepared to move to the next highest tier from the earliest moments of a spill. It is easier to stand down a response than to

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escalate it at the last moment.

2.8. RESOURCES AT RISK

2.8.1. Flora and fauna There are no breeding birds or mammals, or vegetation, at Halley Research Station. Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) breed along the coast at ‘Maggies Creek’ or ‘Windy Creek’, approximately 35 km from the station. Very occasionally, small groups of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) as well as some emperor penguins, visit the station during the summer and moult in the lee of the buildings. Occasional visits by skuas (Catharacta sp.) have been recorded. Wilson’s storm-petrels (Oceanites oceanicus) and snow petrels (Pagadroma nivea) have also been sighted flying over the station. It is highly unlikely that any fauna would be affected by an oil spill at the station.

2.8.2. Snow Blocking Areas

Three snow melt-tanks provide the station’s main fresh-water supply. They are located east of the Drewry building, and west of the E module bridge. Snow is bulldozed up to the melt tank hatches, where it is either shovelled or pushed into the tank using the machine blade. SNOW CATS, SKIDOOS OR CRANES MUST NOT BE USED IN THESE AREAS.

2.8.3. Scientific monitoring sites A clean air sector is located to the south of the station (see Section 4.3). The CASLab is located within this area. Vehicle use in this area is restricted to occasional and essential maintenance work only. No fuel is stored or used within this area.

2.9. PRIORITY FOR PROTECTION

The health and safety of station personnel, and station resources, are paramount during a spill. The fresh water supply therefore has the highest priority for protection. In the event of a spill in the snow blocking areas, snow for water consumption must be taken from a new and clean location. All reasonable efforts should be made to protect other station facilities.

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2.10. GENERAL SPILL RESPONSE STRATEGY The general strategy of BAS is to contain and recover oil spills. Halley VI has spill response equipment to deal with Tier 1 and Tier 2 spills only. Full details are given in Section 4.2. The use of dispersants or in-situ burning as spill response strategies are not practised on BAS research stations. However each spill is different and the general strategy of containment and recovery of fuel may not be appropriate under all given circumstances. BAS will seek expert advice on alternative response strategies should the need arise.

It is BAS policy that as much oil as possible is to be removed in the first few days after a spill and then any remaining oil is left to degrade and disperse naturally in the marine environment, whilst being monitored. A long term, intensive clean-up is unlikely to be carried out by BAS because of the rapid evaporation and dispersion of refined fuel products and the severe climatic and logistical constraints of operating safely at Halley. In addition, a large scale clean-up may cause more environmental damage than the oil spill itself.

2.11. TRAINING BAS consider training in oil spill response to be important and necessary. Selected station staff will receive training at BAS Cambridge before departure to Antarctica. Oil spill exercises are to be held on station twice a year as a minimum (once during summer and once during winter) to ensure that all those likely to be involved in any response are familiar with the OSCP and their particular responsibilities, and to check that clean-up equipment operates correctly. The OSCP will be updated as and when required. A major review of the plan will be carried out every five years as progress and experience in oil spill response continues within BAS, or following a Tier 2 or Tier 3 incident.

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Section 3

ACTIONS AND OPERATIONS

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3. ACTIONS AND OPERATIONS

3.1. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PERSONNEL The oil spill response structure within BAS is shown in Section 4.6. At BAS Cambridge, the response team will consist of the Operations Manager (Team Leader), the Head of Environment Office and the Head of Technical Services or their nominated deputies. The roles and responsibilities of the key response personnel are:

Station Leader 1. Initial control of response team, until Operations Manager (or

Operations on call) notified; 2. On-site control of the response team throughout an incident; 3. Ensures that an incident and communications log is kept on base; 4. Initial notification and classification of the spill; 5. Responds to actions requested by BAS Cambridge via Operations

Manager; 6. Prepares situation reports for BAS Cambridge; 7. Ensures waste fuel, absorbents and contaminated PPE is stored and

consigned for disposal appropriately. 8. Stands down the station response team at end of incident; 9. Ensures that equipment is cleaned and that replacement parts are

ordered; 10. Orders materials consumed during the response through the Head

of Environment Office; 11. Prepares a final report on the spill; 12. Organises the station response exercises.

Operations Manager(or Operations on call) 1. Overall control of the response team; 2. Organises environmental, technical, administrative and

logistical support for the response team; 3. Informs and updates the Director’s Office of any incident; 4. Liaises with Halley Station Leader throughout an incident; 5. Ensures that an actions and communications log is kept at BAS

Cambridge; 6. Prepares draft press statements for release by the Director’s

Office; 7. Notifies outside agencies (e.g. FCO), as appropriate; 8. Decides when to terminate a response action; 9. Prepares final report on the spill for the Director’s Office; 10. Files spill report form, situational reports, photo, film and digital

footage of incident.

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Head of Environment Office 1. Advises on best practicable clean-up techniques, the ecological

resources most at risk and likely environmental impact; 2. Contacts appropriate outside bodies for information and

assistance regarding clean-up, if required; 3. Authorises expenditure on clean-up equipment and disposal of

oily wastes; 4. Advises the Operations Manager (or Operations on Call) on the

environmental content of press statements; 5. Devises and coordinates scientific monitoring studies; 6. Organises review meeting on oil spill response within 6months; 7. Organises oil spill response courses for staff in the UK; 8. Reviews and updates the Halley OSCP as and when required.

Head of Estates 1. Contacts BAS Technical Officers, advises on emergency fuel

management and the integrity of oil storage facilities and pipelines;

2. Contacts outside companies and agencies for information and assistance regarding technical services;

3. Procures emergency spare parts for fuel tanks and pipelines, as necessary;

4. Reviews fuel management, storage and transfer system after an incident so as to prevent a similar spill in the future;

5. Authorises expenditure on technical services.

Health and Safety Advisor 1. Advises on Health and Safety issues as they arise during exercises

or incidents 2. Reviews and provides advice upon appropriate PPE for oil spill

response at Halley

3.2. ACTION PLANS Action plans have been developed for the key personnel who would be involved in an oil spill at Halley VI. These can be found in Appendix A.

Station Leader (Action plan 1)

Operations Manager/Operations on Call (Action plan 2)

Senior Environmental Officer (Action plan 3)

Head of Estates (Action plan 4)

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3.3. CLEAN-UP RESPONSE

3.3.1. Emergency shutdown

Once a spill has been discovered it is to be reported immediately to the Station Leader. Spill response then becomes the Station Leader’s responsibility. He/she must first ensure the health and safety of personnel. If safe to do so, the Station Leader must order any emergency shutdown measures needed to stop or minimise further spillage. If refuelling is being undertaken this should stop immediately and any ignition sources including electrical equipment should be turned off. When extremely volatile fuels, such as petrol, are spilled in a confined area (e.g. indoors), there may be a risk of fire or explosion. In such circumstances, explosion and fire prevention are the top priority. In unventilated areas fuel fumes can also affect breathing and cause nausea. No clean-up is to be attempted until the spill area is safe.

3.3.2. Rapid initial assessment The Station Leader must carry out a rapid initial assessment of the situation. He/she must establish the:

Risk of fire or harm to human health;

Time of spill

Location of spill

Type of fuel

Probable quantity of fuel spilled;

Source and cause.

3.3.3. Station response team If safe to do so, and after consulting BAS risk assessment on oil spill response as well as undertaking an onsite risk assessment, the Station Leader must mobilise the station oil spill response team. He/she will decide on the most appropriate response strategy in consultation with BAS Cambridge as necessary. It is the duty of the team to protect:

1. Health and safety. 2. Station facilities. 3. Threatened resources.

The team will operate under the direct supervision of the Station Leader who will designate response tasks. Job-specific tasks are shown below for indicative use only – the SL will nominate these tasks taking into account the availability of staff on station. Other trained base personnel will be called upon by the SL as necessary.

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Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be issued before any of the response team is involved in the cleanup of a spill. See Section 4.2 for a list of PPE stored on site.

Facilities Engineer or Genny Mech

1. Carries out emergency shutdown measures as instructed by SL.

2. Checks generators to ensure that the spill will not cause disruption of fuel supply to the engines on line.

3. If spill directly affects engines on line they must be re-tasked and shut off until the problem is resolved.

4. If spill does not affect engines on line then the Facilities Engineer/Genny Mech is to proceed to spill site and assist with clean up operations.

Plumber 1. Checks the integrity of the pipes, valves and tanks, and makes

repairs as necessary. 2. Assist with clean –up operations (e.g. set up pump if

required).

Electrician 1. Checks integrity of electrical supplies and equipment in spill

area. 2. Set up temporary electrical supplies if required. 3. Set up auxiliary lighting if required.

Radio Operator 1. Maintains actions and communications log in consultation

with SL. Base General Assistant 1. Distribute spill response clothing as required. Met Assistant 1. Responsible for photo/video record of spill and clean-up. 2. May be responsible for snow/water sampling if instructed by

Head of Environment Office. Doctor

1. Remains on stand-by for any health problems or emergencies associated with the clean-up.

Other tasks are not permanently allocated - staff are assigned tasks on site by the SL as required.

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3.3.4. Initial notification & logbook

The Station Leader must notify the Operations Manager (or Operations on call), BAS Cambridge, of spills of 205 litres or more as soon as possible by completing and emailing the oil spill report form (Section 4.4). Notification must not be delayed if some of the information required in the rapid initial assessment is not available. Once notification by email has been sent, verbal communication by telephone must then be made between the Station Leader and the Operations Manager. If the Operations Manager or Operations on Call are not available the Station Leader should contact the Head of Environment Office. Verbal contact with Cambridge must follow the initial notification for a tier 2 or 3 spill. (Any Operations staff in Cambridge who receives an initial notification of a spill on base must ensure that verbal communications with the Station Leader is made as soon as possible.) The Station Leader should also notify the Operations Manager (or Operations on call) of spills of less than 205 litres if the spill has, or could have:

caused injury or illness to staff or visitors;

affected station facilities (e.g. water or electrical supply);

impacted the local environment (e.g. killed or injured animals);

or the spill has provided lessons that can be learned, which can be shared with other stations or BAS Cambridge.

Once the initial notification to Cambridge has been made and the station response team has been mobilised the Station Leader must open a logbook of all actions and communications, and keep it up to date throughout the incident. The Operations Manager (or Operations on call) will provide immediate notification of the spill to the Head of Environment Office and Head of Estates. After responding to the initial notification, the Operations Manager will then alert the Director of Operations and the Director of BAS.

3.3.5. Emergency communications centres The radio room will be used as the on-site communications centre at Halley VI. It will be manned by the Station Leader during situation reports. Field clean-up team members should carry hand-held radios.

If the spill is classified as Tier 2 or 3, then an emergency response centre will be set up at BAS Cambridge in Room 133a. It will be manned by the

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Operations Manager, Head of Environment Office and Head of Estates.

3.3.6. Response strategies

The general response strategy of BAS is to contain and recover AVTUR/AVCAT, and MGO. Petrol spills should be allowed to evaporate naturally. Prioritise the health and safety of staff before stopping the source of the spill but do not attempt to recover spilt petrol. Each spill response will be influenced by many factors including the quantity of fuel spilt, location, resources available and weather conditions. The following techniques and equipment can be used separately or in conjunction with each other to minimize the environmental impact and maximize recovery. a. Natural Recovery In certain situations it may be appropriate to leave an oil spill to disperse and be broken down by natural processes. Seek advice from BAS Cambridge to ensure that this strategy is appropriate before disregarding any other type of response.

b. Contain & Recover Sorbents are any material that recovers oil through either absorption, where the oil penetrates the pores of the material, or adsorption where the oil is attracted to the material surface and adheres to it. Sorbents are supplied as sheets, mats, pillows, socks and booms. These are particularly useful for small spills of light oil (e.g. MGO) but in a large spill they are not used as the primary method of cleanup, rather they are used in the final clean up.

Some sorbents are treated with oleophilic or hydrophobic agents to increase their recovery capacity. Oleophilic agents attract oil, whereas hydrophobic agents repel water. Both types will increase the amount of oil a sorbent will pick up rather than water. Without treatment many sorbents can become waterlogged and sink if deployed in water. It is important therefore to use the appropriate sorbent for the spill location i.e. oleophilic and hydrophilic in wet conditions. Synthetic sorbents (which are stocked at all bases) have the highest recovery efficiency but must be removed from the spill site after use because they are non biodegradable. For further details on sorbents in stock and how to use those at Halley VI see Section 4.2.1 – 4.2.3. Empty good quality de-headed fuel drums can be used to temporarily store fuel contaminated snow. These can be stored in the garage until the snow melts and the fuel can be decanted or emptied into the garage oily water sump.

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c. Spills in the under-croft Spill response in the under-croft must not be undertaken before BAS Cambridge has given the instruction to proceed. An under-croft spill is automatically considered to be a Tier 2 spill as a minimum. To avoid the exposure to hydrocarbon fumes, the undercroft must not be entered until it has been adequately ventilated. (See Section 3.3.6, d). The extent of fuel spilt into the under-croft can be surveyed from the module hatch (without entering the under-croft).

If there has been an Energy Module tank failure the following actions should be taken:

Identify which tank has failed;

Stop and isolate all tank refuelling procedures;

Rapidly valve off and isolate the tank if possible;

Once isolated, leave the immediate area;

Inform the Station Leader immediately so that all personnel can be notified and avoid the area;

Notify Cambridge and seek further advice;

Immediately enable power generation on the unaffected modules;

Turn off power generation on the affected module;

Turn off boilers in the affected module; At this point fuel may be collecting inside the tank room, as well as draining out of the under-croft floor to the outside of the building. Use absorbent mats and drip trays to contain and recover as much of the external fuel as possible if weather conditions allow. Any absorbents deployed outside should be regularly checked to avoid being blown away and potentially widening the area of contamination. d. Ventilation of the under-croft For any failure that has resulted in fuel spills in the under-croft, continuous ventilation will be essential. Do this by:

Opening the plant room and generator room hatches

Turn the E1 vent system into summer mode

Turn off the Air Handling Unit (AHU) extract fan

Block off boiler vent ducting

Shut the A/E1 fire door

Tape shut the corridor door to the adjoining module

Remove one of the E1 platform hatches.

Open the boiler room floor hatch.

This process allows the AHU to force warm air into the under-croft displacing fumes from the fuel out of the platform hatch. The under-

27

croft discharge airstream should be monitored using the portable personal gas detectors which will indicate progress of the ventilation. It is likely that this ventilation will take several days. e. Entering the under-croft If instructed by Cambridge, the under-croft can be accessed by the following method:

Using a portable personal gas detector, check the air quality around the immediate area of the plant room hatch.

If it does not alarm then lower the detector into the under-croft on a lanyard.

If it does not alarm then the under-croft can be entered whilst still using the portable personal gas detector.

Use the spill response absorbents to mop up the fuel. Bag up the absorbents.

Exit the area once the fuel has been mopped up or if the personal gas detector alarms.

Continue to ventilate until stood down by Cambridge.

3.3.7. Site management Managing the spill site appropriately will help to minimise the extent of pollution and keep staff safe during the response. Demarcating a cold, warm and hot zone will help to contain oil in one area and avoid spreading contaminants around the base. Hazardous tape can be used to help mark off different zones. a. Hot Zone This is the contaminated area around the spill where people wearing PPE will be working and deploying equipment. This may be a controlled access area. It may be appropriate to erect barriers to keep wildlife away from the spill area and allow cleanup work to proceed safely.

b. Warm Zone This is a transition area, clear of the spill itself and above the tide line. A decontamination area can be created where staff can put on clean PPE and take off contaminated clothing. Waste drums should be located here ready to receive segregated waste oil, contaminated clothing and used absorbents.

c. Cold zone The cold zone should be a clean area away from the spill. No one in this area should be wearing contaminated PPE. This is the area from which the spill response should be planned and co-ordinated.

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3.3.8. Situation reports

The Station Leader is to give BAS Cambridge initial notification of a Tier 2 or 3 spill as soon as possible (see Section 3.3.4). Situation reports should then be filed at 3, 6, 12, and 24 hrs after the initial notification. These reports should be submitted on the same form as the initial notification form (see Section 4.4). After 24 hrs, situation reports are to be sent every 24 hrs until otherwise agreed by BAS Cambridge and the Station Leader. All communications are to be recorded in the incident logbooks maintained on station and at BAS Cambridge.

3.3.9. Photographic and video record

A photographic and video record of the spill and its subsequent clean-up is to be kept if personnel are available, and should be given to BAS to copy at the first opportunity. The record should be as comprehensive as possible. Photographs, slides, videos or digital film are to be submitted by the Station Leader to the Operations Manager. Digital photos can also be included in the final report if appropriate and logged on AINME.

3.4. HEALTH AND SAFETY

The health and safety of station personnel is paramount during an oil spill. Emergency spill response actions should not be undertaken in periods of extreme weather conditions or darkness unless the situation has been fully assessed by the Station Leader and deemed safe.

3.4.1. Fire and explosion

One of the major risks to health and safety during a fuel spill is that of fire or explosion. Before commencing any clean-up operation, the risk of fire or explosion must be assessed. Sources of ignition must be eliminated. Periodic reassessment of risks should be carried out during protracted operations.

3.4.2. Inhalation of fumes Inhalation of hydrocarbon fumes can cause headaches and nausea. For small spills, ensure adequate ventilation in cleanup work areas and monitor staff health. For large spills, it may take 2-3 days to allow sufficient ventilation to gain safe entry into some areas. Fumes may also build up inside the station by the response team bringing in fuel soaked clothing. An emergency drying room should be established in the field workshop & store, away from the main living area on the station. The Station Leader must establish a cleaning rota to ensure that rooms used by the response team are cleaned regularly to avoid inadvertent contamination.

29

BAS does not advocate the use of respirators, the correct fitting of which cannot be guaranteed and which may lead to a false sense of security and well-being. Section 3.3 gives specific information on the handling of spills in the under-croft and the necessary ventilation requirements.

3.4.3. Skin irritation by fuel

Fuel and oil can be a skin irritant. Severe reactions can lead to dermatitis. When fuel comes into contact with the skin, it also increases the risk of cold-induced injuries (frostbite). Clean-up personnel must wear one-piece suits, rubber gauntlets and protective eye goggles during response efforts. Showers should be taken at the end of the working day if possible.

3.4.4. Contamination of drinking water by fuel

Drinking water would have to be highly contaminated by hydrocarbons for harm to occur. This is highly unlikely since very low concentrations of hydrocarbons alter the taste of water and make it completely unpalatable.

3.4.5. Slips and Trips

Spilled fuel increases the risks of slips and falls. Correct protective footwear, good ‘housekeeping’ and limiting the spread of contamination will help to reduce these risks. . Due attention must be paid in order to avoid slips, trips and accidents from manual handling of the equipment.

3.4.6. Advice on health effects

The Station Doctor is to advise the Station Leader on likely health effects of a fuel spill. If symptoms attributable to the spill occur, the doctor is to inform the BAS Medical Unit immediately, who will provide instructions and advice. Care must be taken to avoid slips, trips and accidents from manual handling of the equipment. The Station Leader and Doctor must also pay attention to signs of exhaustion or stress amongst the response crew.

3.4.7. Material Safety Data Sheets

The Material Safety Data Sheets for AVTUR, petrol, paraffin and all lubricating oils used at Halley are held in the Station Leader’s Office at Halley and in Room 143 (Estates) at BAS Cambridge. MSDS for AVTUR, AVCAT and petrol are also included in Appendix B.

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3.5. EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

3.5.1. Informing FCO and COMNAP When remedial action is well underway, the Operations Manager may advise, as necessary, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP).

3.5.2. Staff information and public relations A Tier 3 spill will concern staff and is likely to attract public and media attention. The Operations Director is responsible for ensuring that all staff are aware of a Tier 3 oil spill. A staff notice is to be prepared as soon as practicable after initial notification has been received at BAS Cambridge. The official spokesperson for BAS in the event of a major oil spill will be the Head of Communications who will be briefed regularly by the BAS Cambridge response team. No unauthorised BAS personnel are to contact or talk to the media.

The Operations Manager will assist the Head of Communications in preparing a draft press statement. Advice on environmental issues will be provided by the Head of Environment Office.

3.6. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING The environmental monitoring of an oil spill is the responsibility of the Head of Environment Office, in liaison with the Operations Manager and the SL. Where available, specialist scientific expertise on station or at BAS Cambridge will be made use of. The monitoring programme must be agreed by the Head of Environment Office, the Operations Manager, the SL and Board Member for Operations and Engineering

3.6.1. Sampling of snow/ice

The Head of Environment Office will advise the Station Leader if the sampling of snow, ice or water is required to monitor the impact of the spill.

3.7. WASTE DISPOSAL

3.7.1. Storage of waste fuel and water A minimum of 20 empty fuel drums are designated for oil spill response. This stock of drums is to be rotated each summer and checked for holes and rust. These drums are stored at the avtur drum dump where all empty drums are stored prior to being loaded onto the ship at last call. Waste should be segregated into 205l drums within the warm zone, with

31

care taken not to overfill the drums. Check for any pinhole leaks. Refer to the BAS Waste Management Handbook for details on the segregation, storage, consignment and disposal of waste fuel, contaminated absorbents and PPE. Waste Management will be a key part of the spill response strategy and the importance of doing this properly should not be underestimated. Good waste management will ensure that contamination is restricted to the spill area and is not inadvertently spread around the station.

3.7.2. Transport and disposal of waste

At the first available opportunity drums containing recovered fuel or contaminated absorbents should be sent out on BAS vessels. Follow the instructions given in the BAS Waste Management Handbook. The Station Leader must prepare a Bill of Lading (BOL) before the waste is removed. The waste will be considered hazardous for transportation and disposal. Some oily rags, absorbents and waste fuel can be incinerated on site. Petrol or petrol soaked materials; inflammable materials; plastics; and liquids or soaked materials where the liquid is more water than fuel or oil are not suitable for incineration. Always follow the onsite guidance for use of the incinerator.

3.8. TERMINATION OF OIL SPILL RESPONSE

The termination of an oil spill response is to be decided by the Operations Manager in consultation with the Station Leader, the Head of Environment Office and the Head of Estates. It is the responsibility of the Station Leader to stand down the station response team. All personnel involved in the response to a Tier 2 or Tier 3 spill must be given a medical check-up by the Station Doctor. The BAS Medical Unit will provide advice. Equipment must be washed and cleaned by the response team before being put into storage. First remove as much oil as possible using absorbent pads. The Station Leader is to reorder any materials consumed after checking the equipment against the oil spill response equipment inventory. Arrangements for the repair and replacement of damaged equipment are to be made with the Head of Environment Office at BAS Cambridge at the earliest opportunity.

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3.9. REPORTING

3.9.1. AINME After an incident has occurred spills of greater than 205 litres, or spills of any size from which important lessons can be learnt, should be reported through the Accident, Incident, Near Miss, Environmental (AINME) reporting system. Smaller spills of less than 205 litres should be reported in the small spill log (also accessed via AINME) in order to identify trends in spills and help to reduce or minimise future incidents.

3.9.2. Final report

For Tier 2 & 3 spills the Station Leader is to prepare a final report on the spill at the end of the incident. The report is to describe the:

time (GMT) and date of spill;

estimated quantity of fuel spilled (litres);

type of fuel;

source and cause;

location and extent of spill (map);

resources affected;

environmental impact;

response action taken; - stopping or minimising the spill (technical work carried out

to fuel tanks or pipelines - clean-up (number of personnel, techniques in use, amount

of oil/water collected (litres)); - environmental monitoring (photographs, video)

value of response action;

health of station personnel, if affected by spill incident;

final classification of spill (Tier 2 or 3);

post spill evaluation of contingency plan, and suggested amendments if necessary;

further action.

The final report and any accompanying digital photographs are to be submitted to the online Accident, Incident, Near Miss and Environmental (AINME) system within one month of the end of the incident. The Operations Manager is to save on file the spill report form, the situational reports and any additional photos or digital footage of the incident.

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The Operations Manager is to file the log, reports and photographic/ video material of the incident. The Head of Environment Office will organize a review meeting on spill response within 6 months of a Tier 2 or 3 spill and revise the OSCP as necessary. The Head of Estates will procure spare parts and back up fuel systems and review the fuel storage and transfer systems as appropriate.

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Section 4

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

36

4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 4.1. OIL SPILL REPORT FORM

OIL SPILL REPORT- Halley VI RESEARCH STATION

URGENT To: Operations Manager, BAS

Email : [email protected] (Mike Dinn) and [email protected] (Operations on Call)

1. Initial Report Situation Report (Hr .....)

2. Date : Time (GMT = local time + 3hrs) :

3. Type of fuel and estimated quantity / revised estimate of quantity of fuel spilled (litres):

4. Source and cause:

5. Location, area covered and movement of spill (attach map if possible):

6. Weather conditions:

7. Resources at risk and environmental impact :

8. Response action (include actions to stop or minimise spill, clean-up techniques, no. of personnel involved, quantity of fuel recovered, environmental monitoring / samples taken)

9. Classification / revised classification of spill:

10. Useable bulk fuel remaining (litres):

11. Advice requested from BAS Cambridge

12. Additional comments (continue on separate sheet if necessary) :

Signature:

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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4.2. PPE & SPILL RESPONSE EQUIPMENT

4.2.1. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) All items listed below are stored in the Compactor Room in Module A.

4.2.2. Equipment on base The ‘Drizit Rapid Response’ kits listed below are stored in the following locations:

Next to the fuel tanks in E1 and E2

In the Garage

In the Compactor Room (spare absorbents)

Each “Drizit Rapid Response” kit contains the following items:

Item: Drizit Rapid Response Quantity

Drizit Oil Pad 48x48 2

Drizit Oil Cushion 55x45 5

Drizit Oil Seal 1.25x7.5 20

Polybag plain 20

Polybag hazardous waste 20

Cable Ties 20

Micro guard 3000 chemical suits 3

Gauntlets PVC 400mm 3

Item: Absorbents Quantity

“Drizit Rapid Response” kits 4

Ready mix sealant 20

Absorbent pillows/ cushions 35

Absorbent pads (pack of 25) 10

Absorbent mats (box of 125 or roll dispenser) 1

Flat bottom dustpans 10

Shovels 10

Hazard Tape 4

Empty, topped fuel drums (rotate annually) 20

Item Quantity

‘Microchem 3000’ disposable chemical suit 40

Insulated PVC gauntlets 30

Goggles 10

Booties (to wear over safety footwear) 40

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4.2.3. Equipment for Ski-way

Item Quantity

1x Overpack Drum containing:

Oil absorbent pads 100

Oil absorbent socks 10

Large oil absorbent socks 5

Oil absorbent cushions 5

Dammit ready mix 800g

Dammit mat 1

Drum funnel 1

Shovels 2

Coveralls (various sizes) 4

Goggles 4

Gauntlets/protective gloves 4

Waste bags 5

4.2.4. How to use the equipment

Spill Equipment What does it do? Where can it be used? How do I use it?

Blue Drizit Oil Seal Socks

Designed to soak up and retain oils. They absorb oil-based liquids, lubricants and fuels but do not absorb water. HYDROPHOBIC

Indoor and outdoor use

Place around leaking machines, or other spill to prevent it spreading.

Ideal for outdoor use in wet or snowy conditions

In water and anywhere that you don’t want to absorb water

Ideal for soaking up waterborne spills and skim off oils from the water surface.

Fuel bunds, on or around fuel drums stored on snow

Can be used effectively as a barrier/dike to surround a spill and contain it.

Shake the sock before placing it to evenly distribute filler.

Place around the edge of spill to stop the flow.

Tie two or more together to make the required length (but don’t stack socks on top of one another)

Dispose of when saturated.

White Drizit Oil seal Socks

Designed to soak up and retain oils, coolants, solvents and water. NOT HYDROPHOBIC

Highly absorbent, can be used anywhere indoors or around machinery

Absorbs water so no good outdoors on snow/ice or water surface.

Can be used effectively indoors as a barrier/dike to surround a spill and contain it.

Shake the sock before placing it to evenly distribute filler.

Place around the edge of spill to stop the flow.

Tie two or more together to make the required length (but don’t stack socks on top of one another)


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Absorbents pillows Either

Or

Designed to soak up and retain oils. They absorb oil-based liquids, lubricants and fuels but do not absorb water. HYDROPHOBIC

Indoor or outdoors use. Can cope with in wet conditions, rain or snow

Under faulty/dripping machinery/equipment awaiting repair.

In water and anywhere that you don’t want to absorb water

Ideal for soaking up waterborne spills.

Ideal for outdoor use, in wet and marine conditions.

Pillows float on water. Ideal for collecting oil/fuel spilt in water. Grey ones have tethers so can be tied down to prevent becoming windblown.

Socks should be used for containment (dikes/booms) and pillows and mats for recovery of oils/fuels.

Pillows good for high volume spills.


Grey absorbent mats

Designed to soak up and retain liquids. There are 2 brands at Halley – New Pig absorb all liquids, Drizit/Darcy will absorb oil only.

Use either for spills indoors, and the Drizit/Darcy for outdoor spills or those on water.

Use the New Pig brand on coolants/antifreeze spills.

Ideal for recovery of fluids rather than containment.

Place directly on spilt fluid

Ideal for small spills

Dispose of when saturated

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NB: The garage interceptor, shovels and empty 205l drums can all be used during a spill if required.

Pig Putty

Patches up leaking drums and pipes

Damaged drums or fuel pipes

Short term emergency solution

Knead components together and apply to damaged drum

Fuel should be decanted to an undamaged drum as soon as possible

Waste Bags Used to store waste absorbents prior to transportation

Can be used for absorbents that have been used for oil/fuel recovery.

Ensure filled bags are cabled tied and clearly labelled

Bags should be placed in empty 205l fuel drums prior to transportation on board the ship/aircraft.

Over-pack Drum

Can be used to hold a leaky drum or to store and transport waste absorbents

Anywhere Remove and upturn the lid of the over-pack drum and place leaking drum on top of it. Place main body of over pack drum on top of drum and screw tight. Turn the right way up.

Can also be used to store and transport waste absorbents or clothing (fuel soaked rags made of natural fibres cannot be transported by plane)

4.3. MAPS AND PLANS 4.3.1. LOCATION MAP

4.3.2. HALLEY VI SITE PLAN

4.3.3. DEWREY BUILDING

46

4.3.4. GARAGE

47

4.3.5. FUEL TANK POSITION -Module 1

48

4.3.6. FUEL TANK POSITION – Module 2

49

4.3.7 FUEL SCHEMATIC

50

4.4. CONTACT DETAILS Contact details are available in the Operations Emergency Contact List. This list is held centrally at BAS by the Operations Manager, who updates it as and when required. It is available (password protected) on the BAS Operations Group Intranet pages. Paper copies are also provided to all BAS stations and vessels.

4.4.1. British Antarctic Survey (BAS)

Initial notification of an oil spill must be made to BAS Cambridge by the SL. First contact is the Operations Manager, at BAS or at home British Antarctic Survey (BAS)

BAS Cambridge Response team

1.

1st contact

Operations Manager

2nd contact

Director of Operations

2.

1st contact

Head of Environment Office

2nd contact

Environmental Manager

3.

1st contact

Head of Estates

2nd contact

Head of Antarctic Buildings & Services

4.

1st contact

Halley Station Leader

2nd contact

Halley Winter Station Leader

Advice on health and safety Contact

Health and Safety Adviser

Official BAS contact for the press Contact

Head of Communications

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4.4.2. The British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit (BASMU)

The BAS Medical Unit will provide medical advice on health care required as a result of an oil spill. The Unit can be contacted by the Operations Manager or SL.

The British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit (BASMU)

Contact

Medical Adviser – BAS

4.4.3. Polar Regions Unit, Foreign & Commonwealth Office The Operations Manager, BAS, is to inform the Head of Polar Regions Unit of a Tier 2 or Tier 3 oil spill occurring from BAS activities at Halley.

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Contact

Head, Polar Regions Department

4.4.4. External Advisors

In the event of a Tier 2 or Tier 3 spill, BAS Cambridge may contact external advisors (including OSR) for information and advice on the best practicable clean-up techniques. This contact will normally be made by the Environment Office.

External Advice e.g. Oil Spill Response Ltd (OSR)

Contact Duty Manager

4.4.5. Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP)

BAS is a founder member of COMNAP. All national operators have been asked by COMNAP to report significant oil spills. The Operations Manager is to notify COMNAP as necessary.

Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes Contact

Executive Secretary

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4.5. BAS SPILL RESPONSE STRUCTURE

Chief Executive, NERC

Director, BAS

Director of Operations

Head, Polar Regions Dept, FCO Operations Manager

Halley VI Station Leader

Head of Environment

Office

Head of Communications

External Advisors

Environmental Monitoring

Team

Station Response

Team

Response

Team

Head of Estates

BASMU

Technical Officers (BAS and/or Contractors)

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Section 5

APPENDICES

54

5. APPENDICES

5.1. APPENDIX A - ACTION PLANS

55

5.1.1. Action Plan 1 – Station Leader

H&S – (Section 3.4) Ensure spill response is not putting staff at risk

Identification of spill

Emergency shutdown (if needed) to stop or minimise further spill. (Section 3.3.1)

Actions & Communications Log (Section 3.3.4) Start recording all activities and maintain ongoing log.

Set up an emergency communications centre (Section 3.3.5)

Report – (Section 3.3.8) Send situation reports at 3, 6, 12, 24 hrs and then every

24hrs until otherwise agreed.

Waste Management (Section 3.7) – Segregate waste fuel, absorbents and contaminated PPE in 205l drums. Store and consign in accordance with the Waste Management Handbook.

Tier 2 Spill

Tier 1 Spill

Medical & Equipment Check (Section 3.8) - Ensure medical check-up for response team and that equipment is cleaned and made ready for storage.

Initial Notification (Section 3.3.4) Inform Operations Manager only if it has caused injury or illness to people, animals or plants or affected station

infrastructure

Final Report (Section 3.9) - Log on AINME. For Tier 2 & 3 prepare detailed spill report at end of incident and submit to Operations Manager.

Mobilise Response Team (Section 3.3.3)

Rapid Initial Assessment (Section 3.3.2) - Risk of fire or harm to human health; - Time & location of spill; - Type of fuel & estimated quantity; - Source and cause.

-

Contain and Recover Spill Refer to – Response Strategies

(Section 3.3.5)

Contain and Recover Spill Response Strategies (Section 3.3.6)

Site Management (Section 3.3.7)

Spill Termination (Section 3.8) - to be decided by the Operations Manager, Head of Environment Office and Station Leader if Tier 2 or 3.

Tier 3 Spill

Initial Notification to Cambridge & verbal contact with Operations

Manager (Section 3.3.4)

5.1.2. Action Pan 2 - Operations Manager/Operations On-Call

Notification of spill from Station Leader (Section 3.3.4)

Verbal contact with Station Leader Assume overall control of spill response operation. (Section 3.3.4)

Tier 2 - immediately assess incident with: - Head of Environment Office - Head of Estates (Section 3.3.4)

Inform Director’s Office. (Section 3.3.4) 3.3.4

Respond to initial notification by telephone and confirm by fax. Check: - Time (GMT) & date of spill - Estimated quantity of fuel spilled (litres) - Type of fuel - Source and cause - Location of spill - Resources under threat/impact - Response action - Useable bulk fuel remaining Advise on: - Technical remediation action - Clean-up techniques - Operations (itineraries/pax mvmts) - Weather maps (Section 3.3.4)

Tier 1 – if spill is reported acknowledge notification by email or phone call. (Section 3.3.4)

Send actions to Station Leader and respond to requests as necessary. Liaise with: - Head of Environment Office - Head of Communications (Section 3.5 & 3.6) 3.1

Inform Head of Environment Office, Head of Estates & Director’s Office (Section 3.3.4)

Tier 3 - immediately set up Emergency Response Centre at BAS – Room 133a (Section 3.3.4)

Open and maintain actions and communications log in Cambridge. (Section 3.3.5)

Advise Station Leader to complete AINME report or small spill log. (Section 3.9)

Mobilise BAS Cambridge Response Team: - Head of Environment Office - Head of Estates (Section 3.3.4)

If necessary, contact the FCO and any other outside agencies. (Section 3.5)

Prepare Draft Press Statement. Liaise with: - Director’s Office - Head of Environment Office - Head of Communications (Section 3.5)

Terminate Response Action when appropriate. Liaise with: - Station Leader - Head of Environment Office - Outside agencies (Section 3.8)

File & log Station Leader’s report, photographs and video footage of incident (Section 3.9)

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5.1.3. Action Plan 3 - Head of Environment Office

Notification of spill from Operations Manager (Section 3.3.4)

Tier 2 - immediately assess incident with: - Operations Manager - Head of Estates (Section 3.3.4)

-Provide advice to Station Leader via Operations Manager on most appropriate response strategy (Section 3.3.5) -Respond to requests for information as necessary. - Seek External advice if necessary -Liaise with Operations Manager & Head of Estates

Tier 1 - provide advice as requested. (Section 3.3.4)

Co-ordinate environmental monitoring: - Sampling of water, sediment, flora & fauna - Chemical analysis of seawater - Liaise with BAS scientific staff & contractors as appropriate. (Section 3.6)

Tier 3 - immediately go to Emergency Response Centre at BAS – Room 133a. (Section 3.3.4)

Advise Operations Manager on draft press statement. (Section 3.5)

Advise Operations Manager on termination of response action. (Section 3.8)

Advise on waste management of oily wastes, absorbents and PPE. Liaise with: - Station Leader - Waste disposal contractor. (Section 3.7)

Organise review meeting on oil spill response within 6 months and revise OSCP as necessary. (Section 3.9)

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5.1.4. Action Plan 4 – Head of Estates

Notification of spill from Operations Manager (Section 3.3.4)

Tier 2 - immediately assess incident with: - Operations Manager - Head of Environment Office. (Section 3.3.4)

Co-ordinate procurement of emergency spare parts and back-up fuel systems as required. (Section 3.9)

Send actions to Station Leader via Operations Manager and respond to requests for information as necessary, on fuel management and storage. Liaise with: - Technical Officers - Outside companies and agencies on technical issues. (Section 3.3.4)

Tier 1 - provide advice as requested. (Section 3.3.4)

At end of incident, review fuel storage and transfer systems. Revise fuel management systems to prevent a similar spill in the future. (Section 3.9)

Tier 3 - move immediately to Emergency Response Centre at BAS – Room 133a. (Section 3.3.4)

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5.2. APPENDIX B – MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS

The exact formulation of fuels delivered to Halley will vary from year to year depending on the supplier used. These Material Safety Data Sheets are therefore an example only and the most current MSDS should be consulted if possible.

5.3. APPENDIX C – RISK ASSESSMENT

1. List hazards or

hazardous activities?

(List individually below)

2. What harm is likely to occur or

what could go wrong?

(with no controls}

3. What are your control measures?

(Please use brief bullet points as description)

4. Overall risk

with controls

in place

(See risk

evaluation

guidance)

5. Further

actions needed

and by when?

6.

Responsible

person?

Description of activity or

process area: (e.g. work activity,

project name, process area etc.)

Oil Spill Response

Date:

22/01/2015

Assessor/s:

Clare Fothergill

Who will be at risk?

All staff on station

Review date:

(every 3 years or when

the operation changes)

22/01/2018

Reviewer:

(if different from the

Assessor)

Rachel Clarke

BAS Department?

Environment

Safety Portal ID:

<No Data>

Valid to which

BAS locations?

All BAS stations

In completing this risk assessment have you been able to consult with those involved?

Yes Not necessary

98

1. List hazards or





(with no controls}



4. Overall risk

with controls

in place

(See risk

evaluation

guidance)

5. Further

actions needed

and by when?

6.

Responsible

person?

1. Exposure to AVTUR, AVCAT, MGO & lube oils

□ Health issues associated with exposure to fuel oils (carcinogens) either through inhalation, ingestion or direct dermal contact. Over exposure may lead to cancer and birth defects.

Eyes: Contact may cause mild eye irritation resulting in redness stinging and eye watering.

Skin: Direct contact may result in itching, burning or skin damage which may be exacerbated in cold conditions. Longer term and/or repeated exposure may result in, aggravation of existing skin conditions, dermatitis or severe skin damage.

Inhalation: Over exposure can cause irritation to respiratory inhalation and central nervous system and asphyxiation.

Ingestion: Lesser degree of toxicity if ingested but swallowing and vomiting may result in entry to lungs causing inflammation and more significant damage.

□ Station specific ‘Oil Spill Contingency Plans’ produced for each base

□ Comprehensive oil spill kit provided on all stations and stored in easily accessible location.

□ Oil spill response training provided to all wintering and relevant technical staff prior to season.

□ Additional training provided on station (biannually) for wintering staff.

□ Oil spill specific PPE provided on all stations which includes goggles, gloves, overalls etc

□ Doctor and or medically trained staff on all stations. Comprehensive first aid kits available.

□ During a spill, clean areas will be set up for eating, drinking and smoking to reduce mouth to mouth contact and ingestion.

□ Various RAs and SOP have been prepared for activities involving the use of fuels with the aim of minimising the risk of spills through good practice. These include:

o Use of Petrol, Oils and lubricants o Fuel Tank Cleaning o Vehicle Use on base o Vehicle refuelling

o Station Refuelling procedures

Low

Biannual training on station ensures that all staff who may be involved in a spill are prepared, know how to deploy the equipment and understand their role in the event of a spill.

Station Leader or Winter Station Leader

1. List hazards or hazardous activities?




(with no controls}



4. Overall risk with controls

in place

(See risk evaluation guidance)

5. Further actions needed and by when?

6. Responsible

person?

2. Exposure to

Petrol

□ Health issues associated with exposure to petrol (carcinogens) either through inhalation, ingestion or direct dermal contact. Over exposure may lead to cancer, birth defects and death

Eyes: Contact may cause eye irritation resulting in redness stinging and eye watering. Skin: Direct contact may result in itching, burning or skin damage which may be exacerbated in cold conditions. Longer term and/or repeated exposure may result in, aggravation of existing skin conditions, dermatitis or severe skin damage. Inhalation: Over exposure can cause irritation to respiratory inhalation, and central nervous system. Continued exposure may lead to unconsciousness and death. Ingestion: Lesser degree of toxicity if ingested but swallowing and vomiting may result in entry to lungs causing inflammation and more significant damage.

□ Petrol spills are not to be recovered and should be

left to evaporate.

□ Eating and drinking prohibited near to spill site.

□ Wash thoroughly after exposure.

□ Any contaminated clothing to be air dried in well ventilated area before washing.

□ Only small quantities of petrol stored on station

□ Petrol only to be handled in well ventilated areas or outdoors.

□ Refer to specific RAs for activities where petrol handling occurs e.g. refuelling skidoos

Low

100

1. List hazards or





(with no controls}



4. Overall risk

with controls

in place

(See risk

evaluation

guidance)

5. Further

actions needed

and by when?

6.

Responsible

person?

3. Working with flammable & explosive materials

□ Petrol is extremely flammable and

explosions or fire could cause severe burns or fatalities.

□ Electrostatic charges may be generated during handling. Electrostatic discharge may cause fire.

□ Majority of fuels used have very low flash points. □ Petrol spills are not to be recovered and should be

left to evaporate. □ No petrol to be stored inside accommodation or

admin buildings or in confined spaces. Petrol only stored in garage, workshop or external store areas.

□ Smoking near any fuel spill is prohibited or whilst handling petrol is prohibited.

□ Remove ignition sources form spill site and consideration of remote ignition from vapours travelling along the ground to be made.

□ Refer to RAs and SOPs for refuelling bulk fuel tanks, day tanks, boats, tools and vehicles to minimise potential for spills

□ MSDS sheets available for all fuels and oils used on station.

□ General principles are not to commence a spill response until an area has been made safe and is well ventilated.

□ Safety of staff during a spill is paramount and is reiterated in the OSCP.

Low

1. List hazards or





(with no controls}



4. Overall risk

with controls

in place

(See risk

evaluation

guidance)

5. Further

actions needed

and by when?

6.

Responsible

person?

4. Work in confined

spaces

□ Health issues associated with

exposure to fuel oils (carcinogens) either through inhalation, ingestion or direct dermal contact.

□ Depleted oxygen, insufficient air.

□ Explosion or flash fire risk if spill is petrol.

□ Electrostatic conditions within buildings could cause ignition point for spilt petrol.

□ General principles are not to commence a spill response until an area has been made safe and is well ventilated. However spill response should not occur in confined spaces unless specifically advised by BAS, Cambridge.


□ Refer to RAs for Bulk Fuel Tank Cleaning and Confined Space Working in Aviation Fuel and MGO tanks for general work in confined spaces.

□ Gas detector to be used at Halley station for the under croft.

□ No petrol to be stored in a confined space that cannot be well ventilated.

Low

5. Slips, trips and

falls

□ Staff may suffer injuries if they slip

on spilt fuel, or trip on uneven ground whilst trying to recover oil. Increased risk of slips, trips and falls due to tension involved with dealing with an emergency situation

□ Spill response to be coordinated by Station Leader (or Winter Station Leader) who will remind staff to be extra vigilant during clean up.


□ Absorbent mats are provided in all spill kits which would help to make oily surfaces less slippery.

□ Demarcation of hot and cold zones will help to highlight areas of higher risk.

Low

102

1. List hazards or





(with no controls}



4. Overall risk

with controls

in place

(See risk

evaluation

guidance)

5. Further

actions needed

and by when?

6.

Responsible

person?

6. Manual Handling

□ Staff may suffer back injuries or pain

elsewhere from handling heavy and/or bulky spill response equipment. E.g. Entrapment of limbs, Ligament/ Tendon injuries, Muscular/Skeletal injuries, Rupture, Hernias, Crush injuries, Cuts, Bruises.

□ Refer to station specific manual handling RAs.

□ Eliminate the need for manual handling to occur where reasonably practicable.

□ Use trolleys and mechanical assistance where possible.

□ Make personnel aware of equipment available for specific tasks i.e. drum up righter tool; drum chains, cranes etc.

□ Improve the task by making the loads lighter where possible at source or by breaking down into more manageable components.

□ Use the balance wheel truck, sack truck and pallet truck.

□ Whenever practicable limit load carrying capacity to 25kg per person and provide sufficient people to lift very heavy cases within this lifting capacity.

□ Increase awareness of manual handling hazards by regular training and supervision.

□ Advise all staff that rushing / peer pressure / work pressures are unsafe factors.

□ Monitor systems regularly.

□ Wear PPE: safety boots, gloves, hard hats, goggles, overalls and clothing as appropriate to the task in hand.

□ Be aware of slippery uneven surfaces i.e. natural ice shelf surfaces, sledge decking etc

Low

1. List hazards or





(with no controls}



4. Overall risk

with controls

in place

(See risk

evaluation

guidance)

5. Further

actions needed

and by when?

6.

Responsible

person?

7. Working in extreme weather conditions

□ Effects of prolonged work in cold

temperatures, wind and snow which could result in hypothermia, poor judgement, chilblains, asthma, frost nip or frost bite.

□ Increased risk of slips, trips and falls due to reduced capability and poor judgement.

□ Refer to general RAs for working in Antarctica. Usual station procedures to be followed when weather conditions are adverse.

□ As stated in OSCP safety of personnel is paramount during a spill and SL will stop response if conditions deteriorate.

□ SL to rotate staff to ensure that symptoms of prolonged work in the cold do not occur.

□ Appropriate cold weather clothing provided to all staff.

□ Where present station doctors to monitor staff symptoms and chefs to provide messing stations and refreshments.

Low

8. Fatigue, hunger , de-hydration, stress

□ Dealing with an emergency situation can lead to staff forgetting to take appropriate breaks in the day to rest, eat, rehydrate and take stock of the situation.

□ SL to rotate staff to ensure that everyone has a break and an opportunity to eat and drink.

□ Where present station doctors to monitor staff symptoms and chefs to provide messing stations and refreshments.

Low

Tip: Tab here for new row

104

1. List hazards or





(with no controls}



4. Overall risk

with controls

in place

(See risk

evaluation

guidance)

5. Further

actions needed

and by when?

6.

Responsible

person?

9. Working on small

boats or near water

□ Hypothermia / Drowning / Frostbite, Frostnip / Bites, Cuts and Scratches / Slips, Trips and Falls / Capsize, Sinking, Drifting, Immobilisation, Structural damage / Burns and Scalds (Heat and Chemical) / Laceration, Fracture, Unconsciousness/ Disorientation, Direction Loss / Sprains, Strains and Breaks

□ RAs for Small boating to be referred to.

□ Compliance with BAS Field Operations Manual and Boating Manuals by all personnel involved in small boat operations.

□ Appropriate training of coxswain and vehicle operatives.

□ PPE All boat occupants must wear approved thermal protection (e.g. boatsuits or diving drysuits) and life jackets. Shore line worker to wear appropriate cold weather clothing (and waders if necessary.)

□ Where lifting operations are involved, all personnel involved must wear hard hats.

□ The Communications protocol of Boating Manuals to be followed.

□ All boat personnel are to remain aware and vigilant of local marine life.

□ Continuous observation of weather to be made by operating boat personnel.

□ Minimum of two people working on shoreline.

Low

1. List hazards or





(with no controls}



4. Overall risk

with controls

in place

(See risk

evaluation

guidance)

5. Further

actions needed

and by when?

6.

Responsible

person?

10. Working with

and near to vehicles

□ During an emergency response reduced concentration could result in contact with people, buildings, aircraft, masts, scientific equipment, other vehicles and services. This could result in a possible loss, severe or otherwise, of scientific data / communications

□ Death or injury caused by overturning vehicle due to unstable loads, snow banks, high speed, uneven terrain, reduced visibility, unmarked construction hazards such as holes and trenches etc.

□ Electric shock from crane or digger striking overhead, or underground cables and antennas.

□ Death, severe injury, crush, limb entrapment, puncture wounds etc. whilst assisting with vehicle loading/unloading.

□ Vehicle specific RAs to be referred to.

□ Strictly adhering to the ‘Trained and Designated driver’ policy, whereby only selected and adequately trained operators are allowed to drive machines on base.

□ Garage to maintain all vehicles and mobile plant in a safe and reliable condition.

□ Provision of P.P.E. for working around vehicles. ie. hard hats, suitable gloves, steel toecap boots, high visibility jackets.

□ No vehicle or mobile plant operations to take place until the mechanic has been informed of what is intended, and has allocated the appropriate vehicle for that job.

□ No overloading of machines. Only use lifting /towing /winching gear as specified by the mechanic.

□ No vehicle or mobile plant operations to take place until the mechanic has been informed of what is intended, and has allocated the appropriate vehicle for that job.

□ Driver awareness to be kept high and guarded against complacency during operation of any type of vehicle during spill response.

Low

11. Working in darkness

□ Could lead to increased danger from all of the above hazards

□ Spill response at night is not generally advocated unless inside in lit areas. Where it has to be completed during darkness (e.g. austral winter) RAs and operating procedures for station operations during winter must be adhered to.

□ Major refuelling of bases only occurs during daylight. See SOP for refuelling.

□ Most operations occur during Austral summer where there are long hours of daylight.

Very Low

106

1. List hazards or





(with no controls}



4. Overall risk

with controls

in place

(See risk

evaluation

guidance)

5. Further

actions needed

and by when?

6.

Responsible

person?

12. Environmental

exposure to fuels

□ Fuels toxic to aquatic organisms, and may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment.

□ Station specific ‘Oil Spill Contingency Plans’ produced for each base

□ Comprehensive oil spill kit provided on all stations and stored in easily accessible location.

□ Clean up of oiled animals is not part of BAS oil spill response strategy and should not be undertaken without direction from BAS Cambridge

Low

13. Wildlife

□ Bites from seals or pecks from birds

□ Disturbance to wildlife as a result of spill response activities

□ Stress to wildlife being affected by oil spill

□ Refer to RAs for ‘Living amongst wildlife’,’ Working with Birds and Seals’.

□ Clean up of oiled animals is not part of BAS oil spill response strategy and should not be undertaken without direction from BAS Cambridge.

Low

14. Generation of

hazardous waste

□ Pollution to local environment and wildlife if not contained appropriately.

□ Exposure to spill response team and associated risks as per hazard no.1.

□ During an emergency situation waste management may not be prioritised.

□ Waste Management Handbook (WMH) sets out how to deal with waste generated from a spill.

□ OSCP highlights the importance of managing waste as part of the spill response and references the WMH.

□ Good culture of waste management on station and clear established procedures for removing waste from Antarctica.

□ Head of Environment Office to be contacted in the event of a spill who will remind SL of the importance of waste management during a spill.

Low

Risk Evaluation Guidance

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