CBA News

A new report by the Chemical Business Association (CBA) highlights the fact that the logistics companies in its membership completed almost one million separate journeys in 2014 without being involved in any transport incidents.  Last year, these companies delivered nearly four million tonnes of chemicals to virtually every sector of the UK economy.

This is the ninth consecutive year in which the CBA has published its Logistics Index reviewing the health, safety, and environmental performance of its logistics members.

The 2014 Index is based on returns from 22 road haulage, warehousing, and tank farm companies employing 2,735 people.

Andrew Beck, Chairman of CBA’s Responsible Care Committee said, “The logistics sector is one of the most visible aspects of the chemical industry.  I am very pleased to be able to report that no incidents involving transport were recorded in 2014.  This is an excellent result and one that underlines the safety of the UK’s chemical logistics.”

Reportable Accidents

CBA’s logistics companies reported 24 accidents in 2014 (2013 – 23).   CBA continues to publish data for accidents resulting in incapacities of more than three days. This provides a higher standard than required by RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences) that, in 2012, changed the threshold to injuries

resulting in incapacities of more than seven days. CBA’s approach also preserves the integrity of the time series it has built up over the last nine years.

Of the total number of accidents, two resulted in serious injury (2013 – 7) and 42% of all accidents resulted from a manual handling process or a slip, trip or fall.  One accident involved an exposure to harmful substances (2013 – 2).

Lost Time Accidents

The Lost Time Accident (LTA) rate for 2014 was unchanged at 0.46 (2013 – 0.46). The LTA rate is the ratio of RIDDOR reportable accidents (plus additional accidents under CBA’s extended criteria) to 100,000 man-hours – the assumed number of hours worked by one person during a lifetime.

Transport Incidents

In 2014, CBA logistics members reported no incidents involving transport (2013 – 1). This data combines RIDDOR reportable incidents with transport incidents at which the emergency services attended.  Such incidents can include minor traffic accidents, mechanical breakdown or a simple puncture repair.

CBA logistics members made nearly one million journeys to deliver nearly four million tonnes of chemicals.  This gives a transport incident rate of zero for every million tonnes of chemicals distributed – a significant fall on the previous year (2013 – 0.35).

Enforcement

CBA Logistics Services companies reported 12 enforcement actions in 2014 (2013 – 13). No convictions were recorded against CBA members in 2014.  However, 11 transport Prohibition Notices were issued against CBA members.  Two were in respect of infringements of a minor nature that did not delay the vehicle’s journey and could be rectified later; nine required the infringement to be rectified immediately.

Further information from:
Peter Newport,
Chief Executive Officer,CBA

Michael Cooper,
CBA Responsible Care Co-ordinator
01270 258200
www.chemical.org.uk