CBA News

More than one million separate journeys were made by the logistics members of the Chemical Business Association (CBA) to deliver over four million tonnes of chemicals in 2016.   Despite this volume of deliveries to virtually every sector of the UK economy, only one transport incident was reported.

The CBA’s annual Logistic Index report, now in its eleventh consecutive year, measures the health, safety, and environmental performance of 21 haulage, warehousing and tank farm companies employing 3,003 people.

Andrew Beck, Chairman of CBA’s Responsible Care Committee said, “This is another solid performance by CBA’s logistics member companies.  Completing one million separate journeys whilst recording just one transport incident speaks volumes for the continuing safety of chemical logistics in the UK.”

Reportable Accidents

Logistics companies reported 23 accidents in 2016, one less than 2015. CBA continues to publish data for accidents resulting in incapacities of more than three days. This exceeds the seven-day standard required by RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences). Maintaining this higher standard preserves the integrity of the time series CBA has established over the last 11 years.

Of the total number of accidents, one resulted in serious injury (2015 – 2) and 57% of all accidents resulted from a manual handling process or a slip, trip or fall.  There were no accidents involving an exposure to harmful substances (2015 – 0).

Lost Time Accidents

The Lost Time Accident (LTA) rate for 2016, applying the stricter three-day absence criterion, decreased slightly to 0.40 (2015 – 0.41). The LTA rate is the ratio of RIDDOR reportable accidents (plus additional accidents under CBA’s higher criteria) to 100,000 man-hours – the assumed number of hours worked by one person during a lifetime.

Transport Incidents

Incidents involving transport are the key measure of the industry’s performance.  In 2016, CBA logistics members reported one incident involving transport (2015 – 3). This data combines the Department for Transport and RIDDOR reportable incidents with transport incidents attended by the emergency services.  Such incidents can include minor traffic accidents, mechanical breakdown or a simple puncture repair.

CBA logistics members made more than one million journeys to deliver more than four million tonnes of chemicals.  This gives a transport incident rate for 2016 of 0.25 for every million tonnes of chemicals distributed (2015 – 0.64).

Enforcement

CBA Logistics Services companies reported ten enforcement actions in 2016 covering both their individual sites and transport (2015 – 17).  The Health & Safety Executive issued no Prohibition Notices, or Improvement Notices in relation to sites operated by CBA logistics member companies in 2016.  Similarly, no convictions were recorded.

A total of 10 transport Prohibition Notices were issued against CBA members in 2016, one less than the previous year. Three were in respect of infringements of a minor

nature that did not delay the vehicle’s journey and could be rectified later; seven 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