Chemical Business Association News

The Logistics Index, the Chemical Business Association’s (CBA) latest annual report on the performance of its road haulage, warehouse, and tank farm companies, shows a significant fall in the number of transport incidents during 2020.

CBA logistics companies recorded two transport incidents whilst making nearly one and a quarter million journeys to deliver two and three-quarter million tonnes of chemicals.

The CBA Logistics Index is based on returns from 19 haulage, warehousing, and tank farm companies together employing 2,877 people.

Measuring the health, safety, security, and environmental performance of its logistics members, offers a series of performance indicators comparable with those covering CBA’s distributor member companies that have been published since 1993 and provide an end-to-end snapshot of the UK chemical supply chain.

Tim Doggett, CBA Chief Executive and Chair of its Responsible Care Committee, said, “Transport incidents are a key performance measure for any distribution industry and it is pleasing to see a significant fall – from six to two – in incidents reported by member companies.

“Our logistics companies, in line with our distribution members are reporting a substantial fall in accident levels which is very encouraging, but we recognise the need for increased vigilance as we return to more normal working arrangements post Covid-19,” he added.

Reportable Accidents
CBA publishes data for accidents resulting in incapacities of more than three days. This is a higher standard than required by RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). Maintaining this higher standard preserves the integrity of the time series CBA has established over the last 15 years.

Historically, RIDDOR required incapacities over three days to be reported but, in 2012, the Health and Safety Executive changed this threshold to incapacities of more than seven days duration.

Using this criterion, in 2020, CBA logistics companies reported seven accidents (2019 – 23). Of these, three resulted in incapacities of more than seven days and were reportable under the current RIDDOR criterion (2019 – 16).

In 2020, more than half of accidents (57%) resulted from a manual handling process, slip, trip or fall. There were no notifiable diseases or fatalities reported in 2020.

Lost Time Accidents
In 2020, the Lost Time Accident (LTA) rate, applying the stricter three-day absence criterion, decreased to 0.13 (2019 – 0.49).

Transport Incidents
In 2020, two transport incidents were reported (2019 – 6), both of which were road traffic incidents that did not lead to a chemical release.

During the year, CBA logistics companies made nearly one and a quarter million journeys to distribute two and three-quarter million tonnes of chemicals.

There were 1.6 incidents for every million tonnes distributed in 2020 (2019 – 1.9).

CBA’s data goes beyond the thresholds set by the Department for Transport and RIDDOR legislation to include all transport incidents requiring the attendance of the emergency services – including minor traffic accidents, mechanical breakdowns or a puncture repair. CBA reports all such incidents regardless of fault.

Enforcement
CBA Logistics Services companies reported a total of six enforcement actions during 2020 covering both their individual sites and transport (2019 – 15).

Individual Sites – No convictions or HSE Prohibition Notices were recorded against CBA Logistics companies in 2020, but one HSE Improvement Notice was issued in respect to the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations.

Transport – Five transport Prohibition Notices were issued against member companies in 2020 in respect of infringements of a minor nature that did not delay the vehicle’s journey and could be rectified later.