Consultation on ESA Draft Guidance to Cut Waste & Recycling Industry Fires

The UK’s Environmental Services Association (ESA) has launched a consultation on its recently published Draft Fire Control Guidance for waste and recycling facilities. According to ESA, due to the combustible nature of many of the materials present in the waste stream, waste treatment and disposal facilities are particularly vulnerable to fire. In the draft guidance the association noted that “the consequences of a major fire can be disastrous” and that “simply ignoring or underestimating the risk is not acceptable (legally, morally or operationally)”. As such, the document said that fire management processes must start with the protection of human life. This includes having adequate fire escape provision which is clearly marked, not blocked and which is kept unlocked during operational hours and effective evacuation procedures which are trained to all staff. The document also underlined the need to consider the facility’s location, and specifically its neighbours and the risks posed to them of a fire at the facility. The risks posed to the facility by the neighbouring premises should also be taken into account. The 89 page document makes many recommendations on fire avoidance, such as a ban on on-site smoking and the control of general sources of ignition such as heating pipes, naked flames and light bulbs. It also noted that fires may smoulder undetected after the end of the working day/shift and that formal site ‘close-down’ procedures, including inspection of the site after work has ceased, should be considered to reduce the risk of a smoulder being undetected and turning into a fire. The importance of properly maintaining and testing electrical equipment was also noted, as were the potential benefits of CCTV and security fencing. Spontaneous combustion According to the draft guidance, some materials can spontaneously combust under certain conditions and the risk generally increases when materials are stored for prolonged periods, whether inside or outside, and in general the smaller the particle size the higher the risk. In general ESA said that the risks of self-combustion can be minimised by: Using a clear recording method to show how long all wastes have been on site for Rotating stock to ensure that older wastes are not retained for excessive periods. For example, taking older bales from the rear of a stack before newer bales at the front Keeping material in its largest form prior to processing for its end market, for example keeping waste wood in bulk storage and only chipping it prior to transport off site Inspect stored wastes frequently - at least once a week as a minimum. Top tips Tip 1 – Gaining advice on the technical aspects fire safety can be expensive. Insurers and insurance brokers can often be a good source of free or low charge advice. Many insurers have in-house fire technical experts and they have a vested interest in you not having a fire – if you have a major fire your insurer will also suffer cost implications. Insurers are an important stakeholder in your fire plans and can often offer good advice. Tip 2 – Temperature probes and thermal cameras can be used to check on stacks, such as to assess whether hot spots are starting to occur, in particular for older wastes. However, detecting a hot spot is one thing – you must plan in advance what you will do to address any hot spots, such as drenching with water. Tip 3 – If you intend to use heavy mobile plant to fight fires you should conduct drills with plant operators. For example, by practising sweeping wastes away from a pile or pushing inert materials over wastes. The retro-fitting of fire and heat protection systems to heavy mobile plant can be expensive. But, is often an inexpensive addition to the specification at the point of manufacture. When replacing your heavy mobile plant think about its specification in advance. Who should read it? ESA said that the guidance applies to waste management sites and other sites where wastes are handled and/or stored and where more than 50 cubic metres of solid combustible waste material is stored at any one time. This includes wastes such as, but not limited to: Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood and wood products of all types Rubber (natural or synthetic), including whole, shredded, crumbed tyres Fragmentiser wastes, such as from vehicle dismantling Refuse derived fuels (RDF), solid recovered fuels (SRF) and similar Waste electrical and electronic equipment containing combustible materials Any other waste which may pose a fire risk similar to the above. The association added that the guidance supplements but does not replace any statutory requirements for sites controlled under Local Acts of Parliament, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 or other applicable legislation. Because of specific fire control issues and existing, other guidance the document does not apply specifically to: Landfill sites (but, it would apply to, for example, a recycling plant at the entrance to a landfill site) Composting sites, including in-vessel composting and anaerobic digestion plants Hazardous/special waste treatment and transfer facilities Waste to energy plants, incinerators and other similar thermal treatments to the extent of the thermal treatment being applied. But, it would apply to, for example, a recycling plant as pre-treatment, the reception/storage of wastes and the mechanical handling of wastes etc at such a facility Some specific aspects of end of life vehicle operations, such as air-bag dismantling Waste management sites which fall under the COMAH (Control Of Major Accidents Hazards) Regulations. Get involved The association explained that the DRAFT Fire Control Guidance guidance has been produced by a cross-industry group, with input from the Environment Agency (EA), The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Health and Safety Laboratories, the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) and other bodies. The draft document has been endorsed by the EA, HSE, CFOA, ESA and WISH (Waste Industry Safety and Health) Forum. The main insurance companies involved in waste management were also consulted for their views on some aspects. All comments on this draft should be directed to Stephen Freeland of ESA (Environmental Services Association). If you wish to discuss any aspect of this draft please also contact Stephen who will put you in touch with the appropriate person. The deadline for comments is Friday 25 July 2014. Read More VIDEO: New Fire Suppression System for Waste & Recycling Mobile Machinery Tyco Fire Protection Products (TFPP) has launched a fire suppression system aimed at mobile equipment operating in harsh environments such as the waste and recycling industry. Fire Detection: Tracking the Source For waste and recycling facilities, fire is a huge danger. Detecting fire hazards before a fire breaks out, and quickly fighting the potential source of fire in a targeted manner can potentially save millions in revenue. Fire protection systems which use infrared thermography can offer significant advantages. By Dr Jörg Lantzsch Cutting the Risk of Landfill Fires With the average landfill site having a 60% statistical risk of fire each year, it's critical that operators have an emergency plan in place. Immediate and decisive action can be the difference between a minor incident and a multi-million dollar environmental disaster. So if disaster strikes, just how do you cut your losses? By Patrick Foss-Smith VIDEO: Huge Fire Destroys Chemical Recycling Facility in Leeds An investigation into a huge fire which was tackled by over 100 firefighters at a chemical recycling facility in Leeds, UK is underway.