Environment Law Bulletin - Institute of Environmental Management ...

“…there were 241 offshore hydrocarbon releases fromoffshore oil and gas installations on the UK ContinentalShelf, 29 (11%) less than the previous year.”Dangerous substances in the workplaceDangerous substances in the workplaceare to be targeted in the sixth EuropeanWeek for Safety and Health, which beginson 13 October 2003. Organised in the UKby the HSE, the campaign is designed toaid companies to investigate ways ofpreventing illnesses such as cancers, respiratorydiseases and skin diseases in theworkplace. It will be launched in May2003, with the issuing of a free actionpack. The HSE estimate that the majorityof the 1.3 million companies covered byspecific chemical legislation are small andmedium sized enterprises and say thatmany of these do not realise they areusers of hazardous chemicals. As a result,these companies do not fully realise whatthey need to do to protect theiremployees from the use of these chemicals.It is thought that there are 6,000deaths from cancer and around 7,000new cases of asthma per year, due tooccupational causes.(HSE Press Release, 12 February 2003)Offshore hydrocarbonsThe HSE’s Offshore Division has released theseventh in a series of hydrocarbon releasestatistics reports. Its findings were thatduring 2001-2002, there were 241 offshorehydrocarbon releases from offshore oil andgas installations on the UK ContinentalShelf, 29 (11%) less than the previous year.The 2002 report gives details of releasesnotified to HSE from 1 October 1992 to 31March 2002, and replaces the 2001 statisticsreport. The information is obtainedfrom incident reports required under theReporting of Injuries, Diseases andDangerous Occurrences Regulations(RIDDOR) 1995, as well as voluntarilyreporting. The HSE also stated that itexpects all operators to take on board thefindings from the joint HSE and industryleaks reduction campaign. It says that thisshould lead to a dramatic decrease inhydrocarbon leaks in the UK sectorreducing the risk of fire and explosion.(HSE Press Release 14 February 2003)PAHsExposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs), found in every industry,especially where substances are burned,such as in aluminium smelting and cokeproduction, are known to cause lung andbladder cancer. A research report publishedby the HSE has now quantified the risks. Itwas found that people who are exposed to1 µg/m 3 of PAHs through work over 40years, are 8% more likely to contract lungcancer. However, the risks of contractingbladder cancer were less certain, as thisdisease is rarer and therefore there were amuch smaller number of cases available forstudy. The research will be used by the HSEto determine an occupational exposure limitfor PAHs.(HSE, March 2003)Nuclear incidentsUnder powers given by section 11 of theHealth and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974,the HSC has published its statement onnuclear incidents at nuclear installationssince 1993. The latest statement for nuclearinstallations in Britain, covering the period 1July to 30 September 2002, mentioned justone installation - British Energy’s Tornessplant in May 2002. There was a failure of agas circulator, thought to be linked to thedevelopment of a fatigue-related crack inpart of the impeller.(HSE 30 January 2003)39Environment Law BulletinApril 2003