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Pollution Incident Response

Kooragang Island

1. Purpose

This is an extract of  Air Liquide’s Kooragang Island Pollution Incident Response Management Plan (“PIRMP”).   

The information found here are the specific sections of the  PIRMP which are required to be made publicly available in accordance with the Protection of the Environment Operations (General) Regulation 2009 (NSW) , Part 5.7A and as specified by the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW).

This extract of the PIRMP has been developed to allow members of the public to have sight of the activities that will be undertaken by this site in the event of an incident.  The full copy of the PIRMP is maintained at the site at Kooragang Island, listed in the Scope below.

2. Scope

This PRIMP refers only to incidents or potential incidents at the Air Liquide Facility located at 15 Greenleaf Road, Kooragang Island NSW, 2304, within the Orica manufacturing facility. Air Liquide holds an Environmental Protection Licence (EPL) 20909 which can be found on the EPA’s public register.

Other Air Liquide sites will have alternate plans that refer to their specific operations.

3. Relevant Activities Carried Out On The Site

The site handles gases which are maintained in several ways, with different properties, which could cause incidents that would require the attendance of several government agencies.

The gases regularly handled at the site are:

  • Compressed and Liquified inert gases, if released these gases can cause fogs as they evaporate and cold burns to persons, and, if inhaled in large quantities, these can cause ill health
  • Toxic, these can cause ill health or death, depending on the gas and concentration.

4. Immediate Actions To Be Taken And Authority Contact Details

Should an incident occur which has the possibility of allowing the release of any gas which could materially harm persons or the environment, the following agencies will be contacted, in the order below, to render assistance to reduce any pollution to as low a level as possible:

The Authorities below are to be contacted in the following order if the incident presents an immediate threat to human health, the environment or property and emergency services are required.

If an emergency response is not required, the relevant contacts listed from 2 - 7 will be contacted in chronological order, with Fire and Rescue NSW being contacted last.

Fire and Rescue NSW - 000 :

Orica Kooragang Island Emergency Controller - 02 4908 9111

Environment Protection Authority (EPA)– 131 555

Safe Work NSW - 13 10 50

NSW Health – 02 9391 9000

Local Council – 02 4974 2000

Other parties in the immediate area as required - Phone numbers and contact details of neighbouring sites are held and they will be contacted initially by phone within 24 hours and by attending the site if no reply is received.

5. Procedures for Notification of Incidents to Local Landholders and Community

Community notification shall be undertaken at the determination of the Air Liquide Facility Manager and may be based on environmental monitoring results. Names and contact details of stakeholders, including local and downstream residents will be included on the Air Liquide Site Emergency Procedure for the plant. The following notification methodology is proposed to be utilised as required:

Early warnings: same day telephone notification to landholders who may be affected by the incident over the subsequent 24 hour period; and

Updates: follow up phone calls to all landholders who may have been notified by the initial early warning. Updates are to be provided to the broader local community in affected areas via information sheets or newsletters, Community Consultative Committee meetings, Air Liquide website, media statements or any other strategy relevant to community aspects of the operation.

Information provided to the community will be relevant to the incident and may include the following details:

  • Type of incident that has occurred
  • Potential impacts to local landholders and the community
  • Site contact details; and
  • Advice or recommendation based on the incident type and scale.

6. Actions To Be Taken To Minimise Any Risk Of Pollution

If it is possible to identify the cause of the spill or leak without further endangering the safety of staff, then the area will be shut down and the cause of any leak contained. Should this not be possible all staff will be evacuated and the area secured. Depending on the polluting product it may be possible to contain and neutralize in accordance with the instructions in the relevant safety data sheet (SDS).