LAWR

HUBER TECHNOLOGY Enhancing the Anaerobic Digestion Process Preliminary Treatment: removal of contaminants (plastic, grit and glass). Washpress for enhanced organics recovery. Digestate screening for removal of plastics to assist achieving PAS 110 compliance. Digestate dewatering / volume reduction. CUSTOM BUILT HANDLING SOLUTIONS FOR THE RECYCLING & WASTE INDUSTRIES T/ +44 (0)1790 752771 E/ SALES@TONGPEAL.COM WWW.TONGPEALRECYCLING.COM R E C Y C L I N G LATEST TECHNOLOGY COMPLETE PLANT DESIGN PROVIDING A WORLD-CLASS SERVICE SINCE 1930 CONVEYORS ELEVATORS AD INFEED TROMMEL SCREENS PICKING STATIONS MRF SYSTEMS FEEDER HOPPERS Prestressed Concrete Retaining and Storage Walls w w w . a c p - c o n c r e t e . c o . u k ACP (Concrete) Ltd Manufacturers & Suppliers sales@acp-concrete.co.uk Tel: 01889 598660 Fax: 01889 568160 Part of the Thomas Armstrong Group of Companies Silage Clamps Tanks Bund Walls Bulk Retaining Waste Transfer Storage Bunkers Security Walls Arrow Panels CE Marked HEALTH & SAFETY actual testing of the methane detectors in plant buildings. Other evidence collected from the causes of incidents relate to the handover of responsibility from one employee to another. AD operators should ensure staff are trained to document and communicate those systems that could create a Process Safety incident. These include outstanding permit to work operations, alarm status and any systems that have been temporarily over-ridden. The management of contractors is key. Once the responsibility of plant operation has been handed over from construction, any remaining contractors must be trained in the operating company's Safe Systems of Work, and how they now gain access and permission to complete work, which will be different from when operating under a Construction Design Management (CDM) regime. 'The Gold Standard' The National Skills Academy for Process Industries and Cogent, through employee consultation have devel- oped a competence framework, which apply across the UK Process Industries, which identify the level of competence required of generic job roles, the frame- work is called the Gold Standard. The Gold Standard consists of four areas of competence, that when achieved will help drive up the level of productivity and efficiency but also help mitigate the Process Safety risks. The four areas of the Gold Standard are technical competence, business improvement, 'Compliance' and func- tional and behavioural. Technical Competence focuses on those skills required to start up, shutdown and operate the AD plant safely. Business Improvement provides skills that provide staff with a set of tools that allow them to investigate and improve process efficiency. The 'Compliance' requirements are that the individual understands all the health and safety issues relating to their job as well as the Process Safety and Environmental management issues of the AD operations they have the responsibility for. The Functional and Behavioural level of competence ensures that an individual has a level of numeracy, IT and numerical skills appropriate for the job, the level of autonomy they have is clearly defined and they have an ability to work with others as part of a team. Further information on the Gold Standard can be found at: www.thegold- standard.co.uk/home/ As sites continue to increase their operating rates and staff become increasingly busy, managers will have to ensure their staff have the capability to meet the challenging demands of an operating environment, satisfying all the health and safety requirements, ensuring the biogas or bio-methane meets the quality specifications and at the same time adding value to the company's investors. Managers need to ensure they have an understanding of the importance of competence management and its development and how this goes hand in hand with reducing Process Safety related incidents. Kevin Thrower is biotechnology skills manager at the National Skills Academy Process Industries For more information contact Kevin Thrower at k.thrower@process. nsacademy.co.uk 24 Local Authority Waste & Recycling June 2014 • There were twelve fatal injuries to workers, including one fatal injury to a self-employed person. This compares with an average of eight over the previous five years Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations(RIDDOR); • There were three fatal injuries to a member of the public, compared to an average of two a year over the previous five years, the same as the five-year average for construction (RIDDOR); and • Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities grew almost 5% between August 2012 and 2013. Statistics from the Health and Safety Executive on the waste and recycling industry for 2012/13: ERG Air Pollution Control Air Pollution Control 01403 221000 info@ergapc.co.uk www.ergapc.co.uk www.ergapc.co.uk Unique biological scrubbing system to clean AD derived biogas Unique biological scrubbing system to clean AD derived biogas Effective and reliable H 2 S removal with ERG

• Cover