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Safety and environmental standards for fuel storage sites
Final report
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54 To help specify the roles and responsibilities of control room operators, dutyholders should
identify the tasks they carry out. For fuel transfer operations, control room operation at a receiving
site typically involves:
interfacing with the planning function (shortly before transfer of a parcel of product);
■
■
agreement in writing for the transfer into specified tanks (the Consignment Transfer
■
■
Agreement, which is discussed in paragraphs 193–206);
preparation for the transfer into the specified tanks;
■
■
direct verbal confirmation, to a specified protocol or procedure, of key details of the transfer,
■
■
and of readiness to start the transfer;
execution of start-up and transfer;
■
■
confirming to the sender that product is going into the correct tank(s);
■
■
monitoring of the transfer, including stock reconciliation at set periods, through manual checks
■
■
or automated systems as appropriate;
handling any disturbances, and taking correct action in response to alarms;
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■
implementing contingency arrangements for abnormal occurrences;
■
■
communication with the sender when critical stages are approaching, such as running tank
■
■
changes, or when there are abnormal circumstances or trips;
communicating with the sender regarding significant changes that may occur during transfer,
■
■
and recording those changes;
providing effective communication at shift handover (if applicable);
■
■
ensuring a safe shutdown at the end of transfer, and confirming to the sender that movement
■
■
has stopped;
communicating/agreeing transfer quantities with the sender;
■
■
conducting/arranging analysis as appropriate.
■
■
55 In practice, those involved in fuel transfers may also have other responsibilities, not specifically
related to fuel transfer, for example: preparation for maintenance, issuing permits to work,
conducting plant checks, security monitoring etc.
56 Organisational arrangements for the transfer of fuel vary considerably from site to site.
The provision of dedicated control room staff, or a combined control room and field operating
function, is likely to depend on the scale and complexity of the plant, as is the provision and level
of supervision. In the storage industry (which is normally only involved with storage and transfers)
it is generally the case that operations are controlled in the field rather than from a control room.
Some receiving sites are unstaffed and controlled from the sending site.
57 However, whatever the make-up of the operating function, the precise roles and
responsibilities of those involved in it need to be clearly defined, either in job descriptions or
elsewhere. It is essential for the identification of training needs, and assurance of competence,
that this should cover each of the above-mentioned phases of fuel transfer operations.
58 Industry guidance on human–computer interfaces (HCIs) (
Process plant control desks utilising
human-computer interfaces
88
) and alarm systems (EEMUA 191
A guide to design, management
and procurement
) also discusses the role of the control room operator, and notes how this
has changed as control systems have developed. This is discussed in ‘Information and system
interfaces for front-line staff’ of this appendix.
59 The main source of guidance on supervision is
Successful health and safety management
HSG65.
89
This establishes the importance of supervision, stating that adequate supervision
complements the provision of information, instruction and training to ensure that the health and
safety policy of an organisation is effectively implemented and developed. Good supervision
regimes can form a powerful part of a proper system of management control. It is for the
dutyholder to decide on the appropriate level of supervision for particular tasks. The level depends
on the risks involved as well as the competence of employees to identify and handle them,
but some supervision of fully competent individuals should always be provided to ensure that
standards are being met consistently.