Moving ahead – launch of BP Bitumen Safety first initiative

Safetyfirst Initiative is some best in class industry practices to help our partners to better understand some of the main hazards associated with Bitumen storage and handling. An ongoing partnership in improved safety management...

“The SafetyFist initiative will introduce a new approach to safety management enabling a value-based dialogue with our customers, working in partnership for bitumen safe handling and storage"”
-Ingeborg Schröder

„We learned from Near Misses and incidents that incorrect handling of bitumen can lead to severe accidents, putting health and life of the people involved at risk", says Ingeborg Schröder, HSSEQ Advisor for BP Bitumen in Germany. Bitumen itself is not classified as hazardous material and is therefore often not considered to be dangerous – a big mistake! The typical handling temperature of around 180 °C alone does pose a threat to everybody dealing with bitumen. „On this account we are launching our SafetyFirst programme which aims to achieve improved safety performance at load locations and asphalt mixing plants. The SafetyFist initiative will introduce a new approach to safety management enabling a value-based dialogue with our customers, working in partnership for bitumen safe handling and storage", Ingeborg Schröder says.

BP Bitumen has a long-standing commitment and ongoing determination to improve safety performance. Notes Laurent Galland, Country Manager BP Bitumen France: „We are indeed committed to providing a safe working environment in all aspects of our business. This includes sharing best practices that help to safeguard our employees, contractors but also our customers."

The Bitumen industry has worked hard at improving safety and has achieved significant results. „But we still need to be more vigilant, we want to ensure that our plant employees - and customer employees as well as third party employees – are sustaining continuous personal development, utilising best practice safety guidelines, actively preventing incidents and more importantly to ensure all staff is working in a safe environment", Laurent Galland adds.

This is why BP has introduced the BP SafetyFirst initiative, based on a DVD which provides some best in class industry practices to help everybody in the industry to better understand some of the main hazards associated with bitumen storage and handling. The experience and knowledge of customers, drivers and employees at the loading and discharging sites were incorporated - Down-to-earth examples for practical use.

The BP SafetyFirst programme takes the viewer through the main processes around loading of bitumen trucks at storage terminals through to how to best discharge trucks into storage tanks at customer mixing plants.

The DVD highlights some of the precautions to take during loading, from the dangers of working at heights and the use of Personal Protective Equipment through to emergency procedures and how to deal with Bitumen burns if the unexpected ever does happen. The DVD also uses custom animations to alert users of some of the hazards that can occur with the storage and handling of hot bitumen. These include preventing storage tank fires, the dangerous combination of mixing water and bitumen, storage tank overflows and the correct Personal Protective Equipment to wear when handling hot bitumen.

The SafetyFirst DVD can be used to provide awareness and training on how to safely manage the risks associated with handling hot Bitumen and is an excellent tool to assist Safety Team meetings or toolbox talks. Different chapters can be chosen directly, enabling a vital, „meeting-the-needs" training which everybody will remember.

It should initiate discussions to implement a more value-based dialogue and will create a partnership in tackling safety performance, setting objectives not just in terms of improved safety but recognizing the extra bottom line value those safe operations bring to the business.

The SafetyFirst programme will introduce a new approach to safety management and help to drive a step change improvement in how we and our customers manage safety within our operations. A safety partnership to deliver change, to really address the issues of achieving zero spillage incidents, to focus on zero injuries and ultimately to add real value to the bitumen and asphalt business.

The SafetyFirst DVD is available as a European version and is presented in multiple languages. To gain insights visit www.bpbitumen.com – a German trailer of the DVD can be watched.

„We hope that customers will find the information in our SafetyFirst initiative of value to their business and to our ongoing partnership in improved safety management", Ingeborg Schröder ends. „If you want to know more about this, then please contact your local BP Bitumen contact."

About BP Bitumen

BP Bitumen is part of the BP Group of companies and markets bitumen for roads and industrial applications around the world. BP Bitumen has a leading role in development, production and marketing of polymer modified bitumen (PMB) and other specialised products. Technical support is one of the key 'enablers'. So is HSSE, customers can call upon best practice advice and guidance from experienced engineers on issues such as correct tank set up and calibration, recommended level measurement systems, correct use of alarm systems and much more practical knowledge and guidance in many areas of bitumen safe handling and storage.

Contact details:

BP Bitumen
E: carole.harscouet@fr.bp.com | dunja.droege@de.bp.com
www.bpbitumen.com