Upper North East IFOA Region and Lower North East … · Document title: Upper North East ... the storage of hazardous substances and wastes ... Kathy Lyons – Senior Manager Stewardship

Document title: Upper North East IFOA Region and Lower North East IFOA Region Pollution Incident Response Management Plan

Version No.: 5 Page: 1 of 12

Document ID (TRIM): D00176995 Issue date: 22nd November 2017 Review date: 22nd November 2018

WARNING: a printed copy of this document may be uncontrolled. Please verify this is the latest version prior to use.

Upper North East IFOA Region and Lower North East IFOA Region

Introduction

The Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment Act 2011 (POELA Act) introduces several

changes to improve the way pollution incidents are reported, managed and communicated to the

general community. The Act includes a requirement to prepare, keep, test and implement a

Pollution Incident Response Management Plan (PIRMP). The specific requirements for PIRMPs are

set out in Part 5.7A of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act (POEO Act) and the

Protection of the Environment Operations (General) Regulation 2009 (POEO(G) Regulation). PIRMPs

must be in place by 1 September 2012.

In summary, the POEO Act requires the following:

• all holders of Environment Protection Licences (EPL) must prepare a PIRMP (section 153A),

• the plan must include the information detailed in the Act (section 153C) and be in the form

required by the POEO (G) Regulation (clause 98B),

• licensees must keep the plan at the premises to which the EPL relates (i.e. Regional offices),

• licensees must test the plan in accordance with the POEO (G) Regulation (clause 98E),

• if a pollution incident occurs in the course of an activity so that material harm to the

environment is caused or threatened, licensees must immediately implement the plan

(section 153F).

Forestry Corporation NSW (FCNSW) is the holder of seven (7) EPLs that apply to each of the Upper

North East, Lower North East, Southern, Eden, Brigalow-Nandewar, South-Western Cypress and

Riverina Red Gum NSW Forest Agreement Regions. The licences authorise and regulate the carrying

out of forestry activities in the native forests of those Regions with the objective of protecting the

aquatic environment from water pollution caused by those activities. FCNSW licences also regulate

the storage of hazardous substances and wastes (machinery fuel and general litter).

Section 98B of the amendment regulation allows for the use of existing emergency plans to meet the

new legislative requirement, so long as the information required to be included in a PIRMP is

identified in the existing document. In the case of hazardous substances, the FCNSW’ Procedure for

the Management of Chemical Spills qualifies as a PIRMP.





Table 1 identifies the relevant information in the Chemical Manual that addresses the general

matters required under Section 98C of the General Regulation where chemicals are the potential

pollutant.

Table 2 addresses the general matters required under Section 98C of the General Regulation where

sediment is the potential pollutant.





Table 1. General matters required under Section 98C of the General Regulation where chemicals are the potential pollutant – Upper North East IFOA Region (Licence No 4017) and Lower North East IFOA Region (Licence No. 3957).

Requirement FCNSW Response

a) an outline of the hazards to human health and the

environment identified at the premises

Refer to Appendix 8 - Commonly used herbicides: health, environment and aquatic risks - in the FCNSW

Manual for the Use of Chemicals.

b) the likelihood of any such hazards occurring,

including details of any conditions or events that

could, or would increase that likelihood

FCNSW’ Risk Register had identified a chemical spill as a potential emergency situation. However, with

proper controls in place, the likelihood of chemical spills or chemical fires occurring that are hazardous to

human health and the environment is unlikely (refer to FCNSW Risk Register for the assessment of

Significant Risk and the FCNSW Manual for the Use of Chemicals for operational controls). The storage, use

and transport of chemicals that occurs contrary to the procedures outlined in the Chemicals Manual could

increase the likelihood for spills or fires that are hazardous to human health and the environment.

c) action that will be taken to control, minimize or

avoid the hazards posed to human health and the

environment

Follow the procedures contained in the FCNSW Manual for the Use of Chemicals.

d) an inventory of potential pollutants at the premises Refer to ChemAlert for an inventory of the chemicals at each premises.

e) the quantity of each potential pollutant at the

premises

Refer to ChemAlert for the quantity of chemicals at each premises.

f) the location of each potential pollutant at the

premises

Coffs Harbour Depot: Hi Tech Drive, Toormina NSW 2452

Casino Depot: Dyraaba Street, Casino NSW 2470

Grafton Depot: Trenayr Road, Junction Hill NSW 2460

Wauchope Regional Office and Depot: Maher Street Wauchope

Kolodong Depot: 78 Hargreaves Drive, Taree

g) the safety equipment and infrastructure to be used

to minimize the risk to human health and the

environment and contain or control the impacts of

a pollution incident

Refer to Appendix 1 - Responding to a Chemical Spill - in the FCNSW Manual for the Use of Chemicals.

h) the names, positions and 24 hour contact detail of

key person(s) who are

Mike Farrow – Senior Manager Production North 0417 182 389

Kathy Lyons – Senior Manager Stewardship 0428 963 561

Karel Zejbrlik – Protection Manager 0427 484 919





1) responsible for and authorized to activate the

plan

2) authorised to liaise with the relevant

authority1

3) responsible for managing the response to a

pollution incident

Craig Busby – Roading Manager 0428 653 438

Dale McLean – Harvesting Manager 0427 458 645

James Jaggers – Operations Planning Manager 0427 264 561

Graeme Sonter – Plantation Manager 0427 254 386

Note the persons responsible for and authorised to activate the plan can delegate responsibility to liaise with

the relevant authority and manage the response.

i) the names and contact details of the owners and

occupiers of premises (including private residences)

in the vicinity of the premises to which the license

relates (or where the activity is carried out)

Use the IndustryView database to identify neighbours/community directly affected by the incident.

j) mechanisms for providing early warnings and

regular updates to owners and occupiers of

premises (including private residences) in the

vicinity of the premises to which the license relates

(or where the activity is carried out)


k) procedures for notification of pollution incidents to

each ‘relevant authority’ as required by s. 148 of

the POEA Act and the procedures for coordinating

the response to any pollution incident with each

relevant authority


l) the actions taken by the license holder (or person

carrying on the activity) following a pollution

incident


1 a relevant authority is a) the appropriate regulatory authority (ARA); (b) the EPA (if not the ARA); (c) the local authority for the area in which the pollution incident occurs (if not the ARA); (d) the Ministry of Health;

(e) the WorkCover Authority; (f) Fire and Rescue NSW.





m) the arrangements for minimising the risk of harm to

people of the premises

Refer to procedures specified in the FCNSW Occupational and Health Safety System and Chapter 11

(Disposal of chemicals and containers), Chapter 12 (Health and Safety) and Chapter 13 (Emergency Situation)

in the FCNSW Manual for the Use of Chemicals.

n) a detailed map of:

1) the premises, and

2) the surrounding area that is likely to be

impacted by any pollution incident


o) a detailed description of how any identified risk to

human health and the environment will be limited,

including as a minimum:

1) early warnings

2) updates

3) actions to be taken, during or immediately

after a pollution incident by the holder of the

licence or the occupier of the relevant

premises to limit the risk of harm to human

health and the environment


p) the training that will be provided to staff to ensure

that they can effectively implement the plan

Refer to Chapter 5 (Training) in the FCNSW Manual for the Use of Chemicals.

q) how the plan will be tested and maintained and the

dates on which the plan is updated

Refer to the Testing Procedure section in Appendix 1 - Responding to a Chemical Spill - of the FCNSW Manual

for the Use of Chemicals.





Table 2. General matters required under Section 98C of the General Regulation where sediment is the potential pollutant – Upper North East IFOA Region (Licence No. 4017) and Lower North East IFOA Region (Licence No. 3957)

Requirement FCNSW Response

a) an outline of the hazards to human health and the

environment identified at the premises

Largely, the hazards to human health from turbid water emanating from a scheduled forestry activity at the

catchment scale are zero and the hazards to the environment are low and transitory. FCNSW’ Risk Register

identifies that harvesting on steep slopes, landslips and bridge collapses upstream of a water supply as

potential emergency situations.

b) the likelihood of any such hazards occurring,

including details of any conditions or events that

could, or would increase that likelihood

The likelihood of significant water turbidity occurring is equal to the likelihood of exceptional

rainfall/flooding events occurring on recently (< 18 months) harvested and roaded areas in the absence of

controls. The conditions or events that could add to the identified likelihood are non-compliance with the

conditions of Environment Protection Licences, and practices outlined in FCNSW’ Forest Engineering

Technical Guidance Notes and Codes of Practice.

c) action that will be taken to control, minimize or

avoid the hazards posed to human health and the

environment

The hazards are minimal and the controls are compliance with the conditions of the Environment Protection

Licences, and practices outlined in FCNSW’ Forest Engineering Technical Guidance Notes and Codes of

Practice.

d) an inventory of potential pollutants at the premises Sediment

e) the quantity of each potential pollutant at the

premises

This is not able to be quantified.

f) the location of each potential pollutant at the

premises

This is not able to be described in a meaningful manner.

g) the safety equipment and infrastructure to be used

to minimize the risk to human health and the

environment and contain or control the impacts of

a pollution incident

The safety equipment and infrastructure to be used will depend on the location and nature of the incident

and will be determined largely by the availability of contract plant and equipment in that locality.

Depending on the scale and location of the incident, containment or control of the impacts should focus on

the stabilisation of the sediment source area/s soon after conditions allow for safe access to the site.

Temporary stabilisation measures must be implemented where it is safe to so until permanent stabilisation

measures can be implemented. Advice must be sought from an engineer or geotechnical expert where the

remediation works require the use of heavy plant.

A site safety plan must also be developed prior to the implementation of any temporary or permanent

stabilisation measures.





h) the names, positions and 24 hour contact detail of

key person(s) who are

1) responsible for and authorized to activate the

plan

2) authorised to liaise with the relevant authority2

3) responsible for managing the response to a

pollution incident

Mike Farrow – Senior Manager Production North 0417 182 389

Kathy Lyons – Senior Manager Stewardship 0428 963 561

Karel Zejbrlik – Protection Manager 0427 484 919

Dean Kearney – Senior Manager Planning 0429 334 709

James Jaggers – Operations Planning Manager 0427 264 561

Craig Busby – Roading Manager 0428 653 438

Dale McLean – Harvesting Manager 0427 458 645

Note the persons responsible for and authorised to activate the plan can delegate responsibility to liaise with

the relevant authority and manage the response.

i) the names and contact details of the owners and

occupiers of premises (including private residences)

in the vicinity of the premises to which the license

relates (or where the activity is carried out)

Use the IndustryView database to identify neighbours/community directly affected by the incident.

j) mechanisms for providing early warnings and

regular updates to owners and occupiers of

premises (including private residences) in the

vicinity of the premises to which the license relates

(or where the activity is carried out)

Use the IndustryView database to identify neighbours/community directly affected by the incident and

notify accordingly once the scale and potential impact of the water pollution incident has been determined

as per the procedure outlined in section (l) below.

k) procedures for notification of pollution incidents to

each ‘relevant authority’ as required by s. 148 of

the POEA Act and the procedures for coordinating

the response to any pollution incident with each

relevant authority

Call the EPA Environment Line on 131 555 or (02) 9995 5555 if from outside NSW.

l) the actions taken by the license holder (or person

carrying on the activity) following a pollution

incident

Identify the following:

• the location of the place where water pollution is causing or threatening material harm to the

environment,

2 a relevant authority is a) the appropriate regulatory authority (ARA); (b) the EPA (if not the ARA); (c) the local authority for the area in which the pollution incident occurs (if not the ARA); (d) the Ministry of Health;

(e) the WorkCover Authority; (f) Fire and Rescue NSW.





• the type of water pollution incident (i.e. collapsed fill batter, slump on a hillslope),

• the estimated quantity or volume of sediment involved,

• the circumstances in which the incident occurred (including the cause of the incident, if known),

• the action taken or proposed to be taken to deal with the incident and any resulting pollution or

threatened pollution,

• the people, property or environmental features that are threatened, and

• the time, date, nature, duration and location of the incident.

m) the arrangements for minimising the risk of harm to

people of the premises

Refer to procedures specified in the FCNSW Occupational and Health Safety System.

In the case of declared emergencies, FCNSW would follow the NSW State Disaster Plan (DISPLAN) or sub-

plans for flood, storm or fire.

n) a detailed map of:

1) the premises, and

2) the surrounding area that is likely to be

impacted by any pollution incident

Produce a 1:25 000 scale map showing the following:

• the location of the incident,

• the area impacted by the incident,

• the location of existing roads,

• the drainage network,

• contours,

• emergency meeting points,

• the location of neighbouring properties showing water supply points, and

• the location of other downstream water supply points likely to be impacted by the incident.

o) a detailed description of how any identified risk to

human health and the environment will be limited,

including as a minimum:

1) early warnings

2) updates

3) actions to be taken, during or immediately

after a pollution incident by the holder of the

licence or the occupier of the relevant

premises to limit the risk of harm to human

health and the environment

Refer to sections (g), (j), (l) and (n) above.





p) the training that will be provided to staff to ensure

that they can effectively implement the plan

Office-based staff will be instructed about the requirements of the Act and Regulation, how to access this

plan and how to implement the requirements of the plan.

q) how the plan will be tested and maintained and the

dates on which the plan is updated

A pollution incident scenario will be run once each year to test the currency and effectiveness of the plan

and the plan will be updated in July each year.





Figure 1.1 – Location map (Coffs Harbour Depot, Toormina)

Figure 1.2 – Location map (Trenayr Office / Depot, Grafton)





Figure 1.3 – Location map (Casino Depot, Casino)

Figure 1.4 – Location map (Wauchope Depot, Wauchope)





Figure 1.5 – Location map (Taree Depot, Taree)

Related Documents

Forestry Corporation NSW’:

• Manual for Use of Chemicals

• Risk Management Guidelines

• Site Safety Plan

• Safety Management System

http://fctrim2.fcnsw.local/webdrawer/webdrawer.dll/webdrawer/rec/139976/view/

http://fctrim2.fcnsw.local/webdrawer/webdrawer.dll/webdrawer/rec/238737/view/

http://fctrim2.fcnsw.local/webdrawer/webdrawer.dll/webdrawer/rec/268838/view

http://fcportal.fcnsw.local/safety/SitePages/Safety%20Management%20System.aspx