RUBIS - 2019 Universal Registration Document

4 CSR AND NON-FINANCIAL INFORMATION - Limiting our environmental impact and operating in a safe environment

RUBIS TERMINAL: TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS, LET ’S IDENTIFY HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS AND NEAR MISSES The challenge is key: preventing accidents! Among other methods, accident prevention involves the detection and analysis of near misses and hazardous situations to further reduce the risk of accidents. Because there is no such thing as zero risk. Just as we know there is a risk of slipping when we climb out of the bath, employees must be aware of their work environment and any possible risks. This involves, for example, identifying poorly lit areas, slippery floors, tools not securely stowed, etc. Let’s take the example of a hammer placed on top of a cupboard. Should the hammer fall on an operator passing by, the operator would be injured and this would constitute an accident. These incidents are automatically reported and recorded in the statistics. A near miss occurs when the hammer falls without causing any injuries. There may be no consequences this time, but it is still a hazardous situation that could have resulted in an accident. In conclusion, it is better to place the hammer elsewhere, in a safer place. At Rubis Terminal, near misses and hazardous situations are compiled in an international database. Each employee can enter factual information: date, location, description of the situation or details of the near misses, initial ideas to prevent the situation from happening again, etc. Because that is the whole point: these situations must be treated as “accidents” and the causes investigated. The analysis of near misses remains crucial to finding appropriate solutions. Some situations do not generate a material risk and corrective actions can be quickly implemented. Others require more time. Poster campaigns and site visits in pairs have been carried out to encourage employees to report near misses and hazardous situations. This involves all employees, because safety is everyone’s business!

• safety equipment such as gauges, level alarms, fire defenses, gas detection systems, etc.; • routine verification that all substances stored, existing or new, have been covered beforehand by an operating permit if required; • systematic analysis and management of risks identified in the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and systematic training of staff in the handling of any potentially hazardous products; • pursuant to Seveso regulations, a procedure to prevent major accidents on the French facilities involving hazardous substances, supplemented by “Instrumented Risk Control Measures” (IRCMs); • periodic inspection of fire-fighting systems and regular updating of contingency plans, in consultation with local authorities. For example, these systems are tested every year at Rubis Terminal sites.

Hazardous situation

Near miss

Accident

• the option to obtain assistance from specialist companies. Rubis Énergie, for example, has partnered with Oil Spill Response Ltd to receive assistance in the event of maritime pollution at its fuel depots. Rubis Énergie also partners with professional bodies such as the GESIP (Groupe d’Étude de Sécurité des Industries Pétrolières – Group for Safety Research in the Petroleum Industries), the Joint Inspection Group (JIG) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), expert bodies in the area of aviation refueling that provide general operational, training and safety support. At Rubis Terminal, the Seveso-type storage sites in question have both internal and external resources to respond to pollution incidents. For example, specialized companies are contacted to manage any river spills that could be carried along by the current.

Should a major event occur despite the implementation of these rigorous preventive measures, the Group has made provision for: • establishment of a crisis management organization that can be triggered rapidly if there is a major event. For example, the high-risk establishments in question at Rubis Énergie and Rubis Terminal have emergency response plans that aim to bring incidents under control as quickly as possible, using local resources, to guarantee the best possible protection of people and goods. These plans are combined with 24/7 on-call crisis management procedures that may be activated depending on the severity of the event. Lastly, some subsidiaries organize regular training sessions on crisis communications via accident simulation exercises, allowing them to test pre- established communications protocols;

Rubis 2019 Universal Registration Document i 101

Made with FlippingBook HTML5