HSE
HSEP0920 – Oil Management
1
OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................. 4
2
HYDRO LIABILITY FOR OIL ........................................................................................................... 4
3
PCBS .......................................................................................................................................... 4
4
PURCHASING ............................................................................................................................. 4
5
STORAGE ................................................................................................................................... 5
6
USE OF OILS ............................................................................................................................... 6
7
WASTE MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL ....................................................................................... 7
8
ASSISTANCE FOR DETERMINING SITE SPILL / CONTAINMENT CONTROL REQUIREMENTS.............. 9
APPENDIX 1 OIL SPILL MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES........................................................................... 12
9
IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES....................................................................................................... 12
10
MANAGING OIL SPILLS INTO WATER COURSES .......................................................................... 13
11
SITE CLEAN-UP -- LIQUID OIL WASTES ....................................................................................... 14
12
SITE CLEAN-UP -- SOLID OILY WASTES INCLUDING SPADEABLE SLUDGE ..................................... 14
Hydro Tasmania Document
Owner(s): OH&S Manager;
Environment Manager
Approver: Manager – Sustainability and Safety
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Revision Date: 14th May 2012
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Context:
Purpose:
Scope:
Related Documents:
Procedure Outputs:
Training:
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Hydro Tasmania uses various types of oil in generation assets as a part of its operational
activities, such as hydraulic systems in dam gates and riparian valves, turbine and generator
systems, and transformers. In many cases, a hydropower station will have thousands of litres
of oil across a number of assets very close to significant waterways. If spilt, during operation
or maintenance activities, oils can impact the environment, especially if they enter waterways
and impact downstream users.
To provide a procedure for managing environmental risks associated with the purchase,
storage, transport, transfer, use, and disposal of oil.
This procedure applies to Hydro Tasmania staff, contractors, sites, and activities where oil is
purchased, stored, used, transferred, transported, or handled.
ESMS
 EG15 Chemical Management Guidance
 EP11 Emergency Preparedness
 EP16 Resource Use and Waste Management
 EG16 Resource Use and Waste management Guidelines
 EG17 Oil Spill Management Guidelines
 HSEP09 Chemical Management
 HSEP0201 - Legal and Other Requirements
 HSEP0601 -Personnel Competence, Training and Behaviour
 HSEP0301 - Hazard Identification and Risk Management
 HSEP1401 - Incident Management Procedure
 HSEF0921.1 - Chemical Purchase Checklist
 HSEF0921.2 Chemical Storage Transfer Checklist
 HSEF0921.3 - Chemical Transport Checklist
 HSEF0921.4 - Chemical Transfer Checklist
 HSEF0921.5 - Chemical Label
 HSEF0921.6 - Chemical Manifest/Inventory
 HSEF0921.7 - Chemical Use Checklist
 HSER0914.3 - Inventory of PCB Containing Equipment
 HSEEF0920.1 Transfer/Transport of Oil Plan

 Incident management
 HP-0502 Incident notification and reporting.
 HP-053 Personal Protective Equipment
 HG-002 Job safety Analysis
 HP-0706 Emergency Incident Management
 HP-1907 Handling Practices for Chemicals and Hazardous Substances
 HP-1902 Disposal of Scrap, Surplus, and Hazardous Waste
Legal
 National PCB Management Plan
 AS 1940 – The Storage and Handling of Flammable and Combustible Liquids
 Exposure Standards for Atmospheric Contaminants in the Occupational Environment
[NOHSC:3008 (1995)]
 Hazardous Substances Information System (www.nohsc.gov.au/applications/hsis)
 Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995
 Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 1998
 GS AM - 073 - Oil Containment Standard
 Oil loss monitoring registers
 Training records
 Transport plan for oil as identified by risk assessment.
Employees with potential for procurement, use, transport, use, transfer, and disposal of oil,
and their supervisors, are adequately inducted and trained. The training is suitable and
adequate to provide necessary competencies and must include training on PPE and oil spill
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response.
Definitions:
Accountable Person: any person who has control of a workplace or has a responsibility or an
obligation for the health and safety of any person(s) in a workplace or for environmental
impacts of the activities undertaken.
Bund: An embankment, wall, or temporary structure that may form part or the entire
perimeter of a compound, where oil is present in a plant/equipment or stored in a container,
for the purpose of containing any oil spillage so it is not released to the environment.
Chemical Information Service: A Hydro Tasmania computer-based system on Insite that
provides information about chemicals and their management.
MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet. Documents that provide the information necessary for
the safe handling of chemicals including Dangerous Goods and Hazardous Substances.
JSA - Job Safety Analysis: The process used to record hazards, job steps and appropriate
control measures to manage risks. This includes safety, environmental, financial and
production hazards.
Oil: This includes oils such as, but not limited to:
 Insulating oil used because of its insulation or heat transfer properties for the
immersion or filling of high voltage electrical equipment.
 Hydraulic Oil.
 Cable Oil.
 Lubricating Oil.
PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyl): PCBs belong to a group of toxic organochlorines and were
used extensively as fluids in electrical equipment such as transformers and capacitors. They
were also used in pesticides, carbonless copier paper, fluorescent light ballast and other
products. PCBs persist in the environment and accumulate in human and animal tissue.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Any equipment, device or clothing worn by a person to
protect against all variety of hazards which may be found in worksites such as water, noise,
chemicals, falls, lack of oxygen, presence of harmful gases/chemicals, etc.
Responsible Officer: The person appointed as the responsible officer under the Section 10 of
Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995.
Risk Register: A site specific register containing a list of location based hazards, risk levels,
control measures and remedial actions to eliminate or minimise the overall level of safety,
health, and environmental risk.
Spill Control / Containment Structure or Mechanism: A structure or mechanism that is part
of a system designed to contain oil, or any other chemical, that may leak or spill from a
containing vessel. The structure or mechanism may, by itself, represent the entire system of
control or containment or may only be part of a system. These include, but are not limited to:
 Bunds, flame traps, pipelines, tanks, dams, storage areas, spill trays, drains, alarm
alert mechanism, valves and interceptors.
Spill Control / Containment: The act of preventing the loss of material from a container or
plant/equipment to the environment.
Spill Control / Containment System: A single structure or mechanism, or a series of structures
or mechanisms, designed to contain oil, or any other chemical, that may leak or spill from a
containing vessel. A spill control / containment system may incorporate an alarm system for
the purpose of alerting staff about a particular condition.
Transfer and Transport: Transfer is the deliberate moving of oil from one containing vessel to
another, while transport is the movement of oil from one site to another (including non Hydro
sites).
Worksite: Any working area under Hydro Tasmania control.
Defining
The following responsibilities are defined under HSEP0501 - Accountability and Leadership to
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Responsibilities
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ensure appropriate environmental management:
Accountable Person has the responsibility for following this procedure whenever chemicals
are managed or used in the workplace.
Environmental Operations Manager (EOM) has the responsibility for implementation of this
procedure. Also for development of Work place risk registers which include Dangerous Goods
and hazardous substances, for each work site within their area of authority and for
conducting a risk assessment for each job to be done in their area to determine whether work
is to be done using these materials.
Officer has the responsibility to ensure that all persons managing, handling or using chemicals
comply with this procedure and with any work instructions or plans arising out of it.
Project Manager has the responsibility for following this procedure whenever chemicals are
managed or used within the delivery of the project under their control.
Procedure:
Description
1
The key steps for managing oil to minimise the likelihood of harm to people,
environment, plant or production are:
a) Purchasing;
b) Storage;
c) Transfer;
d) Use; and
e) Waste.
2
3
OVERVIEW
Attachment A provides a summary of the key steps.
HYDRO LIABILITY FOR
Hydro Tasmania’s liability in transporting purchased oil to its store or disposal of used /
OIL
waste oil from its sites is governed by the contractual arrangement agreed to by Hydro
Tasmania and the supplier or the purchaser respectively.
PCBS
PCB contaminated oil and soil requires special management to ensure legal compliance
and to minimise health and environmental impacts. Hydro Tasmania must ensure the
National PCB Management Plan is met.
See HSEP0914 - Resource Use and Waste Management for additional information
regarding storage, transport, transfer, and disposal of existing PCB contaminated oil/soil
and cabling.
4
4.1
PURCHASING
Considerations
Purchasing
for The person responsible for acquiring oils shall consider relevant Hydro Tasmania
technical specification standards, if any exist. For example, for transformer oil, it is
document GS-AM-043.
In order to cover environmental issues, you may use the relevant items in Form
HSEF0921.1 - Chemical Purchase Checklist when purchasing oil.
A copy of the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) must be requested from the supplier
when a new type of oil is acquired, i.e. prior to delivery or upon delivery.
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Procedure:
Description
4.2
All oil received from suppliers shall be inspected upon receipt by the accountable person
for their receipt and storage. This inspection includes items in the technical specification
standard, plus the following:
Receipt of Oil
1 Proper oil identification;
2 Condition of containers and numbering;
3 Certification of PCB-free status;
4 Dangerous Goods license requirements;
5 Availability of oils spill kit;
6 What was ordered, was received; and
7 Receipt of supplier’s or manufacturer’s MSDS for new types of oil (if the MSDS is
not currently in the Chemical Information Service, notify the Chemical Advisory
Committee).
4.3
5
If a problem is encountered, the supplier shall be contacted and remedial action
requested.
The correct storage of oils is important to prevent any environmental harm and
safety/health issues. Some oils have the potential to pollute or to present an
environmental risk if not suitably contained and stored.
Storage facilities for oils shall in be in compliance with any requirements of AS 1940 –
The Storage and Handling of Flammable and Combustible Liquids.
Oil inventories shall be maintained at sites where oils are stored. Oils held on-site
should represent the minimal risk practical, while maintaining appropriate levels for
completion of planned work.
Storage of Oils
STORAGE
5.1
Oil Inventories
5.2
Temporary Storage
5.3
Labelling
Containers
For further information in this refer to the Risk Register for the site.
If oils are taken to a site for work and stored temporarily, they shall be bunded (e.g. use
of plastic trays).
of All containers of oils supplied to, used in, or handled in the workplace shall be
appropriately labelled to assist in correct usage e.g. as new oil, used oil, PCB
contaminated oil. Where no label is available, use HSEF0921.5 - Chemical Label. The
MSDS database on the Chemical Information Services webpage on MyHydro provides
facilities for printing suitable chemical labels.
If a container is not labelled correctly, action must be taken to correctly label the
container. If the contents are unknown this shall be clearly stated in the container label
and the container stored in isolation until contents are identified. If the contents cannot
be identified they shall be disposed of in an acceptable manner in consultation with the
environmental regulator.
5.4
Transfer
Transport
Additional guidance for labelling is given in HSEPO921 - Chemical Management.
and Significant environmental risks exist during the transfer and transport of oils, especially
in bulk quantities.

The accountable person responsible for the transport or transfer of oils, especially
when transported in bulk quantities, shall ensure appropriate precautions are taken
prior to and during these operations. Relevant items described on Form HSEF0921.3
- Chemical Transport Checklist, HSEF0920.1 - Oil Transfer and Transport Plan and
HSEF0921.4 - Chemical Transfer Checklist shall be considered.

A transport or transfer plan shall be prepared and implemented to minimise risks.
Guidance for transport and transfer planning is given in HSEP0921 - Chemical
Management. HSEF0920.1 - Oil Transfer and Transport Plan can also be used.
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Procedure:
6
USE OF OILS
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Description
Note: For transfers of small amounts of oil, e.g. less than 20 L, your plan may only need
to address the following:
 Secure drum before transport.
 Use temporary bunding for containment.
 Do not transport with any dangerous goods.
 Ensure oil spill kit is in the vehicle and the driver is competent to use it.
 Assess weather conditions and route requirements where relevant.
Significant environmental risks exist during the use of oils especially if the oil has the
potential to reach waterways.
Key risks include:
 Loss of large volume of oil due to catastrophic failure of assets, e.g. transformers,
governor systems.
 Generation of oil mist from assets.
 Oil spill from assets or container during transfer.
6.1
6.2
To minimise risks, users must assess risks and implement control measures (EMP where
required) in conjunction with the MSDS.
Exposure to Oils
Excessive exposure of personnel to oil mist should be avoided where possible. Where
that is not practicable, exposure needs to be controlled to minimise risks to health of
personnel at site and the environment. Employee exposure to oil mist shall not be
greater than the relevant exposure standards for the relevant periods of time listed in
the Exposure Standards for Atmospheric Contaminants in the Occupational Environment
[NOHSC:3008 (1995)].
Spill Control and Evaluate existing oil spill control and containment systems for their adequacy and
Containment
suitability, including conformance with any relevant regulations, standards, or codes.
Attachment B may be used as a guide, see also GS AM - 073 - Oil Containment Standard.
Power Schemes asset managers may develop asset specific codes to reduce the risk of oil
loss.
Any gaps discovered must be addressed based on risk and legal requirements.
6.3
6.4
All spill control and containment systems must be regularly inspected for condition and
remedial actions taken as necessary to maintain their integrity and functionality.
Additional guidance on oil spill response can be found in EG17 Oil Spill Management
Guidelines.
Safe Work Practices Safe working practices shall be used to manage oil whilst in use. Key steps to be
considered by the individual carrying out the task are:
 Preparation: Identification of hazards/risks and control measures prior to
commencing use of the oil.
 Handling: Implementation of required control measures.
 Clean up: Management of waste.
HSEF0921.7 Chemical Use Checklist provides guidance for documenting work routines,
Job Safety Analyses or Environmental Impact Assessments/Environmental Management
Plans.
Personal Protective Personal protective equipment (PPE) shall be worn when identified by the risk
Equipment
assessment and/or policy. Personal protective equipment should not be used as a
substitute for engineering, work practice, and/or administrative controls. Personal
protective equipment may be used in conjunction with these controls. The chemical
MSDS will assist appropriate selection of PPE.
Refer to Procedure HP-053 Personal Protective Equipment.
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Procedure:
Description
6.5
Spill Management
Training shall be provided on the protective limitations of personal protective
equipment, and on its proper use and maintenance.
Specific guidance on spill management can be found in EG17 Oil Spill Management.
6.6
Monitoring
7
Monitoring of oil loss from assets is required to assist the detection of any oil leakages
into waterways or land. Oil loss registers must be developed and maintained for each
worksite where assets use oil for their operation. This may be part of the oil condition
monitoring program.
Records shall be kept of all monitoring undertaken and shall be accessable to relevant
employees.
WASTE
Waste oil, as well as equipment containing oil (PCB-contaminated), has the potential to
MANAGEMENT AND cause health and safety and/or environmental problems if not managed appropriately.
DISPOSAL
Waste oils are classified as controlled wastes. The requirements for transport and
disposal of controlled wastes are outlined in EP16 Resource Use and Waste
Management.
8
REVISION HISTORY
Revision
Revision
Detailed revision description
number
date
14th May
Document in draft has taken operational control
1
2012
requirements from ESMS procedure EP12
Reviewed by
B. Armstrong
Approved by
Sustainability and
Safety Manager
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Attachment A
OVERVIEW OF OIL MANAGEMENT
CONSIDERATIONS
PURCHASE
OIL
- REQUIREMENTS FOR OIL APPLICATION
- OIL INFORMATION AND PROPERTIES (MSDS)
- QUANTITY REQUIRED
- INCOMING INSPECTION
STORE OIL
- APPROPRIATE STORAGE FACILITIES
- CORRECT STORAGE
- MONITORING / INSPECTION OF STORES
TRANSFER /
TRANSPORT
OIL
USE OIL
WASTE
MANAGEMENT
/ DISPOSAL
- NEED FOR A PLAN
- CONTROLS IN PLACE (SPILL CONTROL)
- MONITORING / INSPECTION OF PROCESS
- PLACARDING AND LABELLING
- CORRECT OIL FOR THE JOB
- CORRECT USE
- CONTROLS IN PLACE (SPILL CONTROL)
- MONITOR LOSS OF OIL FROM ASSETS
- RESOURCE USE / GENERATION OF WASTE
- COLLECTION AND STORAGE OF WASTE
- DISPOSAL METHOD
- TRANSFER / TRANSPORT OF WASTE
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9
ASSISTANCE FOR DETERMINING SITE SPILL / CONTAINMENT CONTROL REQUIREMENTS
NOTE: This Attachment outlines Spill / Containment Control Requirements against which each site evaluates their
present situation. This Attachment was primarily obtained from AS 1940, and may not contain all information
necessary for a complete evaluation. Refer also to the GS AM - 073 - Oil Containment Standard. EOMs and/or their
delegates are to use additional information, if necessary, to assess whether sites meet all requirements for spill control
and containment.
9.1
Spill / Containment Control Specifications
9.1.1
Bulk Storage
For bulk storage the following is required:
a) A spill collection bund must be provided for all liquid dangerous goods stored in bulk.
b) For Class 3 dangerous goods (flammable liquids) and combustible liquids, the bund must comply with the
requirements of AS 1940. See Section 9.2 for more detail.
c) For liquid dangerous goods other than Class 3 and combustible liquids, the spill collection bund:
i) must be capable of containing 100% of the largest package or tank (however it is recommended that a
figure of 110% is used to accommodate any stormwater), and
ii) may form part of the storage room or space or may be separate, and
iii) must be constructed of materials that are impervious to the dangerous goods it contains.
d) Separate bunds must be provided for dangerous goods that are incompatible.
9.1.2
Package Storage -- Substances with Quantities above Licensing Requirements
Spill collection bunds are necessary for all liquid chemicals in quantities above licensing requirements that are classed
as dangerous goods. The spill collection bund complies with the following:
a) Class 3 dangerous goods with AS 1940.
b) In any other case comply with AS 1940.
c) In all cases, be made of materials that are impervious to any dangerous goods the bund is to
contain.
Separate bunds are required for liquid chemicals that are incompatible.
NOTE: Storm water control must be adequate so that contaminated water does not leave the site.
9.1.3
Package Storage -- Substances with Quantities less than Licensing Requirements
Spill control is necessary for all liquids classed as dangerous goods. This may be a mechanism such as drip trays, floor
sumps, traps, absorbents, or similar containment control. However, the mechanism used must be made from material
that is not subject to attack by the substance being contained.
For liquids that are not classed as dangerous goods, but in a spill situation could invoke significant response, then spill
control should be in place for these substances, e.g., water-based paint.
9.2
Bunds and Compounds for Substances Covered by AS 1940
9.2.1
Provision
A compound shall be provided for any above-ground tank irrespective of the class of liquid, except where the quantity
is within the limits specified as minor storage in the following table (excerpts From Table 2.1 of AS 1940 -- see AS 1940
for more detail):
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LOCATION
Factories, workshops, inside and either
a) in attached outhouses or sheds if separated by a
partition having an FRL of 60/60/60; or
b) outside, or in a detached shed or outhouse
separated from the factory or workshop by at
least 1 m
Shops
Warehouses
Open Land -- outdoors above ground
Open Land -- underground tanks
CLASS OF LIQUID
FLAMMABLE
PG I OR PG II
PG III
250 L
500 L
250 L
500 L
MANUFACCOMBUSTIBLE
C1, C2
2,000 L
2,500 L
1,400 in tanks
5,000 L
not over 700 L
each
As for factories and workshops (above) but no
container for PG I or PG II liquid may exceed 20 L
capacity
As for factories and workshops (above) but no
container for PG I or PG II liquid may exceed 60 L
capacity
5,000 L
5,000 L
10,000 L
5,000 L
10,000 L
10,000 L
TURED
PRODUCTS
2,000 L
250 L
Flammable
products:
10,000 L,
of which no
more than
2,000 L are PG II
as for
shops
9.2.2
Capacity
The net capacity of a compound shall be at least the capacity of the largest tank.
NOTE: It is recommended that a figure of 110% is used to accommodate any stormwater.
9.2.3
Design and Construction (excerpts from AS 1940)
A compound shall comply with the following requirements:
 It shall be sufficiently impervious to retain spillage and enable recovery of any such spillage.
 Any bund shall be designed to withstand the hydrostatic head when full.
 Any earthen wall 1 m or more in height shall have a flat section at the top at least 600 mm wide.
 The slope of any earthen wall shall be consistent with the angle of the repose of the material from which the wall
is constructed.
 A bund shall not be higher than 1.5 m above interior grade unless means for safe and rapid entry and exit are
provided.
 Any pipe that passes through a bund shall be designed to prevent excessive stresses as a result of settlement or
expansion resulting from fire exposure. The joint between the pipe and the bund shall be sealed to prevent
leakage.
 The location of a bund relative to the closest tank shall be such that the top inside edge of the bund is not inside
the crest locus limit specified in Figure 5.2 of AS 1940, except where it can be demonstrated that a reduced
distance would be acceptable because of viscosity or other considerations.
 Where flammable liquids are stored, the distance from the top inside of the bund to protected works or on-site
facilities shall be at least one-half of the specified separation distance shown in Table 5.4 of AS 1940 or 15 m,
whichever is the lesser.
NOTES:
 It is preferable to have moderately high bunds, rather than shallow bunds, so as to minimise the area of fuel
burning in the event of a fire.
 Consideration should be given to access between groups of bunded areas for emergency vehicle access.
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9.2.4
Compound Drainage for Substances Covered by AS 1940 (Except as covered by Note)
A compound shall be drained in accordance with the following requirements:
NOTE: The requirements below when applied to electrical equipment, which in normal operation use combustible
mineral oil as an insulating and cooling medium, are amended as per AS 1940 Appendix C. These amendments are
described in section 9.2.5.
a) The drainage provision shall slope away from any tank to a sump that is in turn drained from the lowest
practicable level either by gravity or by pumping. In the former case, a manually controlled normallyclosed valve shall be provided; in the latter case, the pump shall be manually controlled.
b) The drain from one compound discharge shall not drain into another, except that subdivisions within
compounds may be interconnected if arranged to have individual isolating valves.
c) Any valve controlling the drainage from a compound shall be located outside the bund except for valves
for intermediate sub compounds. The valve shall be of a type in which the distinction between the open
and shut positions is obvious, and shall incorporate a provision to be locked shut when not actually
draining.
NOTE: Any compound drain valve shall be kept closed and locked except during supervised drainage. A
notice shall be placed adjacent to the valve displaying the following, BUND DRAIN VALVE TO BE KEPT
CLOSED AND LOCKED in letters 50 mm high (black on white background).
d) The discharge from any sump that could contain flammable or combustible liquid shall be through an
interceptor appropriate to the product, readily accessible for inspection, located outside the compound,
and designed to prevent the discharge of flammable or combustible liquids to any natural watercourse,
public sewer or drain.
e) The design capacity of any drainage system shall be at least the rate of supply of emergency water within
the compound as provided in Appendix E of AS 1940.
f) Drains should have liquid seals where appropriate to prevent the spread of fire through a drainage
system.
g) A tank or compound used for the retention of spillage, with or without water, shall be constructed and
located in a similar manner to the tanks and compounds used for storage.
9.2.5
Equipment in Use (from AS 1940, Appendix C)
AS 1940 relates specifically to storage systems and does not apply generally to electrical equipment which in normal
operation uses combustible mineral oil as an insulating and cooling medium. However the requirements of AS 1940
regarding the containment of liquid spills do apply in principle, since large volumes of oil can be involved.
Accordingly, electrical equipment filled with combustible oil shall comply generally with the requirements of AS 1940,
Clause 5.9, Bunds and Compounds, amended as follows:
C1 SPILL CONTAINMENT Spill containment may be in the form of a tank, pond, or other storage and shall:
a) have a capacity not less than that of the largest single unit draining to it; and
b) be equipped with underflow discharge.
C2 COMPOUND DRAINAGE (Refer to Clause 5.9.6 in AS 1940) Bunds may have continuous drainage in which case
draining shall be via a flame trap or traps to an oil spill containment facility.
C3 AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT Instrument transformers, circuit breakers, and similar items in outdoor switchyards are
exempted from compliance.
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APPENDIX 1 OIL SPILL MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
Table of Contents
Purpose:
Scope:
Related Documents:
Definitions:
1. Identification of Issues
12
2. Managing Oil Spills into Water Courses 13
3. Site Clean-up -- Liquid Oil Wastes 14
4. Site Clean-up -- Solid Oily Wastes including Spadeable Sludge
14
To provide guidance on how to manage oil spills, including wastes generated in spill combat,
to ensure that risk to our employees, other persons, and the environment is minimised.
This guideline covers spills from all assets containing oil, either in use, storage or as waste
(solid and liquid), including:
a) Transformers
b) Switch gear
c) Reactors
d) Holding Tanks (Portable and Fixed)
e) Drums, etc.
f) Tankers.



HSEP1401 - Incident Management Procedure
HSEEP1201 - Emergency Preparedness
HSEP1602 - Non-Conformance and Improvements
OIL: This includes oils such as, but not limited to:
f) Insulating oil used because of its insulation or heat transfer properties for the
immersion or filling of high voltage electrical equipment.
g) Hydraulic Oil.
h) Cable Oil.
i) Lubricating Oil.
j) Diesel.
OIL SPILL: Any uncontrolled/unplanned escape of oil, in any quantity, from its respective
containing vessel.
Personnel handling oil shall be aware of the basic oil spill management requirements. These are:
 Prevent oils spills from entering waterways.
 Protect yourself and the environment if a spill occurs.
 Control the spill, contain it, and arrange clean up.
 Where necessary, warn others nearby and call for help. This may require calling emergency services if the
situation gets out of control.
 Ensure that the incident is reported to your supervisor.
 Cleanup as required.
10
IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES
Issues affecting a problem can comprise a wide diversity of factors, including:
a) Is area affected by the spill properly bunded and can the soundness of the bunding be guaranteed?
b) Is the oil spilt PCB contaminated, and if so, to what degree?
c) On estimate, how much has been spilt?
d) What are the acute (short term) and chronic (long term) effects of the spill?
e) Is the spill in the close proximity to water-ways, drains, open culverts, crown land, council or private property?
f) Are emergency response, oil spill clean-up equipment facilities available on site? If not, how long before they
can be made available?
g) What internal Hydro Tasmania and external resources exist or need to be arranged to assist with the clean-up of
the spill?
h) Have all relevant authorities been notified, advised of the spill, etc?
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11
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MANAGING OIL SPILLS INTO WATER COURSES
11.1
General
Each oil spill is a unique event, so there may be no single method that may be applied. Different parts of the same spill
may require different treatment. The basic principle is to pick up as much oil as possible in a form from which it can be
recovered or disposed of as quickly and safely as possible. This probably involves confinement, recovery, removal,
transportation, and disposal.
Fast action is required to stop the flow of oil and limit the oil movement. The oil should be confined by a series of dams
and booms and removed. The majority of oil should be removed by a suction or skimming device. For removal of very
thin oil slicks, sorbents should be used.
11.2
Confinement of Oil that has Spilled into a Water Course
11.2.1 Oil Properties
If oil has travelled over ground before entering a water course, the material that finally enters the water is probably
contaminated with silty sediments. This is particularly true in warmer weather when more evaporation occurs. This
increases the density of the oil so that it may not rise immediately to the water surface. In this case, a longer time is
needed to keep the oil/water mixture relatively calm to enable the oil to separate and float to the surface for collection.
11.2.2 Factors to Consider in Erecting Barriers
Shallow or turbulent water courses should be dammed, if possible, not only to provide sufficient time for the oil to
separate in calm water, but also to provide sufficient depth to allow a containment boom of device, and/or a skimmer
to operate.
The depth of the water and the height of the adjacent banks should be considered, along with the stream velocity,
when selecting the best method of damming. Care should also be taken to ensure that the dam location provides
sufficient access to construct and service any installation. Thought should also be given to environmental effects that
may occur from oil recovery operations e.g. site oil storage tanks, flora and fauna, transport considerations.
If a large quantity of oil is spilled, particularly on fast-flowing water, more than one barrier may be necessary. Oil
escaping from one barrier can then be stopped by a subsequent one. The distance between them should allow
sufficient time for the oil droplets to float to the water surface before they reach the next dam or boom. A minimum of
five metres may be used as a guideline, but the optimal distance for a given situation should be determined by
experiment and observation of the stream velocity. If commercially fabricated barriers are not available, easily
constructed barriers that can be made from readily available materials should be considered.
11.2.3 Types of Confinement Mechanisms
a) Dams and Weirs
Important points:
i)
Scout for potential sites beforehand.
ii)
Shallow water courses should be contained by weir or dams
iii)
Provision must be made for stream flow.
iv)
Always place containment structure(s) in accessible site.
v)
Check on environmental effects of containment backwater.
vi)
Use weir / barrier combinations if required.
Different types:
i)
Earth dam -- made of earth or sand for use on small water courses.
ii)
Dam with water discharge.
iii)
Inclined pipe dam.
iv)
Gutter or spoon drain dam.
v)
Spade dam.
vi)
Straw barrier
vii)
Weir and oil-retaining barrier.
viii) Net barrier.
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b) Floating Booms. A floating boom is composed of a vertical barrier floating so that it extends above and below the
water surface. Buoyancy is provided by separate floats, or a buoyancy section made as an integral part of the boom.
There are generally two types of booms in general use:
i)
Fence booms have a rigid or semi-rigid material as a vertical screen against oil floating on the water.
ii)
Curtain booms have a flexible skirt that is held down by ballasting weights or separate tension line.
11.3
Recovery of Oil that has Spilled into a Water Course
11.3.1 Sorbents
Sorbents are used to immobilise oil, so enabling the oil to be lifted from the water surface. Sorbent retrieval usually
requires more effort than recovery by skimmers. It is recommended that sorbents be confined to second-stage cleanup operations (e.g. following a first-stage skimmer operation) or relatively small spills. Disposal of large quantities of
contaminated sorbents may present problems.
11.3.2 Skimming Devices
The objective of a skimming device is to pick up oil from the water surface, ideally with as little water as possible.
Devices that achieve this reduce the necessity for subsequent oil/water separation operations, and thus reduce the
amount of temporary storage facilities required. In additional, transportation and disposal of the collected liquid is
simplified, and often less expensive.
Types of common skimmers in use include:
a) Suction skimmers.
b) Weir skimmers and floating weir skimmers.
c) Disc skimmers.
d) Sorption skimmers.
12
SITE CLEAN-UP -- LIQUID OIL WASTES
12.1
Possible Contamination of Spilled Oil
Waste oil that has been collected in the combat operation may be contaminated by PCB, water, solids (soil, vegetation,
absorbent materials, etc). Before further processing of the oil, the presence of PCBs must be determined, if not known.
12.2
If PCB status of Spilled Oil is Unknown
If PCB status of spilled oil is unknown, the accountable person takes a sample, and sends the sample to a NATA
approved laboratory for testing
12.3
If Spilled Oil is PCB Contaminated
The oil is managed and disposed of in accordance with this procedure
12.4
If Spilled Oil is not PCB Contaminated
The oil is pumped into a “Contaminated Oil” drum, and a “Contaminated Oil” label is filled out and placed on the drum.
The oil is then stored until ready for disposal, and disposed of using an approved method. If drums are not available at
the site, or not appropriate, an alternative container (e.g. tanker) may be used. Large quantities of oily water may be
more appropriately pumped into a tanker.
13
SITE CLEAN-UP -- SOLID OILY WASTES INCLUDING SPADEABLE SLUDGE
13.1
Materials Clean-up
Following oil spill incident control, the task is then to initiate clean-up of all solid oily wastes and restoration of the
affected site. It is conceivable that the restoration of site could take some considerable time. Consequently it is
important to ensure that all relevant staff and authorities are kept fully informed of progress as necessary or agreed.
13.2
Oily Waste (Solids)
Oily waste is defined as solid materials that contain oil as a result of the spill and/or clean-up operation. Such materials
can include:
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a) Personal protective equipment e.g. disposable overalls.
b) General clean-up materials such as oily rags, blotter pads, filter pads, oil absorbent products 'Kitty Litter',
'Chem-oil-Away', 'Polypropylene’ and Peat based oil booms, and bilge socks.
c) Contaminated soil.
13.3
Preparation for Disposal of Oily Waste (Solids)
The process to be followed is:
a) All materials generated in a clean-up involving oil are placed in plastic garbage bags or plastic-lined bins.
b) Where possible and appropriate, the bags are placed in metal drums fitted with resealable lids.
c) Each plastic bag, the drums or bins have tags affixed identifying contents of the bag or are identified by
another legible marking.
d) Where large volumes of, for example, contaminated soil are involved these should be left in place or
stockpiled in a safe storage location until oil content is known and Environment Protection Authority and
council approval is obtained for off site disposal.
The contents of such bags, drums, or bins remain in a safe storage location until oil and PCB content are determined.
13.4
Determining Oil and PCB Content of Solid Waste
To determine the oil content and PCB concentration of solid waste, three things need to be known.
a) The volume of oil lost.
b) The mass of waste material.
c) The concentration of PCB in the oil.
13.4.1 Determining Oil Content
Oil content is calculated as follows:
a) Determine the mass of oil lost. Oil density is approximately 0.9 kg/l.
b) Determine the mass of the soil. Soil has a density ranging from 1.6 to 2.3 tonnes/m 3 depending on type.
If in doubt, use 2.0 tonnes/m3 as an average.
c) Divide the mass of lost oil (kg) by the mass of the waste (oil+soil in kg) to obtain a percentage of oil in the
waste.
NOTE: If exact weights cannot be determined, sensible estimates may be used.
13.4.2 Determining PCB Concentration
PCB concentration (expressed as in mg/kg) is obtained from test records. This concentration is then multiplied by the
number of kg of spilt oil to obtain the mass of PCB present in the waste. This number is then divided by the number of
kg of total waste (oil+soil). The result is the concentration of PCB in the waste material expressed as mg/kg.
If PCB concentration is not known, a sample is taken and sent to a NATA approved laboratory for testing. Disposal
method cannot be determined until the results of these tests are received. Refer to this procedure for more
information on PCB management.
13.4.3 Determining Disposal Method
It is important to note that any and all of these materials should not contain oil greater than one percent (1%) by
weight or greater than 1 or 2 mg/kg PCB. If waste does not contain oil greater than one percent (1%) by weight or
greater than 1 or 2 mg/kg PCB, see Section 13.5. If not see the notes below.
NOTE 1: If the oily wastes do contain oil greater than one percent (1%) by weight or greater than 2 mg/kg PCB, then
they must be disposed of using an approved method.
NOTE 2: Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for the Assessment and Management of Contaminated Sites, ANZECC
and NHMRC, refer to 1 mg/kg PCB, whereas the Polychlorinated Biphenyls Management Plan (current edition
2003), refers to 2 mg/kg PCB.
13.5
Sites for Disposal of Oily Waste Materials (Solid)
NOTE: No liquid oil waste is to be disposed of at any land fill Waste Disposal Site.
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Environment Protection Authority has approved the disposal of solid Oily Wastes at particular Waste Disposal Sites with
prior consent from the relevant Councils, providing the following criteria are adopted.
13.5.1 General Conditions:
a) Oily wastes (solids) are to be transported to the site in plastic bags of the 'Garbage Bin' variety that are sufficiently
strong enough to contain the materials, or in plastic-lined bins. If garbage bags are used, such bags should not be
filled to the point of being 'overfull'.
b) Any Waste Contractor (e.g., Collex), carting the solid oily wastes must use a vehicle that is licensed by the
Environment Protection Authority to cart hazardous waste.
c) The different councils may require further information and may even impose restrictions on disposal when
information is insufficient to meet their requirements. Consequently all information regarding contents of 'disposal
bags' must be fully documented to meet such eventualities.
d) When Hydro Tasmania personnel take material directly to a waste disposal site, the relevant Council Officers are to
be contacted directly by such staff.
Larger volumes of contaminated soil will require specific disposal approval from Environment Protection Authority and
the Council controlling the disposal site.
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