OFFSITE EMERGENCY PLAN DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR ERNAKULAM

OFF-SITE EMERGENCY PLAN [DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN] FOR ERNAKULAM DISTRICT

Presentation by K. M. AMANULLA KERALA STATE PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL & B. UMMER Sr. Jt. DIRECTOR OF FACTORIES AND BOILERS

Why off site emergency plans ? Ernakulam District has a number of Chemicals, Petrochemicals and other industries where hazardous materials are handled

Special Issues…. • Very large atmospheric storages of ammonia (5000, 10000 MT with FACT), pressurized storages at FACT (763 MT), chlorine (50 MT at TCCL), 1500 MT LPG at HOCL and KRL. • Active and major chemical port • Southern naval command important military installations • Large number of tankers transporting hazardous chemicals • Highly aware and sensitized population

Fire, Explosion or release of toxic chemicals can affect areas both inside and outside of these industries.

Onsite emergency plans are prepared by the industries for dealing with major accidents on the sites where industrial activities are carried on.

Offsite emergency plan is prepared in anticipation of any such onsite events spreading outside the boundary of the industry.

Experience has shown that preplanned and practiced procedures for handling an emergency can considerably reduce loss of life and minimize damage to property and environment.

Statutory requirements Prepared in January, 1991 by the Crisis Management Committee constituted by the Govt. of Kerala as per G. O (Rt) No. 2482/89/ Home dated 26 th May, 1989 with the District Collector, Ernakulam as chairman.

As per the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989 and The Control of Major Industrial Accident Hazard (Kerala) Rules, 1993[Now amended as Kerala Factories(Major Accident Hazard Control)Rules 2005]

The Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996 notified later by the Central Govt. under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 envisage a 4 tire crisis management set up at the Local, District, State and Central levels

Objectives of the plan. 1. Safe guard lives, property and environment. • 2. To contain the incident and bring it under control. • 3. To restore normalcy.

This is achieved through: Providing information to all concerned on the estimated consequences. Warning and advising people affected. Mobilising on-site resources available in the industry to contain the emergencies.

Calling up assistance from district agencies. Initiating and organizing effective evacuation of affected people. Providing necessary first aid and other medical services.

Collecting data to plan for future course of action. Co-ordinating action taken by various agencies.

The updated offsite emergency plan gives the action plan for the crisis management and specifies the functions of various agencies in the crisis management group.

The plan covers information on: Major Accident Hazard Installations Chemical Data Sheets Roles of service agencies like police, fire service and health services,

Role of Non Governmental Organisations, First aid antidotes, The requirements in transportation of hazardous substances, etc

The offsite emergency plan requires updating at least once in three years or more frequently under the following conditions. • Commissioning of new industries which manufacture, store and handle hazardous chemicals in quantity equal to or more than the threshold quantity prescribed in the rules. • Change of manufacturing processes and capacity increase.

Development of new information and technology in the safety systems and the consequent major changes in the emergency plans of the individual units. Amendment in the statutes.

CONTENTS ACTION PLAN FOR OFF- SITE EMERGENCY IN ERNAKULAM DISTRICT

CONTROL ROOM A twenty four hour working full fledged District Emergency Control Room is to be set up at the Collectorate and till such arrangements, the Control Room at the City Police Commissioner’s Office, High Court Junction, Ernakulam is to be used as control room. The control room of Fire Force Department at club road, Ernakulam is to be used as second stand by.

STRUCTURE The emergency control cell has the following structure • District Emergency Controller (DEC): District Collector • Emergency Coordinators : ADM/CPC/SP(R) / Divisional Fire Officer

ARRANGEMENT / FACILITY The emergency control room has the following arrangement/ facility Duty Operator under 24 hours service. At least two independent telephones so as to ensure the working of minimum one phone.

Wireless communication facility. Wireless equipped vehicle. Copy of off-site emergency plan. List of Telephone numbers, both official and residential, and residential addresses of officials notified in the Action Plan.

The road map of the district clearly showing the location of control room, hazardous industries, schools, police stations, fire stations, other offices etc. Any traffic restrictions on the route are shown with distinct colour code.

Details such as the quantity and location of availability of Medicines for first aid Fire fighting equipment Water sources Chart depicting “Do’s” & “Don’ts” Emergency power generator

OPERATION Once the operator in the control room receives the information regarding the chemical accident he shall immediately get into contact with the On-Site emergency controller or near by Police Station to assess the actual situation and correctness of the news.

On confirmation he shall contact immediately the District Emergency Controller (DEC), the District emergency coordinators and all other service agencies to move over to the situation. The District Emergency Controller and other agencies shall move to the location and take charge of the situation as planned.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF DISTRICT EMERGENCY CONTROLLER (DEC) Immediately on knowing about the emergency, he shall proceed to the site and take charge of the overall control. Depending upon seriousness of the emergency, ensure help from nearby districts. Exercise control of the unaffected areas.

Maintain a continuous monitoring of the situation. Ensure that causalities are receiving adequate attention and relatives are advised through District Information Officer. Ensure availability of funds to meet the contingency.

DUTIES OF EMERGENCY COORDINATORS Immediately on knowing about the emergency, they shall proceed to the site. Assess the magnitude of the situation and decide its line of action. Pending the arrival of District Emergency Controller, assume the duties of his post. Provide advice and information to the service agencies as and when they arrive.

Ensure that the affected persons are evacuated to the relief centres. Report all significant developments to the District Emergency Controller. Provide information in any subsequent enquiry into the cause and circumstances of the emergency. Assess the damages caused in the disaster. Prepare disaster planning sheet.

CONNECTED AGENCIES The duties of the service agencies and other related support agencies are briefly explained below. For further details of service agencies reference shall be made to chapters 3 to 5.

Police Inform other agencies. Provide support to other service agencies. Traffic and mob control.

Arrange for evacuation of people on advice from District Emergency Controller or Emergency Coordinators. Broadcast on advice from District Emergency Controller or Emergency Coordinators.

Fire Service • Fight fire and prevent spread of fire. • Stop gas / chemical leakage. • Rescue and salvage operation. • Assist evacuation.

Medical • First Aid. • Provide proper medical attention to victims during transit to hospital. • Medical treatment of persons affected by the mishap.

SUPPORT AGENCIES Technical: (Joint Director of Factories & Boilers, Chief Environmental Engineer, KSPCB, Controller of Explosives, NEERI etc) Provide necessary technical assistance as required by service agencies to investigate the cause of disaster.

Rehabilitation (ADM, ADC, Tahsildars, Village Officers, District Supply Officer, Corporation Secretary, Municipal Secretaries etc. ) Make arrangements for transport and evacuation. Make arrangements for rehabilitating people evacuated.

Provide emergency measure in the area with necessary facilities. Make arrangements for food, medical & hygiene facilities. Maintain telephone and other communication facilities in efficient working condition.

Support Services [Deputy Director, Home guards, Chief Engineer, KSEB, Chief Engineer, KWA, General Manager BSNL, RTO, DTO, KSRTC, Area Manager, Railways, Doordarshan, AIR etc. ] To provide necessary support services as required by other service agencies

DISASTER PLANNING SHEET A review of the various stages of operation in the case of disaster shall definitely help in containing the disaster of the same nature in future. For this purpose Disaster Planning sheet shall be prepared for each disaster grouped according to the nature of disaster.

The following details are included in the Disaster Planning Sheet. Nature of Disaster/Chemicals involved. Name of the factory. Date and time of occurrence. Area affected.

Brief description of the procedure followed to contain the situation including details of equipment used, evacuation and other allied operations. Whether the situation was contained successfully, if not the reason there of.

If evacuation was done, was it done successfully, if not why? Whether medicines were readily available, if not, note the items for which there was shortage. Whether all the services could be mobilized in time, if not, the reasons thereof.

Whether on-site emergency controller informed the control room in time. Whether the operator was available, if so whether District Emergency Controller and District Emergency Coordinators were informed in time, if not, why? Suggestions.

Mock Drills The emergency plan has to be tested for its efficiency by conducting mock drills Major Mock-Drills were done for ammonia leakage at FACT, LPG fire at KRL

ACTION PLAN FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN ERNAKULAM DISTRICT District Collector/ADM, CPC, SP(R) Divisional Fire officer, Incident Controller of the Factory Commissioner of Police, Kochi city Duties Inform other agencies Provide support to service agencies Control traffic and mob Arrange for evacuation of people on advice from chairman, Divisional Fire Officer Duties District Medical Officer Sr. Joint Director of RTO, KWA, KSEB Factories &Boilers DTO-KSRTC Chief Env: Engg, KSPCB Railways Controller of Explosive Door Darshan NEERI etc AIR Duties Fighting the fire First aid and preventing it Provide Proper Stopping Gas and Medical chemical leakages Attention to to reduce effect of Victims during toxic Transportations gas and fumes Medical Treatment Rescue and of workers salvage and people operations affected Assist evacuations by the mishap Duties Provide necessary Technical Assistance as required by service agencies to investigate the cause of disaster etc Duties Provide necessary support service as required by other service agencies ADM, ADC, Tahsildars Village Officers Sec-Local Bodies Dist Supply Officer Duties Arrange for rehabilitation of evacuees Arrange for food etc Maintain Service facilities and working conditions

INFORMATION SHEETS ON MAJOR HAZARD INSTALLATIONS Detailed information such as process details, quantity of hazardous chemicals medical and fire fighting facilities available, contact numbers of key personnel etc are documented

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Chemical data sheets of all hazardous chemicals stored, handled and transported

Police Services • Duties • Name of Industries under Police Stations

Fire Services Duties List of Fire stations with telephones & facilities

Health Services Duties List of Hospitals with phone numbers & facilities

List of NGOs with contact details First Aid & Antidotes Emergency management during Transport of Hazardous Chemicals

Annexures • Copy of the order from Home Dept • Copy of the letter on the formation of Crisis Group • Telephone numbers of Crisis Group Members • Contact numbers of MAH units in Ernakulam District • Important telephone numbers (Municipalities, Tahsildars, Panchayats, Important Hospitals etc. • Map of Ernakulam District with Road, Rails • Important Technical Actions for fires, toxic releases etc. for major chemicals handled

Thank You