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Around 160 people came to Basel from all
over Switzerland to attend a full-day information
event, organized by Dräger Safety
Switzerland AG, devoted to the topic of
"Chemical defence: hazards posed by
chemicals at the incident scene". Thanks
to the generous support of the Johnson
Controls AG works fire brigade, the participants
were not only treated to an informative mix of talks, equipment presentations
and experimental lectures, but could also
experience at first hand a simulated
chemical defence operation.
In his brief welcome address at Basel's
Congress Centre, Urs J. Weder, General
Manager of Dräger Safety Switzerland AG,
reminded his expert audience that the
devastation and flooding seen just a short
time previously in the Bernese Oberland,
Central and Eastern Switzerland, and Graubünden,
made it all too obvious once again
that fire brigades are required to do a great
deal more than simply fight fires.
He went on to say that preventing damage
to infrastructure, property and indeed people
caused by unexpected events is often
something which can only be done by fire
brigades and disaster prevention services
at the local level.
This service to the general public, Urs J.
Weder continued, does not always have a
successful outcome. From time to time,
when natural forces are unleashed, they
prove too much to control and bring with
them death and destruction, as was painfully
evident just five days previously when
a landslide occurred in the canton of
Lucerne. Two members of the Entlebuch
Fire Brigade lost their lives in this tragic
natural disaster.
Weder then turned his attention back to
the main topic of the event, which was not
by chance being held in Basel. The reason
behind the venue decision was explained
as follows: "Where else could the subject
of "Chemical defence: hazards posed by
chemicals at the incident scene“ be discussed
more appropriately than in Basel,
the secret capital of the chemicals and
pharmaceuticals industry?“ This fact
notwithstanding, Weder explained, there
is of course a latent potential for danger
anywhere that chemicals are processed,
transported or stored. Operators of such
facilities, he went on, have a duty to take
appropriate precautions to avoid or reduce
damaging emissions in the case of an
accident – something which can never be
entirely ruled out. Besides investing in suitable infrastructural measures, utmost
attention should be paid to the training
and equipment of the (works) fire brigades
which will be called out in the event of an
emergency. This subject would therefore
be dominating the information event.
In closing, Weder expressed his thanks to
Major Jürg Hasler, Chief Fire Officer of the
Johnson Controls AG works fire brigade in
Basel, for his generous support, without
which an event of this type and on this
scale would not have been possible. The
participants then split up into groups to
take part on a rotating basis in the various
modules on offer in the congress centre
and at the chemicals plant. |
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Programme of events
Lieutenant Hans Stettler, laboratory chief in
charge of chemical development at Novartis
Pharma Switzerland AG and measurement
train chief engineer of the Johnson Controls
fire brigade, spoke on the subject of
"Contaminant Measurements in Chemical
Defence". By way of introducing the topic, Stettler described in detail why it is so essential
to have knowledge of the contaminants
released into the environment when
an incident occurs, and their effects, in order
to undertake measurements on the basis of
this knowledge to assess the actual danger
efficiently and, above all, accurately. Important
parameters likewise needing to be given
consideration during a hazard analysis are
the size and type of incident and the meteorological
conditions prevailing in the
region affected.
Wichtige Parameter, die im Rahmen einer Gefährdungsanalyse ebenfalls berücksichtigt werden müssen, seien zudem die Größe und Art des Schadenereignisses sowie die meteorologischen Bedingungen in der betreffenden Region. Gefährdungsanalysen beruhen auf unterschiedlichen Schadstoffausbreitungsmodellen, die alle ihre spezifischen Vor- und Nachteile aufweisen.
Bei Johnson Controls wird das Modell SAFER (computergestütztes Gasausbreitungsmodell mit drei Wetterstationen) eingesetzt. Die Vorteile des mobilen, technisch aufwendigen und deshalb teuren Systems liegen darin, dass
die Modellrechnungen unterschiedliche Quellstärken und Leckagen (z. B. Lachenverdampfung, Kaminabgas, spontane oder kontinuierliche Freisetzung) berücksichtigen können. Zudem werden für eine situative Lagebeurteilung auch die aktuellen Meteo-Verhältnisse sowie die Topographie beachtet. Mit Nachdruck verwies Hans Stettler in seinen Ausführungen allerdings auch darauf, dass eine Schadstoffausbreitungsberechnung keine Messungen ersetzen
könne. Sie zeige aber, wo eine Gefährdung in welchem Ausmaß besteht und wo deshalb Messungen durchgeführt werden müssten.
Für diesen Zweck stehen der so genannten Regio-Messgruppe Basel, einem Notfall-Einsatzelement mehrerer Chemie- und Pharmafirmen aus der Region, eine breite Palette an Messfahrzeugen und Messgeräten zur Verfügung. Das Aufgabenspektrum
der Regio-Messgruppe reicht im Ereignisfall von qualitativen und quantitativen Schadstoffmessungen im MAK-Wert-Bereich über Strahlenschutzaufgaben bis
hin zur Abschätzung von Schadstoffausbreitungen. Hierzu werden gezielt und
systematisch Proben von Gasen, Flüssigkeiten und Feststoffen genommen und die
Messresultate sowie die im Einzelfall getroffenen Maßnahmen minutiös protokolliert.
Diese Dokumentation dient der Einsatzleitung von Betriebswehren für deren Entschlussfassung sowie im Nachgang zu einem Schadenfall zur Rekonstruktion der
Ereignisse. Mit den chemischen und physikalischen Gefahren, die bei Feuerwehreinsätzen auftreten können, beschäftigte sich der mit
viel Spannung erwartete Experimentalvortrag „Feuer und Explosionen“ von Christoph Kaupp, Fachstellenleiter Ereignisbelange bei der Hoffmann-La Roche AG, und von Dr. Klaus Schwenzfeuer, Fachstelle Technische Sicherheit der Hoffmann-La Roche AG.
Mit seinem einleitenden Statement, wonach jeder Feuerwehreinsatz angesichts
der zahlreichen Gefahrstoffe zu Hause sowie am Arbeitsplatz eigentlich ein
Chemiewehreinsatz sei, überraschte Christoph Kaupp das aufmerksame Publikum.
Wichtig sei ihm deshalb, die Bedeutung und Eigenheiten der drei erforderlichen
Grundlagen für das Zustandekommen von Bränden oder Explosionen – nämlich Sauerstoff, Brennstoff und Zündquelle – näher zu beleuchten. Mit Hilfe
einiger verblüffender Experimente verdeutlichte Christoph Kaupp anschließend sein
Votum, wobei die Seminarteilnehmer mehr als einmal froh waren, dass sich seine
Brand-, Explosions- und Flashover-Experimente stets im Rahmen einer sicheren
Übungsanlage abspielten.
Der „Erdung elektrostatisch aufgeladener Objekte“ widmete sich schließlich der
zweite Teil des Experimentalvortrages. |
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Hazard analyses are based on different
models of contaminant distribution, all of
which have certain specific advantages and
disadvantages. At Johnson Controls, the
SAFER model (a computer-assisted gas
distribution model with three weather
stations) is employed. The advantages of
this mobile, technically sophisticated and
expensive system lie in the fact that the
model calculations can take different source
strengths and leaks into account (e.g. puddle
evaporation, chimney fumes, spontaneous
or continuous release). Furthermore, the current meteorological conditions and
details of the local topography are needed
to make a full assessment of the situation.
At the same time, however, Hans Stettler
stressed that a calculation of contaminant
distribution is no substitute for actual
measurements, though it does show where
any risk is present, the extent of this risk,
and where measurements need to be carried
out. To this end, the Basel Region Measurement
Group, an emergency team formed by
a number of local chemicals and pharmaceuticals
firms, is equipped with a wide range of measurement vehicles and measuring
instruments. The group's remit in the
event of an incident covers everything from
qualitative and quantitative contaminant
measurements in the TLV range, to radiation
protection and assessment of contaminant
distribution. This involves systematically
taking samples of gases, liquids and
solids and meticulously recording the
measurement results and any measures
taken in individual cases. This documentation
is then used by company fire brigade
chiefs as a decision-making aid and, in the
follow-up to an incident, to reconstruct
exactly what happened.
The eagerly awaited experimental lecture
entitled "Fire and Explosions", given by
Christoph Kaupp, Head of Event Matters
at Hoffmann-La Roche AG, and Dr. Klaus
Schwenzfeuer of the Technical Safety
Department at Hoffmann-La Roche AG,
concerned itself with the chemical and physical dangers which may occur during
fire fighting operations. Christoph Kaupp's
introductory statement, in which he claimed
that every fire fighting operation can in actual
fact be regarded as a chemical defence
operation on account of the numerous
harmful substances to be found both in the
home and at the workplace, came as quite
a surprise to his attentive audience. He
therefore felt it important to explain in
greater detail the significance and particular
properties of the three prerequisites for a
fire or explosion – namely oxygen, fuel and
source of ignition. Christoph Kaupp then
used some amazing experiments to drive
home his point – more than once the seminar
participants were relieved that his fire,
explosion and flashover experiments were
all conducted within a safe test setting.
Next, the second part of the experimental
lecture focused on "The Earthing of Electrostatically
Charged Objects“. In this section, Dr. Klaus Schwenzfeuer used a variety of
test set-ups to demonstrate the many and
various causes of electrostatic charging of
objects, and their intentional and unintentional
discharge. Much time was devoted to
the subject of "Dissipating Electrostatic
Charge“ during a fire fighting or chemical
defence operation. Many members of the
audience were surprised to learn that electrostatic
charges can be dissipated not only
using the familiar earthing cable, but that
this can also be safely done using alternative
and, in some cases, even rather unconventional
methods and aids. Some
seminar participants may well find that the
knowledge imparted during the "Fire and
Explosions" module will stand them in good
stead in future operations.
With military planning and precision, the
different groups were shuttled by bus
between the various modules in the Basel
Congress Centre and the Klybeck Fire
Station at Johnson Controls AG, where
an information fair awaited them. At four
different stations the professional fire
brigade demonstrated their modern equipment
and how it is used during a chemical
defence operation. |
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Special treatment was given to the subjects
of measurement equipment, special extinguishing
agents, chemical defence material
and decontamination. In addition, Lieutenant
Marcel Scheffbuch followed up by presenting
a video film of the spectrum of activities of the Johnson Controls fire brigade and its
five-phase emergency plan.
After lunch, the participants were again
shuttled back by bus to the Johnson
Controls plant in Klybeck, where around
30 members of the Johnson Controls AG
professional and voluntary fire brigades
were on hand to demonstrate a chemical
defence operation. A shunting accident
involving a rail tanker filled with flammable
solvent and a road tanker was simulated.
To make the exercise as realistic as possible,
personnel went through all the phases of
the emergency plan presented earlier in the
day. Thanks to a running commentary given
by Major Jürg Hasler, the seminar participants, who kept at a safe distance, were
able to follow every detail of the different
phases of the operation. Given the hot
summer weather, some of the audience
were no doubt glad not to have to put on
a chemical protection suit and take part in
the operation themselves. At the end of the
demonstration, which was highly successful
and went off without incident, the applause
from the audience to thank the Johnson
Controls AG fire fighters was warm and
enthusiastic. |
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Conclusion
In short, the Dräger seminar on the subject of "Chemical defence operations: hazards posed
by chemicals at the incident scene“ provided a brief but informative overview of the conditions
which need to be met to allow a chemical defence operation to be handled successfully.
The seminar participants learnt – not only from highly qualified experts, but also
during the course of the experimental lectures – how important it is to have as much knowledge
as possible of the chemical substances, their effects, and potential reactions. Furthermore,
the participants were able to see for themselves during the simulated chemical
defence operation that appropriate and well-practiced operational tactics are essential
in an emergency and, above all, that special equipment and personal protective equipment
needs to be available in good time if the environment and emergency personnel are to be
protected against chemical hazards. These requirements at least would appear to be met by
the fire fighting professionals of the Basel chemicals industry, though let us hope that it is
a long time before they have to be put to the test (again) in a major incident in the region.
The yearly Dräger seminar provides a platform for an interdisciplinary exchange of information
in the area of safety management. |
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René David
Dräger Safety Schweiz AG
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Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA |
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Revalstrasse 1 |
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23560 Luebeck, Germany |
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Tel +49 451 882 0
Fax +49 451 882 2080
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