Strengthening workplace safety through capable and effective Site Emergency Response

1. GLNG CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Curtis Island Gladstone Australia
Strengthening workplace safety
through capable and effective
Site Emergency Response

2. Being disconnected from mainland emergency services
agencies meant that the construction project needed
to provide a fully self sufficient 24 hour emergency
and medical response capability on site.
Building an LNG plant offshore from mainland
Australia not only proved to be a huge logistical
challenge, it has also proven to be a significant
safety challenge.

3. The medical services were provided through a private
contractor managed by Construction Site Management.
Doctors, Nurses, Emergency Paramedics and support
staff on 24 hour call worked from two on site fully
equipped medical facilities.
Facing the Challenges

4. The Construction Emergency Response Team (ERT)
consisted of five direct hire personnel, operating 24/7
from a stand alone station fully equipped with fire
appliances, light response vehicles, technical rescue
equipment and breathing apparatus.
Facing the Challenges

5. Under Queensland Government Legislation, the Qld
Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) is the combatant
authority for all emergencies involving fire,
hazardous materials and rescue and where life,
property or the environment are under threat.
Creating the Framework
The Construction ERT aligned their operational
framework with the QFES. This meant that in the event
of a significant emergency incident occurring that
would require QFES involvement on site, the
application of their assistance on scene and the
transition of command and control would have been
seamless and non-problematic.

6. Creating the Team
The Construction ERT consisted of 5 fulltime emergency response
professionals, each with between 15 to 35 years experience working
in Australian Fire and Rescue departments across Australia.
These 5 members made up the original team which consisted of:
• 1 Coordinator / Supervisor
• 1 Team Lead Support / Service Technician
• 3 ERT Team Leaders

7. The 3 ERT Leaders were supported by a team of keen
craft workers, who all worked in different areas and
trades of the construction workforce, working both
day and night shifts. These additional members
assisted in the provision of 24 hour on call coverage.
Creating the Team
In order to maintain a minimum manning model across
the duration of the project a total of seventy (70)
craft direct hire employees were given training in a
broad spectrum of emergency response skills and
knowledge over a three year period.

8. As the plant entered the commissioning phase, risk
modelling identified a need for an increased
emergency response capability to cover the
introduction of flammable fuels and feed gases to the
plant.
To offset this shortfall in coverage an additional
crew of 6 fulltime Emergency Response professionals
were contracted by the customer through a private
company to support the Construction ERT.
Adapting to Developing Risk
These additional crew members were contracted by
the customer but were managed by the Construction
ERT Coordinator under a mutual agreement with the
customer.

9. Starting from Scratch
The majority of the craft ERT had no previous
experience in emergency response so their training
started from the basics.
A lot of commitment and dedication was required to
ensure safety was active from the start.

10. To make sure the project got off to a safe start,
priority was given to building the basics for the craft
team members.
Building the Basics
External training providers were sourced to provide
off-site nationally recognized training in a range of
knowledge and skills areas commensurate with basic
Fire and Rescue operations.

11. Training sessions were either held at the
Construction Fire Station facilities or out on site.
Training on site in the construction zone enabled a
more realistic and rigorous environment for learning
and practice.
Building the Basics
This off-site training was augmented
by continual skills maintenance on-
site through weekly training sessions.

12. Training for craft ERT members was continually
provided in the following fields:
Building the Basics
 Fire Response
 HAZMAT / Chemical Spill Response
 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus
 Road Crash Rescue Response
 Confined Space Entry and Rescue Response
 Safe Work at Heights and High Angle Rescue
 Advanced First Aid and Emergency Care
 Advanced Resuscitation and AED

13. Structural Firefighting, Search and Rescue
On the Site Skills Training

14. On the Site Skills Training
Structural Firefighting, Search and Rescue

15. HAZMAT / Chemical Spill Response
On the Site Skills Training

16. HAZMAT / Chemical Spill Response
On the Site Skills Training

17. Road Crash Rescue Response
On the Site Skills Training

18. Road Crash Rescue Response
On the Site Skills Training

19. Confined Space Rescue
On the Site Skills Training

20. Confined Space Rescue
On the Site Skills Training

21. Work @ Heights and Vertical Rescue
On the Site Skills Training

22. Work @ Heights and Vertical Rescue
On the Site Skills Training

23. Night Shift Training & Rescue Exercises
On the Site Skills Training

24. Structural Collapse
On the Site Skills Training

25. Structural Collapse and Stabilisation
On the Site Skills Training

26. Benefits and Adding Value
By utilizing craft
employees in this
critical function, the
whole project
experienced a higher
level of safety
capability and presence
throughout
construction and
commissioning.
The increased presence of skilled ERT members within
the workplace added to an overall sense of confidence
through the greater workforce.

27. Benefits and Adding Value
By providing Craft ERT with a high level of training
and development, they claimed a sense of ownership
of their position and responsibility to uphold a
higher standard of workplace participation.

28. Benefits and Adding Value
Additional benefits included:
A rapid response to all emergency calls and incidents
on site anywhere, anytime. Average incident data
indicated that a response crew was on the scene in
less than two minutes of a call for assistance.

29. Benefits and Adding Value
A greater control of incidents and a better response
capacity was achieved through early information
collection and incident planning.
Having craft ERT able to respond immediately to the
scene with radio contact to duty crews meant that
ERT and medical teams could receive vital
information prior to arrival and allow for a degree of
pre-planning and a more effective level of action.

30. Of the seventy craft employees that made up the team
during the project, more then thirty of them
completed the training requirements and have been
awarded the nationally recognized qualification:
Certificate III Mines Emergency Response and Rescue.
Since commencing operations, the ERT has:
 Responded to 70+ Emergency calls on site & in camp
 Responded to 470+ Fire alarm activations
 Assisted with 70+ Medical evacuations to mainland
medical facilities
 Assisted to deliver 12000+ New Starter Inductions
 Delivered 3500+ Gas detector training sessions
 Developed over 200 Rescue Plans for high risk works
Accomplishments & Achievements

31. The Construction ERT became a comprehensive
resource that assisted in the planning and
implementation of the project’s Environment, Safety
and Health Management System.
Contributing and Participating
The ERT were:
 Actively engaged in the development and implementation
of the Emergency Preparation & Response Plan (EPRP)
from its inception.
 Proactively engaged with the customer in conducting
risk modelling of critical aspects of commissioning and
start-up procedures and processes.
 Tasked with managing and conducting audits of all site
flammable goods storages, chemical storages and all
portable and fixed fire protection facilities on site.

32. Contact:
Kevin Lucas
Emergency Response Coordinator
Email: kwlucas@Bechtel.com
Cell: +61 413 214 145
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this could work at your project
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