June 2009
News Update
CROIERG TRAINING COURSE IN "FUEL TRANSPORTATION, EMERGENCY PLANNING & RESPONSE"
Members are reminded that the starting date for the July CROIERG Training
Project Course is July 20th
Dates for the training sessions are: -
-
July 20th
-
August 17th
-
September 14th
-
November 16th
This is 3-day course at a cost of $1,500 +GST per participant
Booking are to be made direct to the course providers Transport
Industries Skills Centre (TISC) and then training will be conducted at
their training complex on the Sutton Road, Canberra.
Contact Number (02) 6297 7187
Email: - office@suttonroad.com.au
At the end of this specialised Stage 1 training course you will be able
to:-
-
Analyse a petroleum fuel transport emergency incident
-
Provide information about hazards and harmful effects of petroleum
products
-
Understand what emergency arrangements will apply to an incident
-
Understand how the incident management system operates at the incident
site
-
Manage information flows, solve problems and make tactical decisions
-
Identify possible initial response actions and develop an incident plan
-
Prepare a Transport Emergency Response Plan (TERP)
-
Design a small scale exercise to test elements of a TERP
-
Train staff and contractors about their emergency management roles and
responsibilities
Members are also advised that the New South Wales Regulations in regard
to ADG7 have been in place since May 1st
Training is an essential ingredient of emergency planning and response
and a mandatory requirement of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code and
applicable State legislation.
The emergency services have responsibility for incident response and
industry has a duty to ensure that any people attending are trained to be
able to work together with the emergency services in providing a
co-ordinated response.
The CROIERG Training Course has national accreditation and is competency
based.
Any queries to the CROIERG Secretary
Brian O'Connor
Ph: (02) 6226 1752 Mob. 0428 627 777
Fax: - (02) 6226 1643
Email: - eejoconn@bigpond.net.au
For a brochure on the training course go to: -
[Brochure on the CROIERG Training Course pdf]
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COMMITTEE MEETING ON JUNE 18TH
The CROIERG Committee will be meeting in Yass on Thursday June 18th
Members with items for consideration should contact the Secretary
Phone:- 0428 627 777 (02) 6226 1752
Fax (02) 6226 1643
Email: - eejoconn@bigpond.net.au
Mail: PO Box 362 Yass NSW 2582
TRAILER LOCATIONS (Change in Albury-Wodonga Area)
Members have been advised by email of the change in trailer location for
the CROIERG Spill Response Trailer in the Albury-Wodonga area.
The trailer is now located at: -
Ron Finemore Transport P/L
186 Sangsters Road, Wodonga Victoria
This is a 24-hour facility and the people at the gate have the criteria
for member access to the trailer, which is located in the CROIERG secure
container.
Members have been advised of the new contact details.
Anyone with any queries please contact the Secretary
TRAINING IN SYDNEY WITH CROIERG ROLLOVER TANKER TRAINING UNIT
LINFOX Transport conducted an emergency exercise in Sydney on May
20th using the CROIERG Rollover Tanker Training Unit.
The exercise was held with the co-operation of the NSW Fire Brigades who
had several pumper crews, including their HAZMAT people, in attendance.
Harry Elvin, Contract Manager for LINFOX, was delighted with the large
number of fire crew (25) who attended and their professional approach to
learning more about road tankers.
CROIERG member Transpacific Industries P/L brought along some of their
specialised product recovery vehicles for the day to demonstrate their
response capabilities.
CROIERG members ISS First Response, Mobil Oil Australia and Caltex
Australia Petroleum also had representatives in attendance

Hole cutting training

NSW Fire Brigades at Training Session

NSWFB training with CROIERG Unit
Training in tanker technology
CROIERG SPILL RESPONSE TRAILER No. 24 READY FOR DEPLOYMENT TO MELBOURNE
Trailer Unit No. 24 is ready for deployment and the final details will be
presented to the CROIERG Committee at the meeting on June 18th
It is proposed that this trailer be located in Melbourne at Derrimut
(Laverton Road) As soon as all the details are finalised members will be
notified and the trailer delivered.
PICK-UP RUNS UNDER GAS TANKER IN FLORIDA
May 1, 2009 Charlotte Florida
Traffic is still moving slowly on Interstate-75 near Punta Gorda,
following a collision between a gas tanker truck and a pick-up truck.

Pickup under tanker
Both lanes on the highway are now open to traffic, but cars were backed
up about eight miles north of the accident to North Port.
The 19-year old driver of the pick-up ran into the side of the tanker and
was swept underneath it, according to a press release for the Charlotte
County Sheriff’s Office. The pick-up was dragged beneath the tanker for
about 300 feet. No injuries were reported.
The crash was forceful enough, however, to cause a small leak of diesel
fuel that was cleaned by hazardous materials crews.
Another tanker arrived at the scene to transfer 9,300 gallons of liquid
propane.
Source
www.heraldtribune.com
Video of this incident
TANKER UNIT SNAPS ENTERING SERVICE STATION IN NEW ZEALAND
11 May 2009. Gisborne New Zealand
A petrol tanker carrying 36,000 litres of fuel was stopped in
its tracks at the station's entrance yesterday in what has been
described as "unusual" and "lucky"
circumstances.
The tanker's tractor unit chassis snapped as the heavy vehicle
made its way into the Gladstone Road petrol station, lifting the
front wheels off the ground.
A road block was set up between Cobden and Derby Streets from about
9.30am. Traffic was diverted to Childers and Palmerston Roads.
The 14-wheeler blocked off Gladstone Road for most of the day as
emergency services worked to fix the situation.
Customers were still able to access the nearby supermarket and the
petrol station forecourt through the side entrance off Cobden
Street.
Gisborne senior fire station officer Pat Hagen said the break-down
was an unusual callout and the driver was very lucky to not have
had the chassis snap while he was driving somewhere like the
Waioeka Gorge.
"The truck broke on the footpath and the tanker was right
across the road," Mr Hagen said.
"Wheels were off the ground and nothing could be moved until
we could get two cranes to stabilise it."
One crane was used to stabilise the cab and one stabilised the
tanker unit.
Another tanker was called from Tauranga because it was expected
that the fuel would be decanted into it. However, that tanker was
later put on standby.
Instead, firefighters helped to make up extra long lengths of fuel
line, so the fuel could be decanted directly into the petrol
station.
"That was what took a lot of time," Mr Hagen said. The
lines were about 20 metres long.
"We were there till about 4.30pm decanting, then we had to
lift the tanker off and get it sorted."
The tanker from Tauranga helped to move the emptied tanker while
the cab was taken for inspection by road transport authorities.
"Most of the day was about keeping the scene safe and the
public away until we could get that fuel where it needed to
go," Mr Hagen said.
Source.www.gisborneherald.co.nz
OPERATION TO PULL FUEL TANKER TRUCK FROM OCEAN FLOOR.
May 4, 2009 Victoria CANADA -- Almost two years after a barge tipped 11
pieces of equipment into the waters of B.C.'s Robson Bight ecological
reserve, an operation will start this month to recover a fully laden fuel
truck and a container of hydraulic oil barrels.
Guide wires connected to heavy weights and underwater robots will help
guide metal casings over the two pieces of equipment sitting on the ocean
floor to try to minimize any possible oil spills, said Bas Coppes,
project manager for Mammoet Salvage B.V., based in the Netherlands.
Coppes expects the oil will remain contained during the operation, but
said the casings will protect against spills.
''Diesel is lighter than water, so in case there's a crack in the
tank, the diesel will be contained in the box,'' he said.
An underwater video, taken in December 2007, showed the tanker truck,
which sank in 350 metres of water, is intact. Coppes said he'd be
surprised if that has changed.
Environmentalists and residents around the Alert Bay area are keeping
their fingers crossed that no oil seeps out and that the threatened
northern resident killer whales, which use Robson Bight for feeding and
rubbing themselves on pebble beaches, stay away. Source www.canada.com
BLAZING FUEL TANKER IN HIGHWAY CHAOS IN QUEENSLAND
May 14, 2009 Stanthorpe Queensland.
JUST moments after an oil tanker passed Ballandean State School south of
Stanthorpe yesterday it burst into flames - spilling oil across both
lanes of the New England Highway
Six fire service crews who arrived at the scene at 10.50am spent the next
five hours extinguishing the flames and monitoring the scene, closing the
busy stretch of highway.
Police set out a 500m buffer around the accident and directed traffic to
Fletcher Road until the highway reopened around 2.30pm.
Despite oil gushing from the 26,000 litre tanker at five litres per
second, the B-double's driver Fred Driscoll, who was unharmed, said
there was only a slight chance it would explode.
He said he first realised something was wrong at about 10.30am when
Southern Downs Regional Council workers contacted him through via UHF
radio, after they smelled the brakes burning when it drove past a council
work site.
"Just before I pulled over something went bang," he said.
"There was heaps of smoke and it quickly caught on fire."
Mr Driscoll said he and a passer-by attempted to put the fire out with
six extinguishers attached to the truck, but when things escalated they
called triple zero.
A Queensland Fire and Rescue Services (QFRS) spokeswoman said the blaze
was quickly subdued, but kept relighting as oil began to leak on to the
ground.
"The fire had been contained to the rear trailer of the B-double and
the prime mover and the front trailer were separated," the
spokeswoman said.
Senior Constable John Thompson of the Stanthorpe Police said it was
believed the brakes caused the fire.
He said the Environmental Protection Agency and council were also called
in to help deal with the oil spill.
Ballandean General Store owner Colin Maher said he first heard about the
fire, which happened only two kilometres from his business, on truck
radio.
"The heat of the fire managed to put a hole in the tank itself - the
tank was leaking and oil was running across the road," he said.
"The oil tanker was waiting for another truck to off-load what
little oil was left in the tank."
A spokesman for the owners of the tanker, Days Fuel and Fertilizer in
NSW, told the Daily News yesterday it was too early for comment.
Source www. warwickdailynews.com.au
DRIVERS FACE DELAYS AFTER TANKER SPILL ON ABERDEEN TO STONEHAVEN ROAD IN
SCOTLAND
May 26, 2009 Aberdeen, Scotland
Drivers were today warned to expect major delays on the A90 Aberdeen to
Stonehaven road after a diesel spill.
A 54-year-old man has been charged in connection with the diesel spill,
which happened on the A90 Aberdeen to Stonehaven road.
Both north and south-bound stretches of the A90 Aberdeen to Stonehaven
road will be reduced to one lane today with a contraflow 30mph system
because a section will have to be resurfaced.
Hundreds of drivers ground to a halt during rush hour as emergency
services were scrambled to the scene of the diesel spill on the Aberdeen
to Stonehaven road.
The tanker – which had fallen on to its side – lost its load at the
Bridge of Muchalls.
Huge tailbacks built up within minutes around the scene of the accident
at Cookney Road, Netherley, and the south-bound carriageway of the A90
remained closed until the early hours of today as a complex clean-up
operation was carried out.
Source www.bbc.co.uk
CARTERET (New Jersey) GETS NEW FIRE TRUCK FOR $1 A YEAR
NOTE: -The CROIERG web news Editor is no relation to the fire chief
mentioned in this news report
May 1, 2009. Carteret. New Jersey. USA
The borough's fire department is getting a refurbished foam fire
truck for the bargain-basement price of $1 per year.
A ceremony was held this week at the Carteret Firehouse on Roosevelt
Avenue for the official donation from Kinder Morgan of the foam truck.
According to Brian Wojton, director of operations for Kinder Morgan's
Carteret facility on Lafayette Street, Kinder Morgan owns the fire truck
and the borough's fire department will lease it for $1 per year.
"The fire department will house it, they'll take care of it and
they'll treat it as theirs," Wojton said.
Fire Chief Brian O'Connor said the donated fire truck — which
replaced a 1973 foam pumper — is a refurbished 1988 pumper that carries
1,000 gallons of universal gold foam, which can be used on both petroleum
and alcohol fires. The diesel engine truck also pumps 1,250 gallons of
water per minute, O'Connor said.
"It's a special purpose apparatus for alcohol and petroleum
spills, leaks and fires," O'Connor said.
Wojton said that Kinder Morgan purchased the truck from a broker and over
the course of six months, refurbished the truck for about $100,000.
"Safety is important to Carteret," Wojton said. "As part
of our expansion over the years, we've worked out some commitments to
provide some response equipment to help supplement their equipment."
O'Connor said the new truck will help fire officials respond to
emergencies in Carteret, a town with a heavy amount of industrialization.
"Carteret is surrounded by a lot of petroleum and chemical
facilities. We also have the daily transportation of tanker trucks, rail
cars and pipes lines that also run through the borough,"
O'Connor said. "This new truck will allow us to immediately
respond with the proper equipment to extinguish fires or limit vapor
clouds in the event that there is a spill."
O'Connor said the foam truck, which the fire department received in
January, has already been put to good use.
The truck spent 12 hours at the scene on March 9 of an overturned tanker
truck that spilled about 2,000 gallons of methyl alcohol on a ramp
linking Route 440 and Interstate 287 in Edison. Three days later, it
responded to a report of a leak of 100 gallons of isopropyl acetate, a
flammable liquid, from a Conrail tanker near Monroe Avenue in Carteret.
"This truck is one of the items that the borough should have because
of the amount of chemical industry in Carteret," Mayor Daniel Reiman
said. "It's a benefit not only to the chemical companies in town
but also to the community at large.
"Believe it or not, most of the towns in the area do not have a
pumper truck which can obviously provide a tremendous amount of pressure
and foam for chemical-type spills and operations," Reiman said.
The Carteret Fire Department now has three fire engines, a 93-foot ladder
truck and the foam pumper, O'Connor said. Source. www.mycentral
jersey.com
OVERSIZE TRUCK IN INCIDENT WITH FUEL TANKER IN QUEENSLAND
May18, 2009 Nudgee Queensland
POLICE expect the northbound lanes of the Gateway Motorway at
Nudgee to remain closed until lunchtime as work continues to clear an
oversized truck carrying a 90-tonne concrete beam.
The beam was being transported under police escort to Brighton where work
is under way on a new bridge.
About 3.30am, the vehicle was forced to brake heavily when another
over-sized vehicle in front of it turned into a worksite.
The abrupt stop damaged the truck's brake cable and almost caused a
collision with a petrol tanker travelling behind.
The tanker driver was able to avoid a crash but a utility was not so
fortunate, clipping the larger vehicle.
The tanker was not ruptured and police praised the driver's
actions.
"He's done well to avoid a collision (with the oversized
vehicle). That could have caused an explosion," said Sergeant Adam
Guild.
The driver of the utility was injured and remains in the Royal Brisbane
and Women's Hospital in a serious condition.
The incident closed the northbound lanes of the Gateway while
arrangements were made for a crane to remove the concrete beam and the
truck.
Northbound traffic is being diverted off at the Toombul Road exit and
back onto the motorway at the Nudgee Road on-ramp.
Motorists are urged to use alternate routes and to be patient while
driving in the expected heavy traffic.
The tanker was escorted to a service station a short distance up the road
where its load was decanted.
Police said the clean up was progressing well but it was unlikely the
northbound lanes of the Gateway would reopen before midday.
Traffic is being diverted off the Gateway at Toombul Road and then back
on at the Nudgee Road on-ramp. Source www.news.com.au/couriermail
TANKER CRASH SPARKS FUEL EMERGENCY IN WA
May 08, 2009 Narrogin West Aust
AUTHORITIES in Narrogin, 190km south of Perth, have activated an
emergency management response to deal with a major fuel spill.
Diesel is leaking from a fuel truck which collided another vehicle at the
intersection of Clayton Rd and Narrakine Rd, near the town's
hospital, at about 9.30am.

Narrogin (WA) diesel spill
Police said the roads were closed and fuel was leaking from the tanker,
prompting the emergency response. Both drivers were injured in the crash.
Source www.news.com
CSB LAUNCHES REDESIGNED AGENCY WEBSITE AND RELEASES NEW VIDEO
Editors Note:
For the information of CROIERG Members here is an announcement from the
US Chemical Safety Board on their new website. Really first class.
Recommended!
Washington, DC, USA May 26, 2009
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) today unveiled a redesigned website,
www.csb.gov that includes imbedded flash videos, a photo gallery,
and a new accident news feed.
The redesigned home page features a newly released 14-minute video,
"About the CSB," describing the agency’s investigations, recommendations, and outreach programs. The new video
includes interviews with CSB Chairman John Bresland, CSB managers and
staff, and outside stakeholders together with footage of chemical
accidents, investigative activities, and hearings.

CSB new website
The new website provides easier access to investigation information,
including the ability to download high-resolution photos from CSB investigations, and an improved search
capability. The CSB’s widely viewed safety videos and safety messages are
embedded throughout the site.
Chairman Bresland said, "The CSB strives to be a leader in the
online communication of safety information and recommendations. The web
site redesign reflects our ongoing commitment to effective outreach to
businesses, workers, and communities who share our goal of preventing
chemical accidents and saving lives."
The new www.csb.gov homepage includes an improved news feed of recent
chemical accidents throughout the country as well as direct access to the
CSB’s most frequently viewed safety videos.
"The CSB’s new website has been an extensive undertaking," said
Public Affairs Specialist Hillary Cohen, who led the year-long redesign
project. "Our objective is make access to vital safety information
as easy as possible for thousands of stakeholders and web visitors."
MASSIVE CLEAN-UP CONTINUES AFTER TANKER SPILL ON HIGHWAY 221S
May26, 2009 Rutherford County, Tennessee USA
Crews continue to clear away contaminated dirt and asphalt after a tanker
overturned on Friday and spilled 21,660 litres of gasoline.
"We've dealt with a number of hazardous material situations,
but this, by far, has taken the longest as far as the clean up and
recovery operations," says Rutherford Co. Fire Marshal, Roger
Hollifield.
Clean-up has taken longer than expected because no one knows how deep or
how far the fuel spread. Three flash fires happened Saturday after heavy
machinery continued to hit rock beds.
New surveillance video from a nearby truck stop shows that the wreck
could've been much worse. The tanker rolled to a stop just before it
hit the truck stop's gas pumps.
"The only thing that stopped him from wiping out the gas island
was the gas sign. That's what stopped the cab, I mean smack on the
poles.
Video of this incident
Source. www.wlos.com
TWO LP-GAS TANKERS COLLIDE IN THE BAHAMAS
May 14, 2009 Nassau. Bahamas
Two liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) trucks collided on the road that leads
to the Albany development in southwest New Providence yesterday, causing
one of the large vehicles to overturn a few feet off the roadway.
It was a busy scene around 6 a.m. as firefighters hosed down the two
vehicles to prevent them from going up in flames.
Initially, fire fighters were concerned that the highly flammable LPG,
which is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating
appliances and vehicles, could ignite.
"This is LPG product and it is a dangerous product," said
Assistant Superintendent Jeffrey Deleveaux, who heads the police Fire
Services Division. "We cannot take it lightly. This is why we had
two engines on standby while the LPG truck was being [placed]
upright...But there was no leakage of fuel content and cranes were used
to upright the tanker that was overturned."
At the scene yesterday at least half a dozen officers cordoned off the
area as a lone fireman hosed down the overturned vehicle.
There was visible damage to the truck that was lying on its side with a
shattered front windshield.
Despite the damage, police reported that the drivers were not injured in
the crash.
Deleveaux said traffic flow in the area was not disrupted as officers
were able to orderly divert cars around the wreckage.
"It's a very wide road so on the shoulder of the road traffic is
able to pass on the unpaved section at least about 100 feet away from the
actual accident," he said. By mid-afternoon yesterday officials were
able to clear the scene of the accident.
Source www.thenassauguardian.com
TWO PEOPLE DIE IN THURSDAY EVENING CRASH WITH TANKER TRUCK IN MISSISSIPPI
May 1, 2009 Meridian, Mississippi USA
Two people involved in a two-vehicle collision Thursday afternoon on Hwy.
45 South died at Meridian hospitals Thursday evening.
Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler said a woman passenger in the
Ford mini-van died at about 5:55 p.m. at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical
Center and a 21-year old male passenger was pronounced dead at Rush
Foundation Hospital minutes later. The third victim was listed in
critical condition at Rush Foundation Hospital.
The crash between the mini-van and a northbound 18-wheeler tanker truck
hauling gasoline occurred at Mitchum Bottom Road and Hwy. 45 South in
southern Lauderdale County. The right side of the mini-van was severely
damaged from the impact.
Paramedics from Metro Ambulance and emergency responders from Clarkdale
Volunteer Fire and Rescue worked feverishly to extricate, stabilize and
transport the injured to Meridian hospitals.
The driver of the big rig, listed as being from Hanceville, Ala., was
unhurt. The truck did suffer extensive damage to the front and had to be
towed from the scene.
One of the northbound lanes of Hwy. 45 was closed down for a couple of
hours.
Source. www.meridianstar.com
CCTV 'CLUE TO OIL SLICK VANDALS' IN UK SPILL
Police are examining CCTV footage to establish who broke the seal on an
oil container and released gallons of oil into Newry Canal.
The oil was spilled at Win Business Park in Newry and has polluted a
beauty spot on the canal near the towpath, endangering birds and fish.
Two swans nesting on the water have been covered in thick oil.
"One of the swans is covered in oil from head to toe," said
Sinn Féin councillor Charlie Casey.
"The USPCA has been called in to monitor the situation.
"As the swans are nesting and they have eggs, they are quite
aggressive."
Vandals spilled the oil on Thursday night.
Police said a container outside business premises was tampered with and
lubricant was released.
"Police are liaising closely with other agencies (the Environment
Agency and USPCA) and inquiries are continuing," a spokeswoman said.
CLEAN-UP
A clean-up operation at the site is ongoing.
"There are ducks and other hens nearby and the area is popular for
fishing," said Mr Casey.
"Those involved in this type of serious anti-social vandalism care
nothing about the harm and destruction they are causing to the local
businesses, community and environment."
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) is investigating the
spill.
"Statutory samples have been taken and booms have been deployed to
contain the oil and a clean-up is under way.
There are two oiled swans and the Ulster Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) have been made aware of this," a
spokeswoman said
Source www.bbc.co.uk
Some recommended reading in the MEMBER’S AREA (Training Bulletins):
- Fireball in West Australia service station fire during tanker delivery
- CHINA - Workplace accident deaths ‘on decline’
- Wetlines legislation could be back on the agenda in the USA
- Explosion throws worker out of 10 feet deep hole in Michigan
- Petrol tanker crash blocks road at Lilydale in Tasmania
- EPA Victoria seeks public assistance in search for oil spill culprits
- 18 Die in multiple crashes in Nigeria
- (and Nigeria Again ) Nine die tanker in tanker fire in Nigeria
- Overturned tanker shuts down traffic in Arkansas
- County paramedics given crash course in Canada (Emergency Exercise)
- UK mission group helps rescue bus & tanker crash victims in Ecuador
- Refinery spill of eleven million litres in Wyoming
- Tanker crash on turnpike in Pennsylvania with big spill of gasoline
- Fuel tanker crash injuries 8 persons in the Philippines
- Truck driver escapes injury in tanker crash in New Zealand
- Tanker blast during repairs in Saudi Arabia
- CROIERG PHOTO VIDEO SECTION
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