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Taking responsibility for a safer chemical industry
The industry accredited Tank Farm Assessment is part of our commitment to the global chemical industry’s Responsible Care® initiative to improve safety, health, environmental standards and security throughout the polyurethane supply chain.
A Tank Farm Assessment is carried out by members of ISOPA, the European association for producers of diisocyanates and polyols – the main building blocks of polyurethanes. Tank Farm Assessments are completed at the request of plant managers and others involved in the unloading and storage of materials used to make polyurethane products such as rigid and flexible foams, coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers.
These technical assessments form part of an industry best practice programme developed by ISOPA to ensure the highest possible levels of safety in the transportation and storage of chemicals according to current standards.
Other measures include emergency procedures, guidelines and training support for drivers, manufacturers and other participants in the supply chain.
High safety standards are always a priority throughout the polyurethane supply chain
Completing a Tank Farm Assessment
Our global Tank Farm Assessment team carries out a detailed appraisal using a checklist set out by ISOPA that examines the unloading and storage of diiscocyanates at customer sites.
We promote the safe stewardship of the polyurethane raw materials toluene diisocyanate (TDI), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and polyols. We’re committed to driving continuous improvements in the standards of handling, unloading and storage of these materials – and the Tank Farm Assessment plays a key role in this.
“Completing a Tank Farm Assessment not only brings peace of mind, it also reduces the risk of incidents and injuries by addressing any incorrect handling or storage of isocyanates and polyols,” said Thomas Gross, Global Head of Tank Farm Assessment.
“Focusing with our customers on the Tank Farm Assessment has resulted in a marked improvement in transport safety. Since 2014, the transport incident ratio has been significantly reduced.”
The assessment also fulfils an important legal requirement, supporting organizations’ license to operate, helping them prepare for audits and demonstrating that they are meeting the requirements of the regulators.
Safer stewardship for more customers
As a member of ISOPA and one of the leading suppliers of premium polymers, Covestro has been offering a Tank Farm Assessment service since 2012 – helping our customers implement procedures for producing, unloading and storing materials safely at their sites.
By making our Tank Farm Assessment service available for more customers, we aim to help these customers take responsibility for improving their processes and logistics, prevent accidents and incidents, and maintain a safe and healthy workplace for people working in the chemical industry.
One of the main risks for workers in polyurethane foaming plants, for example, is exposure to diisocyanates used to produce foam. If used incorrectly these can be detrimental to people’s health and, in extreme cases, cause occupational asthma. As such, training staff in accordance with industry safety guidelines and following procedures that minimize the risk of exposure to diisocyanates and other substances is one area of focus.
By regularly requesting a Tank Farm Assessment, companies can look to make continual improvements in their operations to ensure safer stewardship of polyurethane raw materials, toluene diisocyanates (TDI) & methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and polyols.
Having taken proactive steps to reduce any potential negative impacts of incorrect handling of storage, customer organizations can then choose to implement policies and processes to address any weaknesses identified in the Tank Farm Assessment – ensuring a safer working environment and a more sustainable supply chain.
Find out more about health and safety in the PU industry here. Contact us today to book your Tank Farm Assessment or register directly via our online portal: https://tankfarmassessment.covestro.com.
“Completing a Tank Farm Assessment not only brings peace of mind, it also reduces the risk of incidents and injuries by addressing any incorrect handling or storage of isocyanates and polyols.”
Key Benefits
- Safety first Improvements in health and safety standards
- Set high standards Implement and improve industry standards
- Improve internal audits Contribute to internal safety, environmental and quality audits
- Secure supply chain Improve security throughout the supply chain
- A partner you can reply on Optimize internal processes and tasks through detailed suggestions for improvement by experienced external contact persons from Covestro
