TotalFinaElf addresses technology risk for French government

TotalFinaElf has outlined its response to technology risk issues raised by the explosion at its AZF chemical plant in Toulouse in September, in which 29 people were killed.

The France-based oil major says it has adopted these measures independently of the national debate over safety – which was instigated by the French government in response to the explosion – and any recommendations that emerge from that debate.
The five main areas covered by the firm’s response include the following:

Controlling and assessing industrial risks: TotalFinaElf will concentrate on improving the sharing of experience and reinforcement of controls. The company proposes to create a European database of site risk evaluations and make an examination of international best practices in this area. The firm will also submit risk studies for outside appraisal, chosen by the manufacturer and approved by a public authority.

Local information and dialogue: TotalFinaElf will create local information commissions, in order to generate objective information on risks for the public. These commissions will consist of representatives from employee committees, health & safety working conditions committees, local associations and public authorities, as well as contractors and elected officials. The company says: “Dialogue with residents living near sensitive sites allows manufacturers to anticipate the community’s expectations, to make preventative measures more effective and to better explain the constraints associated with industrial activities.”

Industrial risks and urban planning: The oil major proposes increasing restrictions on urban development in risk areas. It says that over the long term, land development planning policy needs to focus on restricting vast industrial zones for risk activities, and on creating the conditions for promoting the establishment of green belts around these zones.

A balanced approach to protecting France’s industrial future: The elimination of an industrial site can only be a last-choice solution, says TotalFinaElf. This is because such a move will often have negative economic and social consequences for an area. In certain cases, it might be preferable to look for alternative solutions, such as moving nearby homes or businesses.

A European approach to appraisal in relation to the diversity of industrial risk: The scientific and technical specialisation and the increasing complexity of industrial subjects on the one hand and the multiple technologies used at industrial sites on the other, make it impossible for one appraiser to evaluate everything, says TotalFinaElf. As a result, it is better to use an international skills network to assess industrial risk, says the firm. The company would like to see French industrial risk evaluation centres strengthened, and professional career planning for risk assessors to be organised between the public sector and industry. In short, TotalFinaElf is seeking “systematic recourse to international expertise in analysing accidents and evaluating risks” and “a heightened co-ordination between the different national and European risk institutes.”

The AZF plant produces nitrogen fertilisers and is part of TotalFinaElf’s chemical subsidiary AtoFina.

The company has also sent its proposals to the French minister for the environment and regional planning.