The aim of the project is to improve the safety of oil spill response by providing measurement data on the concentrations of hazardous substances and ignition hazards during oil spill response. Safety data will be collected on the most likely pollutants, such as crude oil, and on a risk basis for the new generation of fuels and fluids. The project will serve as a pre-project for a wider international development project, which will be prepared and submitted for funding in the course of the project.

The project will use concentration detectors that record continuous measurement data on concentrations of toxic and flammable gases and vapours, as well as oxygen. Measurement data will be collected during response tests with different fuels and liquids. The measurement data is decodable in electronic format and can therefore be analysed at each stage of the work or other time step. The data can be used to identify the most hazardous work phases and time periods for health and safety on a substance-specific basis. As a result of the analysis, a description of the safety environment of the response, including a risk assessment, is drawn up. Both rescue authorities and occupational health professionals will be involved in the testing.

ACTIVITIES

1) Definition of a testing approach and creation of a broader project framework, project preparation and application for EU funding.
2) Construction of test conditions (test oils, protective equipment, measurement equipment and test set-up, preparation of measurement protocols)
3) Field measurements (in three stages: booming, mechanical recovery, absorption)
4) Analysis of results (data extraction, interpretation and reporting)
5) Risk assessment (assessment of the severity of the risk, definition of risk management measures)
6) Dissemination of results (social media, professional journals, articles, scientific articles) and feedback from participants.

schedule

The project will be implemented between 1.9.2023 and 31.12.2024. Testing will take place in spring/summer 2024.