Case Studies » BMW
The challenge
Two visits were made to the BMW Hams Hall facility at Coleshill, West Midlands during May and June 2015 to consider compliance in respect of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR).
BMW Hams Hall manufacturers and tests unleaded petrol engines. The site extends over a large area and incorporates hazardous storage, manufacturing, test cells and a wide variety of storage and hard standing. Primarily the DSEAR focus is upon arrangements for unleaded fuel, test cells and flammable gases in use on-site.
There are additionally battery charging operations in other areas that may give rise to potential fire and / or explosion hazard. The site also has a variety of compressed gases that are required to be reviewed under DSEAR.
The solution provided
DSEAR imposes a requirement to eliminate or reduce risks to safety from fire, explosion or other events arising from the hazardous properties of any dangerous substance used in connection with a work process. The responsible person must carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk to employees for dangerous substances that are or may be present on-site. This was completed on behalf of BMW.
The site had previously been assessed and the requirement was to ensure this was competently updated and amended as necessary; including relevant hazardous zoning drawings. Some site improvements implemented and changes in latest HSE guidance were taken into consideration and this resulted in the hazardous zoning being better defined and in some areas reduced.
At the end of the project BMW were presented with a comprehensive DSEAR report, updated hazardous zoning drawings and a detailed action plan for where improvements could be achieved.
