ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES
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Hazchem operates a 24/7 specialist and rapid response service called the Hazchem Emergency Response Service (HERS) designed to deal with environmental emergencies.
HERS – a joint venture between the Hazchem Network, National Chemical Emergency Centre (NCEC), incident response specialist Braemar Howells and consultancy DAMPS – is available to all hauliers that are part of the network.
Guidance notes give drivers detailed procedures to follow if they have a spillage, accident or a chemical incident in transit.
Should a truck and its cargo be involved in an incident there is: ● A telephone number that the driver can call. This gives immediate access to trained chemists at NCEC, who can then advise on the appropriate incident response.
● A response team – specialists from Braemar Howells can get to the scene, advise on any cleanup operation and get the situation under control.
● A clean-up team from Braemar Howells. Specialist equipment like transfer pumps and spillage clean-up machines can be sent to the incident.
Karim says: “The last thing a company wants is to have spillages of chemicals that can then go into watercourses and water supplies. This is a unique service, of which we are very proud.”