Div 5Emergency response procedures

Division 5—Emergency response procedures 31—Emergency response procedures (1) A licensee must maintain procedures (emergency response procedures) to be followed in the event of an emergency at a facility operated on land within the area of the licence. (2) Emergency response procedures under subregulation (1) must include— (a) measures to minimise the impact of an emergency situation on— (i) the environment; and (ii) public health and safety; and (iii) the security of production or supply of natural gas (so far as this may be relevant); and (b) measures that will be taken to liaise with relevant authorities and stakeholders (including emergency services) if appropriate, and may include other steps to be taken in the event of an emergency. (3) A licensee must, at intervals not exceeding 2 years, conduct a practice drill of the emergency response procedures for all facilities operated on land within the area of the licence. (4) A licensee may group various facilities for the purposes of a drill under subregulation (3). (5) The licensee must prepare a report on the drill in a manner and form determined by the Minister and furnish a copy of the report to the Minister within 2 months after the drill. (6) A report under subregulation (5) must include— (a) an assessment of the adequacy of the emergency response procedures; and (b) an assessment of the competency of personnel to execute procedures; and (c) information on any deficiencies in any systems, or operating or maintenance procedures, identified by the drill; and (d) details of any remedial action taken, or proposed to be taken, to correct any deficiencies. (7) Information provided in a report under subregulation (5) must— (b) so far as is relevant, identify the sensitivity to change of any assumption that has been made and any significant risks that may arise if an assumption is later found to be incorrect; and (c) so far as is reasonably practicable, be presented in a way that allows a person assessing the information to understand how conclusions have been reached. (8) A report under this regulation— (a) must be provided by the licensee or a person specifically authorised to provide the report for the purposes of this regulation; and (b) must contain a declaration signed or executed by the person providing the report that he or she has taken reasonable steps to review the report in order to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in the report. (9) A licensee must promptly carry out any remedial action that is necessary or appropriate in view of the outcomes of a drill under this regulation. (10) Subject to subregulation (11), a copy of a report under subregulation (5) may be made available to members of the public with the approval of the Minister (and the Minister must consult with the relevant licensee before giving an approval under this regulation). (11) The Minister may, before giving an approval under subregulation (10), take steps to ensure that commercially sensitive information is not publicly disclosed (and the licensee must, if the Minister so requests, provide to the Minister for publication, a further copy of the report that does not contain any commercially sensitive information). (12) An appropriate note relating to the availability of a report under subregulation (10) must be included on the environmental register.