The safety of those undertaking stack emission monitoring has always been a driving force within the Source Testing Association and the Health and Safety Task Group is the focus of this work. Since its inception those involved in this group have strived to produce guidance to the industry on safe working practices and the implementation of safety legislation.
One of the most recognised publications of this group is the Risk Assessment Guide for Industrial Emission Monitoring, commonly known as the Yellow Book. Its adoption as the safety guide for the industry has resulted in its inclusion in the EA guidance and MCERTS scheme and it has remained a clear and concise guide to the potential dangers of the work we do. Its annual revisions has kept it up to date with the ever changing legislation whilst the group has strived to keep it as a simple and practical guide for those up the stack as well as a useful resource for managers, salesmen and process operators.
During the regular meetings, the task group members review changes to existing legislation and proposed new legislation and where necessary advise the STA members as to the potential implications of such legislation. Such advice is often provided as guidance notes published on the website. Accidents in the industry and in related industries are discussed and if lessons can be learnt then these are communicated through bulletins on the website or as e-mails.
Training of stack testers has become a fundamental role of the STA and not more so than through the long established safety training course. It has become a safety passport for stack testers incorporating the experiences and knowledge of many of the stack testers who have contributed to the Health and Safety Task Group. The task group will continue to feed into this essential training.
We have been fortunate in recent years that there have no serious accidents in the UK stack testing industry. This is a trend we all hope will continue but we must not be complacent. The work undertaken on stacks is ever more vital and demanding. The risks are always present and as new staff enter the industry the lessons learnt by more experienced staff must not be lost. The Health and Safety Task Group provides an invaluable resource to the industry to help keep our focus on the serious issue of the safety of those involved in this work.
Health & Safety task group
The safety of those undertaking stack emission monitoring has always been a driving force within the Source Testing Association and the Health and Safety Task Group is the focus of this work. Since its inception those involved in this group have strived to produce guidance to the industry on safe working practices and the implementation of safety legislation.
Quality and Technical task group
The Quality and Technical task group specifically addresses those issues relating to improving the value and reliability of the results we provide to our customers as stack testers. The topics routinely discussed include proficiency testing (PT) schemes, relevant CEN standards and EA method implementation documents,
Process Operators task group
The Process Operators Task Group generally meet three times a year in conjunction with the other groups to review developments in legislation and standards and to share practical experience of continuous monitoring, quality assurance and related issues, such as permitting and reporting.
Equipment suppliers task group
Representing the manufacturers and distributors of particulate and gas CEMs, portable instrumentation, sampling equipment and calibration gas suppliers, the group focuses on being a focal point on regulatory, certification and standards issues relevant to emissions monitoring with particular focus on technical issues.
Small business task group
Small businesses are innovative, enterprising and flexible. According to the Federation of Small Businesses they account for 51% of private sector turnover, 59% of the private sector work force and 60% of all commercial innovations.
EN14181 task group
This group representing, process operators, regulators, test houses, suppliers of CEMs and consultants is focused on developing additional practical guidance and work protocols. The intention is to build on the pragmatic UK approach to EN-14181, the task group has been focusing on:
Low Particulate Task group
The LPM task group has been set up to investigate measurement techniques at low particulate concentrations including non-isokinetic. The TG has been looking at monitoring technologies and the application of EN 13284-1 with respect to low level concentrations as well as current instrumental and future technologies.
HCL Task Group
The HCL task group was set up for Equipment Suppliers, Process operators, Test House’s and regulators to discuss the topic of failures of QAL2 and AST failures relating especially to HCl and SO2. The group has also discussed the following and have created industry guidance on the subject:
If you are interested in getting involved with shaping the way of emission monitoring for the future, visit our website www.s-t-a.org or contact us at info@s-t-a.org
