What is HERS? (Hazchem Emergency Response Service)
If your company supplies, ships or stores dangerous goods you are probably already taking the necessary steps to operate safely – from careful storage in the warehouse, to ensuring that your staff are suitably trained. However, should a transport incident involving your products occur, this is when any gaps in your safety practices may quickly come to light…
- If you transport or consign hazardous freight, are you happy that you have sufficient support in place in case an incident occurs?
- Do you provide a specialist emergency telephone number that will be answered 24 hours a day, every day of the year?
- How quickly can you provide expert advice to those dealing with an incident?
- Are you able to arrange an appropriate on-scene response?
So if you’re shipping or storing dangerous goods and don’t have an answer to one or more of the questions above, it’s time to address them with one simple solution;
Hazchem Emergency Response Service; HERS is Exclusive to Hazchem Network members – this service is not offered to anyone else and is an automatic benefit of being a member.
WHAT IS HERS?
Hazchem Emergency Response Service, more often referred to as ‘HERS’ is one of the many benefits of being a Hazchem Network member, or customer of a member.
With 24/7/365 access, HERS is a coordinated national approach by dedicated highly experienced responders assigned to resolve packaged chemical incidents and environmental emergencies quickly and safely. HERS is a major step forward in emergency response from a consortium of hazardous goods professionals which, in addition to The Hazchem Network, also includes; The National Chemical Emergency Centre, Ambipar Response Limited and OAMPS Hazardous Industries
WHAT DOES THE HERS SERVICE PROVIDE?
HERS is exclusively available to companies that are part of the Hazchem Network organisation. Should any truck and its cargo be involved in an incident there is a single telephone number that can be called at any time of the day or night, giving immediate access to trained chemists at NCEC who can advise on the appropriate incident response. Should clean-up be required this is arranged using Ambipar’s UK network of response vehicles and staff. A full and detailed report will be issued to all those involved. Wherever possible, company names will not be revealed to the wider public outside of those involved to protect their privacy.
LEVEL I, II and III EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROTOCOL
The four consortium members are experts in their respective fields and, between them, provide a reliable and resilient 24/7 Level I, II and III emergency response to all types of chemical incidents.
- LEVEL 1 – telephone advice by experienced graduate chemists from the NCEC Control room
- LEVEL II – Upon agreement with the depot [and/or] request from the emergency services, a Chemist/ Operator can be sent to advise on clean-up and getting the situation under control.
- LEVEL III – Upon agreement with the depot [and/or] request from the emergency services & insurers, a clean-up team with transfer pumps and spillage clean-up equipment can be sent to get the situation under control.
If you want to know more about The Hazchem Network and the how your business can share in the membership benefits, including the HERS scheme, why not give one of our highly experienced team a call on 01455 856004 or email Melanie Farman, Network Development Manager.
We look forward to hearing from you.
